Gambrill State Park
Encyclopedia
Gambrill State Park is located just outside Frederick, Maryland
in the eastern United States
. This park has several hiking trails and is a popular destination for area mountain bikers. There is also a picnic area with a playground and a small pond. Fishing is permitted at the pond.
and 53 miles (85 km) west of Baltimore on Catoctin Mountain
. Gambrill Park Road is located approximately six miles (10 km) away from Frederick on Route 40 West. The park road traverses Catoctin Mountain, and accesses the campground, the trailhead, and the High Knob areas of this park.
purchased a tract of land on Catoctin Mountain
and donated it to the City of Frederick
to be used for a municipal mountain park. On September 7, 1934, the City presented the area to the State for use as a state park, which was later named to honor the late James H. Gambrill, Jr., a Frederick resident and advocate of the conservation of natural resources.
and the Potomac River
, offer views of the surrounding area. On a clear day, looking north, a visitor can see the rugged tree-covered mountains of the Frederick City Municipal Forest. Looking south, one can see Crampton's Gap
, a Civil War
landmark and the site of Gathland State Park
, and the Middletown
and Monocacy
Valleys. South Mountain
, where many engagements between Confederate and Union troops took place during the Civil War, can be seen to the West.
White Oak Trail - white blaze (1 mile – 1.6 kilometers) This trail is open only to hikers (no mountain bikes).
Red Maple Trail - red blaze (1 mile – 1.8 kilometers) This trail connects the campground area with the rest of the park. One short section of the trail is somewhat steep. The trail is maintained by The Trail House, an outdoor store in Frederick.
Green Ash Trail - green blaze (2.0 miles – 3.2 kilometers) There are several steep slopes and very little level ground on this trail. The trail is maintained by Wheel Base, a bike shop in Frederick.
Black Locust Trail - black-on-white blaze (3.3 miles – 5.3 kilometers) This trail features several steep slopes mixed with fairly level areas. This trail truly shows the beauty of Gambrill State Park from its wooded slopes to the views of both Frederick Valley to the east and Middletown Valley to the west. The trail is maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, West Virginia Chapter.
Yellow Poplar Trail - yellow blaze (7.1 miles – 7.4 kilometers) The longest of the Gambrill Trails. Hikers who have several hours can enjoy the beauty of nature. Bringing you up the mountain and out into the far reaches of the park, the trail passes two stone overlooks built by the Civilian Conservation Corps
in the 1930's. The trail is maintained by M.O.R.E. (Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts).
Catoctin Trail
- blue blaze (26.5 miles – 42.4 kilometers) This trail traverses Gambrill State Park for approximately 3 miles (4.8 km), and continues north through the Frederick City Watershed, Cunningham Falls State Park
, and Catoctin Mountain Park
(CMP). The trail ends at Mt. Zion Road, 1.3 miles (2.1 km) north of Owens Creek Campground in CMP. Along the trail within Gambrill State Park, camping is permitted only at the Rock Run Campground.
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
in the eastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. This park has several hiking trails and is a popular destination for area mountain bikers. There is also a picnic area with a playground and a small pond. Fishing is permitted at the pond.
Location
Gambrill State Park is approximately 51 miles (82 km) northwest of Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and 53 miles (85 km) west of Baltimore on Catoctin Mountain
Catoctin Mountain
Catoctin Mountain, along with the geologically associated Bull Run Mountains, comprises the easternmost mountain ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are in turn a part of the Appalachian Mountains range...
. Gambrill Park Road is located approximately six miles (10 km) away from Frederick on Route 40 West. The park road traverses Catoctin Mountain, and accesses the campground, the trailhead, and the High Knob areas of this park.
History
Gambrill State Park has its beginnings when conservationists of Frederick CountyFrederick County, Maryland
Frederick County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering the southern border of Pennsylvania and the northeastern border of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 233,385....
purchased a tract of land on Catoctin Mountain
Catoctin Mountain
Catoctin Mountain, along with the geologically associated Bull Run Mountains, comprises the easternmost mountain ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are in turn a part of the Appalachian Mountains range...
and donated it to the City of Frederick
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
to be used for a municipal mountain park. On September 7, 1934, the City presented the area to the State for use as a state park, which was later named to honor the late James H. Gambrill, Jr., a Frederick resident and advocate of the conservation of natural resources.
