Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail in Maryland encompasses approximately 41 miles of the 2,190-mile national scenic trail that stretches from Georgia to Maine. The Maryland section runs along the crest of South Mountain, the northern extension of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and is managed as part of South Mountain State Park. This segment offers hikers pastoral views, wooded ridges, and relatively gentle terrain with elevation changes ranging from 230 to 1,880 feet. The trail passes through a combination of state and federal lands, making it one of the most accessible sections of the entire Appalachian Trail. Benton MacKaye, a Harvard-educated forester and philosopher, first proposed the trail concept in 1921, envisioning a linear park connecting the eastern mountains. Today, the Maryland portion serves both thru-hikers completing the entire trail and day visitors seeking scenic woodland walks along historic ridgelines.