Back Yard Road Trip – Maryland Parks
Back Yard Road Trip – Maryland Parks
As the country is emerging from lock down and Father’s Day is around the corner, a lot of us are itching to do something now. Why not take a weekend off and take a Backyard Road Trip to somewhere within a 2-4 hour drive. Here I have highlighted a Back Yard Road Trip – Maryland Parks. But you can create your own Back Yard Road Trip just as easy.
Take advantage of the summer weather, pack the kids up, roll down the windows, breathe in the fresh air, and take in the glorious natural beauty these parks have to offer. With any good road trip, it’s more about enhancing your bond and creating memories than it is about the destination. As a seasoned father of three wonderful small versions of myself, I have to say if you have not taken a long extended road trip with your children – you are in for a treat. For you inexperienced Road Trip Parents, here are some quick tips to get you started.
Road Trip Crash Course
- Dad makes the RULES! Unless Mom is in the car.
- You should always leave the house at 6am to beat the traffic (you won’t).
- You can plan to drive from D.C. to Orlando in 13 hours (you won’t).
- You should leave at 9pm and drive while the kids sleep (they won’t).
- You should plan your bathroom breaks to coincide with gas stops (not happening).
- You should make strategic seating decisions to keep the peace (won’t work).
- Assume there will be barf and crying, sometimes at same time (for real).
- Ipads, Smart Phones, and headphones will solve ALL problems (they won’t).
- Go ahead and rent that book on CD at Cracker Barrel ( I dare you – LOL).
- Never say “Never Again.” You will keep road tripping with your kids and Love It.
Here in Maryland we are home to some amazing State and National Parks and many are within a couple hours drive from the DC Metro area. It’s perfect for a back-yard-road-trip-maryland-parks. Their beauty can be observed while keeping a distance and without risking breaking any social distancing recommendations. If you’re looking for some cross country trips or live in another part of the country, check out Family roadtrip
My First Stop on the Maryland Scenic Back Yard Road Trip is :
Assateague State Park
This park is my favorite, so it’s #1 on the list. I may be a little biased because I love the beach and I love parks, so it is the best of both worlds. It is in Worcester County and adored by all creatures. Assateague State Park is Maryland’s only oceanfront park. It is located on Assateague Island, a barrier island bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Sinepuxent Bay on the west. It is two miles of ocean beaches offer swimming, beachcombing, sunbathing, surfing and fishing. The bayside offers visitors the chance to explore secluded coves by canoe or kayak. The marsh areas have a variety of wildlife, including deer, waterfowl and feral horses. It also connects to the Assateague Island National Seashore. If you ever dreamed of Camping on the beach, surrounded by wild ponies, this is your dream come true. Well maybe not the Horse Flies, they are for real here.
https://www.nps.gov/asis/index.htm
Great Falls Park
Great Falls Park is second on my list. It truly is a Natural Wonder of the Washington DC Region. It is a great place to take the family on any Back Yard Road Trip, even if traveling through Maryland to another destination. It boasts an 800-acre park located along the Potomac River, and offers the most spectacular views in the Washington DC metropolitan area. The natural beauty of Great Falls is unmatched with its series of steep, jagged rocks that flow through the narrow Mather Gorge. The park’s close proximity to downtown Washington, DC make it a prime place to visit and it is very popular with local residents and tourists. The park has two locations: one in Maryland and the other in Northern Virginia.
See a map and directions online.
Great Falls Park offers a variety of recreational activities including hiking, picnicking, kayaking, rock climbing, bicycling, and horseback riding. You can view the falls from several observation areas. The falls cascade into 20-foot waterfalls displaying the steepest fall line rapids of any eastern river. Beware there is no swimming at this park as the River is fast and dangerous. If you are road tripping with the little ones, keep an eye on them. If you’re Road Tripping with the Mother in Law, maybe not so much. 😉
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
No Maryland back yard road trip would be complete without a little American History thrown in. It doesn’t get any better than visiting the birth place of our National Anthem.
The valiant defense of the fort by 1,000 dedicated Americans inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner” during the Battle of Baltimore, September 13-14, 1814. Regardless of the rockets’ red glare and the bombs bursting in air, the defenders of Fort McHenry stopped the British advance on Baltimore and helped to preserve the United States. Following the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812, the fort never again came under attack. However, it remained an active military post off and on for the next 100 years. It became an area administered by the National Park Service in 1933, two years after Key’s poem became this country’s National Anthem.
