Maryland and Pennsylvania

Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C.
+ Watkins Glen State Park, New York

Great Falls Harpers Ferry Jane's Island Rock SP Pulpit Rock & Pinnacles Catoctin Mountain Gettysburg Chimney Rock

C&O Canal National Mall Ricketts Glenn + Worlds End + Watkins Glen + Grand Canyon of PA Pine Grove Furnace Gunpowder Falls White Rocks

Great Falls Park, Maryland & Virginia

View from Virginia side of Great Falls

View from Maryland side of Great Falls

Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, West Virginia & Virginia & Maryland

Harpers Ferry + C&O Canal bike ride and hike, 20 May 2022

Harpers Ferry, 25 May 2023

Janes Island State Park, Maryland, September 2014 & August 2023

Rock State Park, Maryland

King and Queen Seat

Kilgore Falls : 17' high - Maryland's second highest vertical drop waterfall !

Kilgore Falls & King and Queen Seats, 13 May 2022

Susquehanna River, Maryland

Interstate 95 crossing the Susquehanna River just south of Port Deposit

Pulpit Rock & Pinnacles Overlook Trail, Hamburg, Pennsylvania - via Appalachian Trail

Appalachian Trail - leading to overlooks, Pinnacles Overlook, Big pile of rocks carried by hikers to Pinnacles

Pulpit Rock Overlook, July 2021

Pinnacles Overlook, July 2021

Hamburg, Pennsylvania Reservoir on Pinnacles Trail

Pinnacles & Pulpit Rock Trail

Catoctin Mountain Park, Maryland & Cunningham Falls State Park, Maryland

Cat Rock Panorama

Cat Rock

Bob's Hill North Overlook

Bobs Hill South Overlook

The view from Bob's Hill South is better, but you have to climb out to the end of these rocks to get that view.

Catoctin Mountain Trail

Cunningham Falls, Thurmont Overlook - Catoctin Mountain

Cunningham Falls

Cunningham Falls & Catoctin Mountain

Gettysburg National Military Park, Pennsylvania

Confederate lines on Seminary Ridge, looking east

Observation tower at Confederate line center-right, with views of : President Eisenhower's Farm, Little Round Top, Sherfy Farm & Pennsylvania Memorial

Confederate line right (south end) looking towards Little Round Top and Big Round Top

Observation tower panorama, Confederate lines looking east, Little Round Top and Big Round Top to the right

Little Round Top panorama, Union lines looking west

Devil's Den, Little Round Top, Pennsylvania Memorial, Union lines at Cemetery Ridge looking west

360 degree view from the top of Pennsylvania Memorial, center looking west

Chimney Rock, Pennsylvania - via Appalachian Trail and Hermitage Trail

Start of trail here on Old Forge Road.

Short spur trail from Appalachian Trail to Chimney Rocks splits off here.

View from Chimney Rocks.

On the return route along the Hermitage Trail next to Tumbling Run.

Chimney Rock Trail

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historic Park

C&O Canal & Washington D.C. National Mall, Bike Ride, 31 July 2021

Washington D.C. National Mall

I grew up in Fairfax, Virginia, just outside Washington D.C., and moved back to the area in 1997 for my last military assignment. As of 2022, I have lived within a few hours travel of Washington D.C for 36 years. I have visited the National Mall and Smithsonian Museums countless times.

Washington D.C. National Mall, C&O Canal Bike Ride on 31 July 2021:

Washington D.C. National Mall Bike Ride on 6 August 2023:

August 7-8, 2021 : Maryland to Pennsylvania to New York and back + five state parks

I spent one weekend in August 2021 visiting these next five state parks, all within the space of two days. I left from home early on Saturday morning and drove to Ricketts Glen State Park, where I completed the 7.3 mile Falls Trail through both gorges. There are 21 waterfalls along this loop trail. Before leaving the park, I went swimming in the lake to cool off, as it was over 90 degrees and 90% humidity.

I then drove to Worlds End State Park, which is not too far away, and drove to the main overlook at Loyalsock Canyon Vista, and along the Loyalsock River. I had not planned to visit Watkins Glen on this weekend, but I found it was only 83 miles from Worlds End to Watkins Glen. I figured I could spend Sunday morning at the Watkins Glen Gorge. I camped Saturday night near Watkins Glen.

I began the hike up through the Watkins Glen Gorge early on Sunday morning. I started my hiked at the main entrance at the bottom of the gorge, hiked to the top and then back down to the bottom of gorge, then drove around to the top section of the park and hiked along the north and south rims. I flew one of my RC planes just south of the park for aerial video of the valley.

I then drove to the Pine Creek Gorge, which is called the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. I visited both rims, at Colton Point State Park and Leonard Harrison State Park, before heading home. What a great weekend!

Rickets Glenn State Park, Pennsylvania, 7 August 2021

Ricketts Glen Loop Trail

Ricketts Glen Loop Trail in 3D, All-Trails Pro

World End State Park, Pennsylvania, 7 August 2021

Watkins Glen State Park, New York, 8 August 2021

Aerial video shot just south of Watkins Glen

Colton Point State Park & Leonard Harrison State Park, Pennsylvania, 8 August 2021

View from west side of Grand Canyon of PA at Colton Point State Park

View from east side of Grand Canyon of PA at Leonard Harrison State Park

Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Pennsylvania, 15 May 2022

Panorama views from Pole Steeple

Pole Steeple Loop Trail

Pole Steeple Loop in 3D, All-Trails Pro

Pole Steeple Loop Trail, includes 1.5 miles of Appalachian Trail

Gunpowder Falls State Park, Maryland

We live about a mile from Gunpowder Falls State Park, and we have visited it countless times for canoeing, tubing, hiking, and bicycling. These are just a few of the trails we have hiked.

Highland Trail Loop	Highland Trail Loop in 3D, All-Trails Pro
Gunpowder Falls + Mingo Forks Loop	Gunpowder Falls + Mingo Forks Loop in 3D, All-Trails Pro
Gunpowder Falls North + Masemore Road Trail	Gunpowder Falls North + Masemore Road Trail in 3D, All-Trails Pro
Gunpowder Falls - Hemlock Gorge Trail	Gunpowder Falls - Hemlock Gorge Trail in 3D, All-Trails Pro
Gunpowder Falls - Sweetair Loop Trail	Gunpowder Falls - Sweetair Loop Trail in 3D, All-Trails Pro
Gunpowder Fall - Sweathouse Branch - South	Gunpowder Fall - Sweathouse Branch - North