The Western Maryland Rail Trail is a paved trail that begins near Fort Frederick State Park and travels west more than 20 miles to Pearre Station, Maryland. The trail follows the Potomac river using sections of the former Baltimore & Ohio Railroad tracks. Hiking and biking along the rail trail rewards visitors great views of the river, canals, and many trestle bridges. At Hancock station, the trail links up with the C&O Canal towpath, allowing for loops and closer views of the river. The trail west of Hancock station is more rugged and has overlooks and views of the mountains.
Maryland and the National Park Service are planning to further extend the trail to include tunnels and more bridges, but these plans are suspended due to the impact on the bats living in the tunnels. The bats, including some endangered species, are at risk from diseases carried by people. This is especially important because bat populations have been devastated in recent years by White-Nose Syndrome. In the meantime, the C&O Canal towpath parallels a lot of the proposed trail and can be used to go further west along the Potomac river.
For maps and additional information, please check out the Western Maryland Rail Trail website.