Surrounding areas
Three native stone overlooks, strategically located on the 1600-foot (490 m) summit of High Knob, midway between the Mason-Dixon LineMason-Dixon line
The Mason–Dixon Line was surveyed between 1763 and 1767 by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon in the resolution of a border dispute between British colonies in Colonial America. It forms a demarcation line among four U.S. states, forming part of the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and...
and the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
, offer views of the surrounding area. On a clear day, looking north, a visitor can see the rugged tree-covered mountains of the Frederick City Municipal Forest. Looking south, one can see Crampton's Gap
Crampton's Gap
Crampton's Gap, also known as Crampton Gap, is a wind gap on South Mountain in Maryland.The gap connects Burkittsville in the Middletown Valley to the east with Gapland and Rohrersville in the Pleasant Valley to the west....
, a Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
landmark and the site of Gathland State Park
Gathland State Park
Gathland State Park is a small state park located near Burkittsville, Maryland, in the United States. The park is composed of the remains of the estate of George Alfred Townsend , a correspondent during the American Civil War who wrote under the pen name "Gath"...
, and the Middletown
Middletown, Maryland
Middletown is a town in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,668 at the 2000 census. Middletown is a small, rural community steeped in American history...
and Monocacy
Monocacy River
The Monocacy River is a free-flowing tributary of the Potomac River, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean via the Chesapeake Bay. The river is long, with a drainage area of about...
Valleys. South Mountain
South Mountain (Maryland and Pennsylvania)
South Mountain is the northern extension of the Blue Ridge Mountain range in Maryland and Pennsylvania. From the Potomac River near Knoxville, Maryland in the south, to Dillsburg, Pennsylvania in the north, the long range separates the Hagerstown and Cumberland valleys from the Piedmont regions of...
, where many engagements between Confederate and Union troops took place during the Civil War, can be seen to the West.
Hiking trails
Gambril State Park hosts several hiking trails that go up and through Catoctin Mountain. Each trail is blazed, and each is maintained by a different area volunteer group. Descriptions below are adapted from the official trail guide offered by the State of Maryland.White Oak Trail - white blaze (1 mile – 1.6 kilometers) This trail is open only to hikers (no mountain bikes).
Red Maple Trail - red blaze (1 mile – 1.8 kilometers) This trail connects the campground area with the rest of the park. One short section of the trail is somewhat steep. The trail is maintained by The Trail House, an outdoor store in Frederick.
Green Ash Trail - green blaze (2.0 miles – 3.2 kilometers) There are several steep slopes and very little level ground on this trail. The trail is maintained by Wheel Base, a bike shop in Frederick.
Black Locust Trail - black-on-white blaze (3.3 miles – 5.3 kilometers) This trail features several steep slopes mixed with fairly level areas. This trail truly shows the beauty of Gambrill State Park from its wooded slopes to the views of both Frederick Valley to the east and Middletown Valley to the west. The trail is maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, West Virginia Chapter.
Yellow Poplar Trail - yellow blaze (7.1 miles – 7.4 kilometers) The longest of the Gambrill Trails. Hikers who have several hours can enjoy the beauty of nature. Bringing you up the mountain and out into the far reaches of the park, the trail passes two stone overlooks built by the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
in the 1930's. The trail is maintained by M.O.R.E. (Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts).
Catoctin Trail
Catoctin Trail
The Catoctin Trail is a 26.6 mi hiking trail that traverses federal, state, and municipal woodlands along the northern half of Catoctin Mountain in Frederick County in central Maryland, USA...
- blue blaze (26.5 miles – 42.4 kilometers) This trail traverses Gambrill State Park for approximately 3 miles (4.8 km), and continues north through the Frederick City Watershed, Cunningham Falls State Park
Cunningham Falls State Park
Cunningham Falls State Park is a Maryland State Park located west of Thurmont, Maryland, USA, in the Catoctin Mountains. It features a man-made lake and its namesake waterfall, Cunningham Falls. Cunningham Falls is a cascading waterfall. It is the largest waterfall in Maryland. Catoctin...
, and Catoctin Mountain Park
Catoctin Mountain Park
Catoctin Mountain Park, located in north-central Maryland, is part of the forested Catoctin Mountain ridge that forms the eastern rampart of the Appalachian Mountains...
(CMP). The trail ends at Mt. Zion Road, 1.3 miles (2.1 km) north of Owens Creek Campground in CMP. Along the trail within Gambrill State Park, camping is permitted only at the Rock Run Campground.