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Best Riverside Hikes in Maryland

The directory currently contains 14 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Maryland. Their average mapped distance is 6.1 km and average recorded ascent is 73 m (240 ft); the longest route in the set is 44.3 km.

This subset represents 5% of the 309 quality-checked routes in Maryland. Its average distance is 6.1 km, compared with 11.6 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 73 m (240 ft), versus 138 m (453 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the river tag. The tag does not establish how much of the mapped line follows water or whether crossings are safe. Within this set, 10 routes (71%) are rated easy, 1 (7%) are rated hard or expert, and 2 (14%) 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

0.8 km

Orange Trail

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

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

0 m

Stream 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

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
Easy

Orange Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
25 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • Waterfall
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Beckman's Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.7 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
69 m
Typical duration
40 min
  • Lake
  • River
  • Waymarked route
The sun was getting low so I took the Double Oak Road Trail back up to the car instead of continuing the Parkers Creek Loop as intended. A brief section of the trail passed by this dense bramble filled with flowers and the rustling movement
Moderate

Parkers Creek Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
6.4 km
/ 4.0 mi
Elevation gain
93 m
Typical duration
1 hr 28 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Ten Mile Creek Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
13.8 km
/ 8.6 mi
Elevation gain
218 m
Typical duration
3 hr 13 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Stream Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Typical duration
10 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Great Seneca Ele_1269-a
Expert

Seneca Creek Greenway

Maryland · United States

Distance
44.3 km
/ 27.5 mi
Elevation gain
347 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • River
Easy

South River Overlook

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
7 min
  • River
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Canoeing on Dundee Creek at Marshy Point
Easy

Dundee-Saltpeter Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Typical duration
22 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Easy

White Tail Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Typical duration
10 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Deer Creek Trail (green)

Maryland · United States

Distance
4.3 km
/ 2.7 mi
Elevation gain
154 m
Typical duration
1 hr 7 min
  • River
Easy

River Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Typical duration
20 min
  • River
Easy

Weiskittel Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Typical duration
18 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Hall Creek Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
18 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • River

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
Meadow Mountain TrailMaryland5.4 km86 m1 hr 15 minEasyApril to October
Orange TrailMaryland0.8 km25 m12 minEasyApril to October
Beckman's TrailMaryland2.7 km69 m40 minEasyApril to October
Parkers Creek LoopMaryland6.4 km93 m1 hr 28 minModerateApril to October
Ten Mile Creek TrailMaryland13.8 km218 m3 hr 13 minModerateApril to October
Stream TrailMaryland0.8 km0 m10 minEasyApril to October
Seneca Creek GreenwayMaryland44.3 km347 m10 hrExpertApril to October
South River OverlookMaryland0.5 km7 m7 minEasyApril to October
Dundee-Saltpeter TrailMaryland1.7 km0 m22 minEasyApril to October
White Tail TrailMaryland0.8 km0 m10 minEasyApril to October

Meadow Mountain Trail, Orange Trail, Beckman's 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.

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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.

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