State of the Trail Report
Agencies
Assessment by County
Policy |
 |
 | Frederick, Maryland |
| | Trail Segment Table |
| | Get details about the Trail for this section. |
| | Area Map |
| | Follow this link to see a full size image of the map. This map is large and will require some scrolling within your browser
window to see the entire image. |
General
The entire Potomac River frontage of Frederick County consists of the C&O Canal National Historic Park, a designated segment of the PHNST. The Appalachian Trail, which roughly straddles the Washington County boundary, connects to the Potomac River corridor west of Brunswick. Additional connecting trails are planned for development in the coming years.
Existing Trail Segments
Frederick County is the largest county in Maryland, but it has a relatively short boundary along the Potomac River — approximately 15 miles. The entire riverfront is served by the C&O Canal Towpath (1). Key access points to the Towpath occur at Knoxville, Brunswick, and Point of Rocks. The Appalachian Trail (2) connects with the C&O Canal Towpath nearby in Washington County and extends northward along the ridge of South Mountain. The Catoctin Trail (3), H&F Trolley Trail in Thurmont (8), Ballenger Creek Trail (9), Rock Creek Trail (10), Carroll Creek Trail (11), and Northern Peaks Trail (12) will become connected when planned trails are completed.
Planned Trail Segments
The primary proposed greenway in Frederick County is along the Monocacy River (4), a Maryland designated scenic river. The greenway will extend from the Potomac River, north to a point between Rockville and Walkerville. The Sugarloaf-Little Bennett Trail (6) is planned to connect the greenway to Little Bennett Regional Park in Montgomery County. The planned Catoctin Creek Trail (5) will reach from the Potomac River, south of Brunswick, to the southern end of the existing Catoctin Trail north of Interstate 70. This link will form a connecting trail reaching almost to the Pennsylvania border.
Issues and Concerns
Present and future trail development within the PHT corridor in Frederick County is adequate and future improvements are well planned. The county adopted a Bikeway and Trails Plan in December 1999 which identifies numerous on-road bicycle routes that may be developed and improved throughout the county. Most of the primary state routes near the Potomac River and several extending northward from it are identified as bicycle routes in the plan.
|
