Last Updated: 04/18/10

Welcome to a web site full of information on hiking in the Mid-Atlantic Region (PA, MD, VA and WV) ... topo maps, 3-D maps, elevation profiles, GPS data, directions, trail notes, photos.... everything you need to prepare for an excursion into the wilderness. Information for 208 hikes and over 2652 trail miles are now available. Venues such as, but not limited to, Shenandoah National Park/VA, George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, VA and WV, the Monongahela National Forest in WV, state forests throughout PA, Green Ridge State Forest in MD and regional, state, county and federal parks throughout the Mid-Atlantic region are represented.

Please read the Terms of Use before using this website then click on the desired state on the map to the left to continue.

"Yet in the walks I take through nature in quest of truth and demonstration, I recognize a poetry in earth and sea and sky, ruled in their cycles of harmonious actions, deeper and more sublime than ever muse un- taught in science could inspire." William B. Rogers: First State Geologist of VA, First president of M.I.T. and namesake of Mt. Rogers, Va.

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Latest Published Hikes

Tracy Ridge Backpack Base Camp w/Day Hike, PA

Calvert Cliffs State Park Circuits, MD

Cedarville State Forest-Blue and White Loops, MD

Pulpit Rock - Pinnacle Loop, PA

Cedarville State Forest-Orange Loop, MD

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Bulletin Board

2010 Car Camping and Backpacking schedule has arrived: See it here!

Flora and Fauna Link Updated: Last year at this time the site had photos and info for over 500 species. As of today it has over 700. Check it out.

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M. R. Hyker's Latest Adventure(s)

04/10 to 12/10, Tracy’s Ridge Backpack and Day Hike: I was joined by Sparky, Ted E. Bear and Single Malt. After a 5.5 hour drive we arrived at the trailhead where the North Country Trail Crosses Rt 346. It took a few minutes to find the continuation of the trail as it crossed Willow Run but we soon found our way and began a long gradual climb along and through some beautiful Hemlock Glens (as Jeff Mitchell would call them) and moss covered rocks. We crossed several tributaries of Willow Run before gradually turning 180 degrees and heading south along Allegheny Reservoir It was well below us and out of sight for quite a while but about three miles in we got a few glimpses. At four miles in we dropped down to visit a cove fed by Tracy’s Run. There is some great camping here though someone did their best to trash a campsite. (Sparky and Single Malt hauled out a bunch of trash on our way out.) The trail is a bit hard to follow immediately after leaving Tracy’s Run but once you get to junction 12 (That’s the way they do the signage there.) the way becomes more apparent. From there it is a flat to slightly downhill two mile walk to Johnny Cake Run and its own cove. This is where we set up our base camp.

The next day we set off for what was supposed to be a 12 mile day hike. The North Country Trail with its blue blazes was still easy to follow. In about a mile we joined an old haul road. Sparky and I went down to check out the Handsome Lake Campground (a fee area only accessible by hiking or boating.) and its view of the lake. It seemed to be well maintained but then camping season has yet to really get going. From there we continued south on the haul road. We stopped at a naked sign post and pondered our next move. Sparky saw a blue blaze on a footpath so we headed up the shallow yet narrow ridge. A mile up we came to the 6 junction. We were supposed to leave the blue trail at the last junction and follow the white blazes to the 9 junction. If we continued on we thought we would miss some very nice hiking and arrive back at camp way too early. We retraced our steps, adding 2 extra miles to the 12 mile hike, and corrected our mistake soon arriving at Hopewell Campground, a miniature version of Handsome Lake. We took a break here before continuing to our lunch spot on Polly’s Branch. It was during this part and for a lot of the remainder of the hike that things got tricky. The blazes changed from white to gray plastic diamonds and were nailed to the thinnest of gray trees. These were all that marked the path which was impossible to see in places due to lack of use and maintenance. It was obvious that the Tracy Ridge Recreation Area hasn’t seen a chain saw in quite some time. Single Malt aptly called it the closest thing to hiking in a wilderness but with blazes. Polly’s Run was nice but the trail veered away from it as soon as we crossed it, climbing steeply to a haul road. The trail made use of it for most of the way back to junction 6 where we had turned around earlier. A couple of times it left the road, I think to dodge some wet spots, but in both cases it returned to it. These “High Water Trails” were just a bunch of blazes that went over and around a series of blowdowns. I recommend to anyone else that hikes here to put up with some mud and stay on the road. Once we were back up on the ridge the hiking got easier and as we got closer to Tracy Ridge Campground the trails became easier to follow. At junction 2 we turned left and descended back to camp, passing through yet another beautiful Hemlock Glen.

The next day we awoke to a light frost. While others made hot meals I just made some coffee and ate a Power Bar. We broke camp around 8:30 and retraced Saturday’s steps back through the Hemlock Glens, cleaning up the Tracy Run campsite along the way. We were out of the woods by 12:30 and soon looking for a place to get some good food. We found it at Tanks Bar and Inn on U.S. 219.

Read More Adventures Here!

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