Saint Mary's Lake Loop was awesome! This is a 7.2 mile loop trail that goes around a smaller, murky…read morebut very pretty lake. The trail is well-worn, gravel, mud, dirt, lots of tree roots, moss and great little foot bridges here there. The path peeks out of the woods for a view of the lake only two or three times. There isn't really any shoreline but I'm not sure I'd swim or wade in this lake. Anyways, I'm reviewing the trail here, since I'm not much of a watercraft or fishing person. We did see kayaks and canoes out on the lake. The small parking lot is new, and we assume so is the fully equipped washroom/toilet building. Fresh water is available from a dispenser there. Nice! Zero shade for parked cars though, which I've always thought was weird in any car park. There are extra long and easy park spots for trailering. There's a small boat launch and dock. Locals suggested we use the trail between May and October, but to beware of the usual forest nasties like ticks, horseflies, mozzys and other biting critters and snakes. We saw lots of tiny frogs, turtles, birds and squirrels. We went on a Sunday and crossed paths with 3 cyclists, 4 pedestrians, 2 dogs and horse prints along the trail. Dogs are allowed on leash. The trail was super clean, no litter or dog poop along the way. Loved the hike! Took us about 2h45min to complete the loop. Bring your debit/credit card for the automated entry gate: $5 out of state, and $3 in state. Worth it!!!

This is a beautiful state park. The 7.5 mile trail is flat, spacious and beautiful. Unfortunately,…read morewe only had time to do 1.5 miles round trip. We turned around 30 minutes in walking with our Aussie dog. But we got to the end of the dam and it was beautiful! We hiked the first weekend of January so some parts was a little muddy. But it wasn't too bad. The only thing I wished this park had was running toilets. I believe it was only an outdoor porta potty. But then again, we didn't do the entire trail, so I might be wrong. Parking is $3/car for in-state (Maryland) cars and $5/car for out-of-state.

My wife and I enjoy walking and I also ride my bike in the park. It's well maintain and one of the…read moreonly black history parks in this country.

Lancaster Dog Park - I often bring my dog to the large dog side of the 2 dog parks. The large dog…read moreside is about a acre square, fenced in by a 6ft chain link. Both large and small dog parks are double gated so the dogs cant get out and run off. The area for the small dogs is maybe a third if the size of the large dog side. There is fresh water for your dog to get drinks and there's a poopie bag dispenser so you can clean your mess. Most of the people here pay attention to their dogs behavior and I personally haven't seen a blown out dog fight. Its a good social spot for you and your dog. Not much seating area but there are a few fixed benches in the fenced parks. Parking is usually available and near the park entrances. If your dog needs a energy release, give this place a try.

Battle Creek Cypress Swamp State Preserve is located in Prince Frederick MD. Had an opportunity to…read moreenjoy the flora and fauna of the preserve, and an amazing Boardwalk trail over the swamp itself! This is a relatively short (only 0.90 miles of trails) but nonetheless a fascinating adventure!

A cypress swamp sounds like something you'd find in Belize or in Dinotopia, but in fact we have one…read moreright here in Maryland. It's free, and from the parking lot one finds a visitor center with several animals (including some disabled rescue raptors outside). Restrooms are the first thing you see upon walking in, a wise choice given that this place is a pretty decent drive from almost anywhere. It is, however, not far off Route 4, and a viable stop on the way to other things in the region. After the visitor center, a boardwalk leads out into the swamp, and make no mistake it is pretty swampy. The trees apparently put their roots out aboveground to stabilize themselves, leading to a bizarre aesthetic of knobby root bits sticking up everywhere. The area is quiet but for the slow flow of water, and you can almost feel nature renewing itself; wetlands are tremendously valuable. It isn't a large area; not something you'd spend a whole day at with just the boardwalk and a few other areas to walk through, but it makes for a nice diversion.

Really good trail for biking. 11 miles long and well marked. South end is Baggett Park, north end…read moreis in Hughesville. Mostly level or easy grades. Portapotties available as are benches. Winds thru fields and farms and Forest.

My wife and I frequent this trail to ride our bicycles and enjoy it. The only trail head is…read moreactually at "John V. Baggett Park" in the parking lot near Three Notch Rd. The far end of the trail doesn't have anything, not even a bench or potty. The trail is always clean and has several locations with benches and Port-a potties. The only complaint I might have would be that there are no active watering stations. Bring your drink with you. All crossings with the roads are well marked. The crossing at Leonardtown Rd can get a little crazy as twice we waited for cars to pass and some cars would come to a screeching stop. Don't be too close to the street while waiting for cars to stop at this location. Some crossings have buttons to push so the crossing lights are activated which helps but you still need to be cautious. There are no sections of this trail as to where you have to share the road.. its a full trail. There are some spots on the trail that you might want to go see, like the Amish market at the library or the BBQ restaurant that you will eventually smell and see if you go far enough. There are a few sections of the trail that have rough surface, the Amish buggies are using the trail and you'll eventually see horse poop in the middle of the way while the ruts of the buggies are bumpy. Its a nice trail with farm, city, urban views. If you're looking for a place to exercise, or a relaxing place to ride or walk you should try this trail.

