3 Parks to Go to This Spring
By Adelaide Keller
By Adelaide Keller
As the weather warms up and we all have a few days off many of us are looking for something to do. One great option is hiking, and seeing wildlife. There are lots of places in our area to go hiking, but I recommend the C & O Canal Trail between Locks 20 and 21, Seneca Creek State Park, and Sugarloaf Mountain. All three of these places are great for seeing wildlife and hiking, but are also fun and provide a lot of entertainment for anybody.
C & O Canal Trail Between Locks 20 & 21
Recently, my family and I went hiking on the section of the C & O Canal Trail between Locks 20 and 21. On the hike, we saw 3 blue herons, 2+ hawks, lots of seagulls floating on the Potomac River, a few vultures (flying overhead), several Canada geese, 2 Eastern bluebirds, and more. Many of the animals that live along the trail will let you stop to watch them because they are used to humans from all the people passing by on the trail. Even so, don’t get too close to the animals, let them go about their business. For those who aren’t extreme hikers, the trail is perfect, because it is flat. Hiking the trail is more like a walk than it is a hike, just on an unpaved surface. Most of the time you are on the trail, you have a good view of the Potomac River. If you hike on this trail, make sure to bring your mask, because it is extremely busy with bikers, hikers, and runners. If you want to start your hike at Lock 20, you will probably have to get to the trail through Great Falls Park, which has a $20 dollar entrance fee for vehicles. You can also enter the park at Swains Lock (Lock 21), off River Road (if you travel down Swains Lock Road).
Seneca Creek State Park
Seneca Creek has several good hiking trails, but can also provide lots of fun entertainment for those who don’t want to hike. The park has multiple playgrounds, including one in between Bluejay and Nuthatch picnic pavilions, surrounded by woods and accessible by multiple hiking trails along with a road. This playground is remote, so it is not used by a lot of people, but is also fun with monkey bars, slides, and horizontal bars. There is also the main playground at Seneca Creek that is extremely fun - the Recycled Tire Playground, which features a zipline, tire dragon, and main play area. At the park you can also walk or sit along Clopper Lake, to enjoy the view and look for wildlife. The park features a frisbey golf course as well that can be both fun and challenging. On weekends April through October you have to pay a $3 dollar entrance fee if you are an state resident, but weekdays are always free.
Sugarloaf Mountain
Sugarloaf Mountain is more of a large hill than it is a mountain, but the hikes it offers provide great views of Maryland, and can still be challenging. For those who just want to get to the peak, you can drive all the way up the mountain and then take the Green (which is modified and easier to walk on) or the Orange (which is extremely steep and can be difficult to climb) Trail up to the summit. If you want to hike up to the summit from the entrance, you can take the White Trail, and then merge onto the Orange Trail. For a complete guide of the trails and Sugarloaf Mountain, CLICK HERE. A lot of people come to Sugarloaf to hike, so bring your mask.
All three of these parks are great places to hike, view wildlife, and have fun. While we all have some days off, I recommend you try going to some of these places, and see if you enjoy them.
Images
C & O Canal Trail Between Locks 20 & 21: https://walkinghistory.wordpress.com/2019/01/31/the-trail-the-inn-and-the-welcome/
Seneca Creek State Park: https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/pages/central/seneca.aspx
Sugarloaf Mountain: https://www.visitmaryland.org/listing/attraction/sugarloaf-mountain-recreation-area
C & O Canal Trail Between Locks 20 & 21
Recently, my family and I went hiking on the section of the C & O Canal Trail between Locks 20 and 21. On the hike, we saw 3 blue herons, 2+ hawks, lots of seagulls floating on the Potomac River, a few vultures (flying overhead), several Canada geese, 2 Eastern bluebirds, and more. Many of the animals that live along the trail will let you stop to watch them because they are used to humans from all the people passing by on the trail. Even so, don’t get too close to the animals, let them go about their business. For those who aren’t extreme hikers, the trail is perfect, because it is flat. Hiking the trail is more like a walk than it is a hike, just on an unpaved surface. Most of the time you are on the trail, you have a good view of the Potomac River. If you hike on this trail, make sure to bring your mask, because it is extremely busy with bikers, hikers, and runners. If you want to start your hike at Lock 20, you will probably have to get to the trail through Great Falls Park, which has a $20 dollar entrance fee for vehicles. You can also enter the park at Swains Lock (Lock 21), off River Road (if you travel down Swains Lock Road).
Seneca Creek State Park
Seneca Creek has several good hiking trails, but can also provide lots of fun entertainment for those who don’t want to hike. The park has multiple playgrounds, including one in between Bluejay and Nuthatch picnic pavilions, surrounded by woods and accessible by multiple hiking trails along with a road. This playground is remote, so it is not used by a lot of people, but is also fun with monkey bars, slides, and horizontal bars. There is also the main playground at Seneca Creek that is extremely fun - the Recycled Tire Playground, which features a zipline, tire dragon, and main play area. At the park you can also walk or sit along Clopper Lake, to enjoy the view and look for wildlife. The park features a frisbey golf course as well that can be both fun and challenging. On weekends April through October you have to pay a $3 dollar entrance fee if you are an state resident, but weekdays are always free.
Sugarloaf Mountain
Sugarloaf Mountain is more of a large hill than it is a mountain, but the hikes it offers provide great views of Maryland, and can still be challenging. For those who just want to get to the peak, you can drive all the way up the mountain and then take the Green (which is modified and easier to walk on) or the Orange (which is extremely steep and can be difficult to climb) Trail up to the summit. If you want to hike up to the summit from the entrance, you can take the White Trail, and then merge onto the Orange Trail. For a complete guide of the trails and Sugarloaf Mountain, CLICK HERE. A lot of people come to Sugarloaf to hike, so bring your mask.
All three of these parks are great places to hike, view wildlife, and have fun. While we all have some days off, I recommend you try going to some of these places, and see if you enjoy them.
Images
C & O Canal Trail Between Locks 20 & 21: https://walkinghistory.wordpress.com/2019/01/31/the-trail-the-inn-and-the-welcome/
Seneca Creek State Park: https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/pages/central/seneca.aspx
Sugarloaf Mountain: https://www.visitmaryland.org/listing/attraction/sugarloaf-mountain-recreation-area