Baltimore Trails

Book excerpt: Baltimore Trails is a comprehensive and detailed guide to trails on public lands in and around Baltimore. Discover Hemlock Gorge, a small slice of Appalachia transported into northern Baltimore County, with its timeless peace and ancient gnarled hemlocks; or Black Marsh, where birds skulk among the vegetation of pristine freshwater wetlands; or the unique landscape of Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area, which shelters more than 38 rare plant species. Baltimore Trails answers the needs of hikers and mountain bikers, offering accurate maps, up-to-date access information, and reliable trail descriptions. Bryan MacKay, a lifelong Baltimore resident and avid naturalist, walked, cycled, and explored nearly 80 trails in local state, county, and city parks, as well as area watersheds. He provides a detailed description, topographic map, and the length, location, and degree of difficulty for each trail. Some trails offer an easy afternoon stroll, while others provide a day of rugged hiking or biking. Thumbnail essays offer scenic highlights and discuss typical plants, animals, and local ecology. Every trail was field-checked in 2007 for the second edition. Miles of new trails are included, as is updated information on recent trail reroutes.