Conowingo Dam trail, Havre de Grace, MD, 4/25/2021

 After spending a delightful day visiting the Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, Jim suggested the next morning that we visit the Conowingo hydroelectric dam on the drive back home. When growing up in Hanover, PA, his father used to take him and his siblings to visit the dam.  

To our delight, we found birdwatchers and fishermen had converged at the dam on this beautiful sunny spring day. At first puzzled by all the buzz we soon discovered the birdwatchers had their oversized zooms focused on the bald eagles fishing for shad in the river.

 The fishermen were fishing for shad also, and catfish, and the "frankenfish" invasive snakehead, that can live on land for some time.  A large sign urged fishermen to kill any snakeheads immediately. 

Lucky day for fishing!  

Wondering if we got any hiking done? 

Yes, we finally turned away from all the going-ons at the dam and walked a lovely trail along the Susquehanna river for close to 3 miles, roundtrip. 

Daniels Dam to Mariottsville Trail, Mariottsville, MD, 1/17/21

 

Number Nine Trolley Trail, Ellicot City, MD, 12/27/20

Drove to historic Ellicott City, MD,  to meet my daughter's mother-in-law, Helen, for walk along the #9 Trolley Trail that runs from the Trolley Stop Restaurant (closed) to Catonsville.  The heavily used 1.25-mile in-and-out trail starts with a boardwalk and is paved all the way. Passed a bakery half way up the trail, closed of course. 

Helen brought both Mylee and Suna. Above,  Jim, Mylee and Helen.  Jim and Mylee are buddies and kept a steady pace.

 

South Branch Patapsco River Trail, MD, 12/13/20

 

Today's hike marks another first since we moved to Columbia in September: 

a family hike with my daughter, two granddaughters, their "other" grandmother, an elderly dog and a puppy. 

The trail let us to the south area of the state park we hiked last week, and followed the Patapsco river most of the time. 

                                                                                       

                        

McKelvin Area Loop, Patapsco Valley State Park, MD, 12.6.20

Decided very last minute on this cold but sunny Sunday to go for a hike.  

Selected a river hike from our Falcon Hiking Maryland and Delaware, packed lunch, and set off. 

To our delight, we are discovering a number of worthwhile hikes within 30 minutes of Columbia, this one to the west of Baltimore. 

The trail follows the Patapsco river most of the way, starting with the impressive rapids at the trailhead, to the confluence of the south and north branches of the river. 

Along the north branch, the river, strewn with boulders, slows to a lazy current showing off beautiful glassy surfaces reflecting the surrounding trees and sky. 

The return, heading south along Tall Poplar trail, led us through a narrow wooded valley. 

Total distance: 3.5 miles, elevation ~300 feet. 

Cash Lake Loop, National Wildlife Refuge Center, 11/28/20

Found the trailhead for a 3.1-mile hike recommended by our newest hiking book Hiking Maryland and Delaware, only to find the first section of the loop closed off due to hunting in the area. 

Still managed a 2.2-mile loop via Laurel and Valley trails to Goose Pond and Cash Lake, a stroll really rather than a hike! 

So as not to interfere with wildlife research, Leave No Trace is taken seriously and no picnicking is allowed along the trails.  No problem; we ate lunch in the car :) 

Cash Lake

 As you can see from the pictures, it was a gorgeous sunny fall day, with the sun already dipping west in early afternoon. 

Fox Hollow Trail, Shenandoah National Park, 10/2/20

First hike since arriving on east coast on September 8. 

 On the way home from a night of camping with my son Kenli and his family, 

we stopped for a short hike opposite the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center.

The 1.2-mile trail passes the Fox Farm Cemetery (picture above) on the way to an old homestead.