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Best Mountain Hikes near Frederick

The directory currently contains 9 quality-checked routes matching this guide near Frederick. Their average mapped distance is 44.3 km and average recorded ascent is 377 m (1,237 ft); the longest route in the set is 268 km.

This subset represents 10% of the 88 quality-checked routes near Frederick. Its average distance is 44.3 km, compared with 8.1 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 377 m (1,237 ft), versus 117 m (384 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, 3 routes (33%) are rated easy, 3 (33%) are rated hard or expert, and 1 (11%) 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

2.8 km

Blue Ridge Summit Trail

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

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

35 m

Blue Ridge Summit 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
Expert

ADT - Maryland - Seg 4

District of Columbia · United States

Distance
268 km
/ 167 mi
Elevation gain
193 m
Typical duration
63 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
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
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
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

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
ADT - Maryland - Seg 4District of Columbia268 km193 m63 hrExpertApril to October
Blue Ridge Summit TrailMaryland2.8 km35 m38 minModerateApril to October
Mountain Loop TrailMaryland5.2 km210 m1 hr 23 minModerateApril to October
Seneca Ridge TrailMaryland10.7 km179 m2 hr 30 minModerateApril to October
White Oak TrailMaryland1.5 km61 m25 minEasyApril to October
Windy Ridge TrailMaryland2.3 km42 m33 minEasyApril to October
Timber Ridge TrailMaryland1.3 km32 m19 minEasyApril to October

Appalachian Trail, Catoctin National Recreation Trail, ADT - Maryland - Seg 4 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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Other shortlists covering the same area or the same kind of terrain.

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