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Best Mountain Hikes in Maryland

The directory currently contains 28 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Maryland. Their average mapped distance is 92.2 km and average recorded ascent is 999 m (3,278 ft); the longest route in the set is 669 km.

This subset represents 9% of the 309 quality-checked routes in Maryland. Its average distance is 92.2 km, compared with 11.6 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 999 m (3,278 ft), versus 138 m (453 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the mountain tag. Their measured distance and ascent are shown separately so the label is not used as a proxy for difficulty. Within this set, 8 routes (29%) are rated easy, 16 (57%) are rated hard or expert, and 2 (7%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

5.4 km

Meadow Mountain Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

86 m

Meadow Mountain Trail

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Expert

Appalachian Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
64.0 km
/ 39.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,488 m
Typical duration
17 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Easy

Meadow Mountain Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
5.4 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
86 m
Typical duration
1 hr 15 min
  • Lake
  • River
  • Mountain
Expert

Tuscarora Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
381 km
/ 237 mi
Elevation gain
5,199 m
Typical duration
98 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Crofton is a census-designated place and planned community in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. Crofton is located 24 miles (39 km) south of Baltimore, 14 miles (23 km) west of Annapolis, and 24 miles (39 km) east-northeast of W
Expert

ADT - Maryland - Seg 2

Maryland · United States

Distance
69.1 km
/ 42.9 mi
Elevation gain
254 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Bald Eagle State Park is a 5,900-acre (2,388 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Howard, Liberty, and Marion townships in Centre County, Pennsylvania. The park includes the Joseph Foster Sayers Reservoir, formed by damming Bald Eagle Creek and o
Expert

Mid-State Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
516 km
/ 321 mi
Elevation gain
4,597 m
Typical duration
129 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Hikers along the ridge of Catoctin
Moderate

Blue Ridge Summit Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
35 m
Typical duration
38 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Expert

Great Allegheny Passage

Maryland · United States

Distance
249 km
/ 155 mi
Elevation gain
962 m
Typical duration
60 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Roadway entrance to Sugarloaf Mountain Reservation, Urbana, Maryland, USA
Moderate

Mountain Loop Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
5.2 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
210 m
Typical duration
1 hr 23 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Hunting Ridge Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
7 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Seneca Ridge Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
10.7 km
/ 6.6 mi
Elevation gain
179 m
Typical duration
2 hr 30 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Easy

White Oak Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
61 m
Typical duration
25 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Tuscalachian Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
669 km
/ 416 mi
Elevation gain
6,296 m
Typical duration
168 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Meadow Mountain Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
18.9 km
/ 11.7 mi
Elevation gain
343 m
Typical duration
4 hr 34 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Alpine meadow
Hard

Big Savage Mountain Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
26.3 km
/ 16.4 mi
Elevation gain
284 m
Typical duration
6 hr 15 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
500px provided description: A view of the Antioch church from Oregon Ridge. [#g12 ,#powershot g12 ,#Snow ,#Winter ,#Park ,#Cold ,#Church ,#Maryland ,#Antioch ,#Distance ,#Baltimore County ,#January ,#Hike ,#Dome ,#Oregon Ridge ,#2017 ,#Jaso
Easy

Ridge Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
34 m
Typical duration
10 min
  • Mountain
Easy

Ridge Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.3 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
30 m
Typical duration
32 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Windy Ridge Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.3 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
42 m
Typical duration
33 min
  • Mountain
Easy

Timber Ridge Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
32 m
Typical duration
19 min
  • Mountain
Easy

East Ridge Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
24 m
Typical duration
14 min
  • Mountain

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Catoctin National Recreation TrailMaryland42.8 km1,151 m11 hrExpertApril to October
Appalachian TrailMaryland64.0 km1,488 m17 hrExpertApril to October
Meadow Mountain TrailMaryland5.4 km86 m1 hr 15 minEasyApril to October
Tuscarora TrailMaryland381 km5,199 m98 hrExpertApril to October
ADT - Maryland - Seg 2Maryland69.1 km254 m16 hrExpertApril to October
Mid-State TrailMaryland516 km4,597 m129 hrExpertApril to October
Great Eastern Trail - C&O CanalMaryland46.3 km34 m10 hrExpertApril to October
Great Eastern Trail - Tuscarora TrailMaryland194 km2,862 m50 hrExpertApril to October
Blue Ridge Summit TrailMaryland2.8 km35 m38 minModerateApril to October
Great Allegheny PassageMaryland249 km962 m60 hrExpertApril to October

Appalachian Trail, Catoctin National Recreation Trail, Meadow Mountain Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →

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