I'm still new to cycling and have made it my business to note good local trails with scenic views…read more This is one of them. Located in Charles county, but it feels like you're far away from urban chaos. In fact, some of the views remind me of various vacation spots. I arrived at the trail head approximately 11:00am on a Saturday, which helped me avoid the early morning riders. According to my friends, even early morning rides have moderate trail usage, never crowded. They were finishing up as I got started. This is also important because parking at the trail head is limited. If you start at the beginning and go to the end, it's 13 miles of mostly smooth asphalt. Highway crossings are well marked and there are some inclines. There are also benches & a couple porta potties along the way. I'll return soon and see if I can spot a bald eagle.

If you love the great outdoor you would love the Indian Head Rail Trail. Located in southern…read moreMaryland at the end of Indian Head Hwy 210. You will find a small town with a big future. Come enjoy walking or riding the trail. You will see a lot of wildlife. Be prepared to do a lot of speaking and waving because that is what we do here. The trail is 13 miles one way. Indian Head to White Plains Maryland. One of my favorite things to do on a nice day is to grab my bike and my riding partner T'Challa - my dog literally lol and take the trail by storm. Hope to see you they one day.

This is probably my favorite park in St. Mary's County. It is family friendly with a lot of things…read moreto do. Not only is there a playground, but they have tennis courts, a basketball court, multiple baseball and soccer fields, and two trails (one that runs in the back of the park behind the fields, and the other is the entrance to the Three Notch Trail). The 10.6 mile trail is paved and is perfect for a family bike ride or a run. It stretches from Bagget Park up into Charlotte Hall. My only complaint is regarding the trail in the woods behind the athletic fields and playground - the trail loops around itself multiple times and it can be hard to follow where you are. I would recommend to Rec and Park to put in routes spray painted with different colors instead of just yellow, and a few more map stands (currently only one at the entrance).

A fairly large park in northern St Mary's county, close to RT 235. Has ample parking and numerous…read moreplaying fields. Pickleball and basketball courts are available and a rest room. This park is also the south terminus of the 11 mile long three notch trail for biking and jogging. This trail is wonderful; nice and level and well marked. Winds thru forest and fields and farms.

After reading the first review I had to laugh. I think the person thought she was taking her dog to…read morea Dog Resort in Vale instead of a Park in Charles County. This Park is plenty large enough for the biggest of breeds or the smallest. There are two separate areas, the larger side is for "Large Dogs" above 25 lbs and the "Small Dogs" for 25 lbs or less. The people here are nice for the most part, friendly and clean up after their dog(s). Yes, there are a few that don't but hey? What ya gonna do, get in a fist fight over it? There is free water during the Spring, Summer & Fall and only turned off so the pipes do not freeze. Shady spots to sit and converse with other patrons, poop bags, trash receptacles and grounds keeping provided by the county. There is even bathroom facilities available nearby. If On-Leash walking is your thing there is quite an extensive area to walk around and even a small wooded trail behind the kids playground area and tennis courts and paths/bridges to the skate park parking lot.

The park was bigger then described and my German Shepherd had a wonderful time. This will…read moredefinitely be 1 of our go to spots

08/03/25 My wife and…read moreI decided to take a drive through the county and stop at Jefferson Patterson Park. She had never been before, and while I had driven through, I'd never really explored it. We parked and walked up to the main house -- what a house! We just missed the last full tour of the day but were able to explore the first floor. Each room was beautifully set to its period with notes explaining the history. The kitchen stood out with its size, multiple stoves, and even an elevator nearby that had been installed for Mr. Patterson. Outside, the flower gardens were beautiful. Nearby we could see the old pool area -- the pool itself has been filled in, but the pool house and outline remain. From there, we walked down to the water, passing an active archaeological site marked for future digs. At the shoreline, there's a pier where boaters can dock to use the beach or walk up to the house. Another historic structure sits by the water, though it's slowly being overtaken by the elements. We also visited the area where the college is growing oysters, with plenty of them visible at the creek pier. The property has many trails to walk or bike, and they're even building a new large facility on-site. The park also hosts special events like the balloon festival and more. It was a great visit, and we're looking forward to returning to explore more trails, either walking or biking.

Becky gave us a fascinating, insightful, educational tour. My husband enjoyed riding around the…read moreIndian Village and King's Reach next to the Patuxent River. Jefferson Patterson Park is a unique timeline for this area of our country. This is must-see for anyone interested in archaeology, plantation life, Indian settlements, the 1930's through the present day and history. Highly recommend spending time with knowledgeable and enthusiastic Becky.