State of the Trail Report
Agencies
Assessment by County
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General
Southern Maryland has much to offer residents and visitors such as:
- Smallwood's Retreat.
Home of Revolutionary War General and former Maryland governor Smallwood;
- Crab feasts at Pope's Creek;
- Jefferson Patterson Park and St. Clement's Island - Potomac Museum. Discover the tools of Native Americans, who settled Maryland thousands of years before the first European arrived;
- Port Tobacco. Once an very active port and important center for the colony's tobacco trade, and the former seat of Charles County;
- Haberdeventure Plantation
located at Thomas Stone National Historic Site.
- Point Lookout State Park where one can find marked trails through its 1,000 acres to various interpreted locations of Civil War activities;
- Greenwell State Park open year round, with trails for hikers and horseback riders to enjoy;
- Nanjemoy Creek Great Blue Heron Sanctuary. See the dramatic February reappearance of nearly 2,500 great blue herons.
Charles and St. Mary's Counties figure prominently in the Potomac River Water Trail, offering numerous opportunities to explore a varied shoreline. This same topography, though, does not provide an practicable route for a continuous trail for hiking or equestrian use and the majority of land is privately owned. Recently, however, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Bureau of Land Management have purchased a property at Douglas Point (on the river), which could provide a set of trails and connection to the water trail. (The Department of Natural Resources also now owns the Wilson Farm.) In addition, the Southern Maryland Regional Trail and Bikeway System (SMRTABS), developed by the Tri-County Council, shows a bicycling route for the Potomac Heritage Trail, using existing roads, between Point Lookout State Park and Piscataway Park.
Existing Trail Segments
Virginia and Maryland have completed a cooperative designation of the Potomac River Water Trail within the tidal sections of the river. This designation includes Charles and St. Mary's County waterfronts with spurs and connections to many local landing points.
Additional trails along the Potomac can be found within existing public parks such as St. Clements Island State Park, the Piney Point Recreation Area, portions of St. Mary's City, Chaptico Wharf Recreation Area, Robert E. Poge Park in Brushwood, St. Inigoes Recreation Area, and Point Lookout State Park
Planned Trail Segments
The SMRTABS draft study dated March 2001 indicates that planning has begun to identify an on-road bicycle touring route connecting numerous points along the Potomac River in Charles and St. Mary's Counties. This route is will be called the "Potomac National Heritage Trail".
A connecting trail is planned on the northern side of Mattawoman Creek following the active right-of-way of the Indian Head-White Plains Railway. A branch trail is also planned along upper Mattawoman Creek. Development of a trail along the Popes Creek Railway could also provide a connecting trail in the future. Pending the receivership of restitution bonds, Charles County has also planned the Maxwell Hall Park Trail. Phase One of the Three Notch Rail Trail is expected to begin by winter 2002 and completed by summer 2003.
The U.S. Naval War Surface Warfare Center at Indian Head is a large federal facility that has some potential for development of greenway connections and trails near the Potomac. Unfortunately, U.S. military installations have been put on high alert and public entry has been limited substantially.
Contacts
Charles County Parks and Recreation
Mr. Tom Roland, Chief of Parks Division
1001 Radio Station Road
LaPlata MD 20646
(301) 932-3470
Email: rolandt@govt.co.charles.md.us
Charles County Tourism
P.O. Box 2150
LaPlata, MD 20646
Joanne Roland
(301) 645-0558 or (301) 638-2408
Email: rolandj@govt.co.charles.md.us
Conservancy for Charles County
PO Box 1358
Accokeek MD 20604
Vivian Mills
(301) 283-2410
Email: millsgroup@erols.com
St. Mary's County Department of Recreation and Parks
Phillip Rollins, Director
23115 Leonard Hall Drive
Leonardtown, MD 20650
(301) 475-4576 or (800) 327-9023
Email: phil_Rollins@saint-marys.md.us
St. Mary's County Tourism Development
P.O. Box 653
23115 Leonard Hall Drive
Leonardtown, MD 20650
Jean M. Goodman
(301) 475-4626, 4414
Email: tourism@co.saint-marys.md.us
Thomas Stone National Historical Site
6655 Rose Hill Road
Port Tobacco MD 20677
Martha Walker, Site Manager
Donnie Smith
(301) 392-1776
Email: Martha_walker@nps.gov
Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland
P.O. Box 745
Hughesville, MD 20637
(301) 870-2520 or (301) 274-1922
Howard Chang, Chief of Transportation and SMRTABS Project Director
Email: hchang@tccsmd.org
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