Plan to spend about one hour touring the fort – all self-guided. An entire visit usually requires two hours.
Special Events include: Defenders’ Day, military twilight ceremonies, seasonal living history programs, and special ranger programs on certain holidays. Check the Calendar for dates and times.
https://www.nps.gov/fomc/index.htm
Calvert Cliffs State Park
I have spent many a school trip at Calvert Cliffs Park and it is a great place to visit, offering a very unique quality you can’t find at any other park in Maryland – Fossil Hunting.
Calvert County is home to Calvert Cliffs State Park. It’s known for – you guessed it – the cliffs. This is also a notable location to go fossil hunting. The massive cliffs, from which Calvert Cliffs State Park was named, dominate the shoreline of the Chesapeake Bay for roughly 24 miles in Calvert County. They were formed over 10 to 20 million years ago when all of Southern Maryland was covered by a warm, shallow sea. When the sea receded, the cliffs were exposed and began eroding. Today these cliffs reveal the remains of prehistoric species, including sharks, whales, rays and seabirds that were the size of small airplanes. Calvert Cliffs State Park is a day-use park featuring a sandy beach, unique fossils, an accessible recycled tire playground, fishing, a freshwater and tidal marshland and 13 miles of hiking trails. https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/southern/calvertcliffs.aspx
The Antietam National Battlefield
Ok we are back to a little more American History. Maryland is full of it – just look for the National Landmark signs as you drive through the State and maybe even slow down to read a few. Dr. Muds House, Maryland was center stage for the birth of our Nation, the Civil War and the assassination of a President. https://mht.maryland.gov/historicalmarkers/Search.aspx
Antietam is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful, pristine and well-preserved Civil War battlefields, a must-see for any Civil War enthusiast. The Antietam National Battlefield has an excellent Visitor Center which is a good place to start your visit. Hiking trails and an 8.5 mile driving tour of the battlefield makes it easy to see this historic site. The historic Dunker Church was rebuilt on its original site, and several family farms that were used during the battle have been preserved. Recent preservation has opened up views across the center of the battlefield not seen in many years. https://www.nps.gov/anti/planyourvisit/index.htm
“Every man in his heart revolts at civilization and will revert back to [nature] if given half a chance…We don’t live long enough to find out what life is all about, but we know what civilization is – it is a mere veneer that keeps on getting thicker, but never too thick to pierce…It will be 15,000 years I think, before man will reach such a high point of civilization where he cannot and will not want to go back to [reconnect with nature].” – Thomas Edison at Muddy Creek Falls, Maryland. July 1921
Susquehanna State Park
Located along the Susquehanna River valley with its heavy forest cover and rocky terrain, Susquehanna State Park offers a wide variety of outdoor recreational opportunities. The park is home to some of the most popular mountain biking trails in Maryland and the river itself beckons fishermen and boaters alike. Susquehanna State Park also contains a family-friendly campground with traditional campsites and cabins. History buffs will be drawn to the restored Rock Run Historic Area with its working gristmill, Carter-Archer Mansion, Jersey Toll House and the remains of the Susquehanna & Tidewater Canal. For more info
The river offers excellent fishing opportunities, including pike, perch, and bass for shoreline anglers or boating anglers who launch from the Lapidum Boat Ramp.
Swallow Falls State Park
This mountain park is located nine miles north of Oakland, Maryland, and contains some of Maryland’s most breathtaking scenery. The Youghiogheny River flows along the park’s borders, passing through shaded rocky gorges and creating rippling rapids. Muddy Creek Falls is a crashing 63-foot waterfall – a spectacular sight. Tall hemlocks dominate the silent woods, some of these trees are over 300 years old. The meandering trails through Swallow Falls guide hikers to some of the most breath-taking scenery in Western Maryland.
The park contains 65 campsites, a picnic area with a pavilion and playground, as well as a mile-long hiking trail through the old growth forest. A 5.5-mile (8.9 km) trail for hiking and mountain biking connects the state park with Herrington Manor State Park. For more info
I could go on and on listing amazing places to visit on a Back Yard Road Trip – Maryland Parks, but I think I’ll stop here and let you think about what kind of family road trip you want to have. If you’re going to pull a full “Griswold” or keep it a little low key Huxtable style trip.
For some other great Maryland Destinations, check out https://noshoestraveler.com/maryland-light-houses/
Do you have a favorite Road Trip Story? Share your thoughts in the comments!
