Ashley Stimpson

Cheraw State Park kind of seems like an unexceptional place. It's got your typical small-park facilities: car camping, golf course, boat launch, tiny public beach. But row a boat (canoes and kayaks are available to rent) about 2 miles southwest of the visitors center and you'll find yourself paddling through mysterious black water under a crowded forest of towering cypress trees. Not exactly an...

Start your hike where the AT crosses Raven Rock Road (Maryland Route 491). This crossing is well-marked from both sides by large, yellow signs and blazed stakes. You will need to park on the side of the road, but the shoulder is wide and can accommodate a crowd.  The first half mile or so of this hike is hard; you'll be climbing more than a thousand feet up uneven stone steps and switchbacks. L...

Sunset Rocks is a scenic two-mile spur off the Appalachian Trail in southern Pennsylvania's Michaux State Forest. If you hike it as a loop--incorporating 6 miles of the AT into the circuit--you can visit some of the AT's most notable landmarks in this area, including the remains of Michaux Camp (a former CCC turned WWII POW camp), the halfway point of the 2,200-mile journey, and the Appalachian...

Start your hike where the AT crosses Raven Rock Road (Maryland Route 491). This crossing is well-marked from both sides by large, yellow signs and blazed stakes. You will need to park on the side of the road, but the shoulder is wide and can accommodate a crowd.  The first half mile or so of this hike is hard; you'll be climbing more than a thousand feet up uneven stone steps and switchbacks. L...

Because Palmer State Park is still under development (with no timeline given for its completion), there are only a few trails that meander through this 555-acre reserve. Palmer's official website offers a not-so-helpful topographical map, but the easiest way into the park that I could find was near the bridge (Old Forge Rd) over the Deer Creek. As you cross the bridge heading south, you'll see ...

By all appearances, Sand Hills State Forest is well-maintained and seldom-used. This particular adventure refers to the Sugarloaf Mountain Recreation Area, but there's more of the forest to explore.  Sugarloaf mountain is a geographical oddity that provides a pleasant view of the scrub-pine forests of Central South Carolina. Don't mistake this for a nature trail (there's a nice one just down t...

Cumberland Gap National Historic Park encompasses more than 20,000 acres of mountainous terrain spread out across Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The park offers miles of trails and many historic curiosities, including the actual saddle where pioneers first found their way over the Cumberland Mountains on their way to Western frontiers.  The Ridge Trail offers multiple backpacking sites, and...

Berkeley Springs State Park is the only government-run spa in the United State and worth a weekend excursion. The hot springs here flow at a constant 74.3 degrees and have long been thought to possess restorative and healing powers for both body and mind.   On one end of the park you'll find the Roman bathhouse, where you can rent a private room and soak in 750 gallons of 102-degree mineral wat...

Marshy Point Nature Center is 25 minutes northeast of Baltimore in Middle River, Maryland. Convenient from I-95 with lots of parking and miles of interconnected trails, it's a perfect spot for a quick hike or an all-day excursion.  The trails are mostly within the 1-2 mile range, but you can combine them to create a workout of your choosing. While mostly level and well-blazed, the trails vary ...

The Tom Dorman State Nature Preserve is maintained by the Nature Conservancy and one of a few preserves in the Kentucky River Palisades ecosystem. The Kentucky River Palisades loop trail leaves from the 8-car parking lot from both directions and follows an old stage coach trail. There are a few steep climbs, not nothing too difficult. The main hazard here will be losing your footing, as the tr...

Although the trails at Eastern Neck may be small in size (the longest is just over a mile) they're big on sights. It's practically impossible to visit the refuge and not see wildlife, particularly the dizzying number of avian species here. Visit during the winter to see the majestic Tundra Swan, on loan from the Arctic for the season. Bald Eagles and Blue Herons abound; ducks of all sorts call ...

I'll be honest. I wasn't expecting much from Codorus State Park. But, my Saturday was open and I wanted to go somewhere I wouldn't have to fight for legroom. I didn't need anything majestic--just some space. Codorus, centrally located in the picturesque hills of York County, PA, seemed to fit the bill. Its website described a few trails, a boat ramp, some car camping; this was the kind of airy,...

Everyone goes to the Eastern Shore. Few people get to experience the Bay like this. The journey out to the Long Point backcountry site is a bit arduous, especially if you haven't studied the tide charts (guilty). The last mile or so requires a paddle through rough, open waters. Crab and cruising boats are plenty. In short: be prepared and be careful! The island itself is nearly impassable by f...

The Mason-Dixon Trail is a 200-mile trail that begins and ends in Pennsylvania, passing through Maryland and Delaware along the way. The trail connects the AT to the Brandywine Trail and spends considerable time adjacent to the wide and wondrous Susquehanna River. One of the Mason-Dixon trail's most popular hikes is the trek out to Peavine Island. In the summer, river revelers sun themselves on...

Perfect for a pre or post Black Hills/Badlands adventure, Needles Highway is the joyride of a lifetime.  Entrance to Custer State Park costs 10 dollars, and do be prepared to keep it in low gear behind RVs and motorcycles. Pull-offs for photos and general marveling are frequent. 

Get to First Landing State Park early. Whether it's a weekday in the summer or a Saturday in the winter, the park will be full of families, bikers, trail runners, dog walkers, and all manner of city folk (from DC, Baltimore, and Richmond) trying to meet their outdoor quota during a vacation or second-home getaway. You'll see why this place is so popular: its cypress swamps and spanish moss will...

Carolina Bays go by different names. In the Mid Atlantic they're known as Maryland Basins or Delmarva Bays. Sometimes they're generically referred to as pocosins, an Algonquin word for "swamp on a hill." But these elliptical depressions don't always contain bodies of water; instead they derive their names from the kinds of trees most commonly found within them.  Scientists still aren't exactly ...

It's not too hard to find the Mill Creek Falls; you can see it from the parking lot. This is an ideal spot if you just need a quick fix of something beautiful.  From the road, follow the blue blazes of the Mason-Dixon Trail up the hill. After you admire and photograph the falls, consider hiking the roughly 2-mile loop through the woods for some tough climbs and gorgeous glimpses of the Susqueha...

Most people visit Elk Neck to photograph the lighthouse, or access to the Bay (the throttle of speed boats is never far), but don't miss out on the trails. The three mile out-and-back White Banks Trail offers crazy-beautiful views of the Chesapeake as well as a moderately difficult workout. Park in the North East Beach lot for $5 a person, or park free in the Mauldin Mountain Lot (you'll need t...

For outdoor enthusiasts, Maryland is an ideal place to live. Between the mountains and the Bay--and the rivers, bike paths, and trails along the way--we couldn't ask for much more. But if we were feeling greedy, we would probably ask for additional backpacking options, right? Of course, there are the state forests out west, and Pennsylvania and Virginia are close enough destinations. But for a ...

From the visitors center, start on the Fire Road trail. From there, it's a choose-your-own adventure (choose-your-own ecosystem, actually). Pick the Laurel and Valley Trails to stay in the quiet (and maybe enchanted? It felt enchanted) forest. Goose Pond trail is a short jut to a--yup--pond, where herons pose for instagram-worthy shots. Cash Lake loop is the star of the show. Nesting boxes and ...

What is it with Harford County and its slew of awesome parks? Nestled in the Northeast corner of Maryland, between the Chesapeake Bay and the river it takes its name from, Susquehanna State Park is gorgeous. A couple miles and a world away from I-95, SSP is expansive and lush. There are 15 miles of trails in the park, and the longest and most difficult is the Ridge Trail.  An out-and-back trail...

First, a few disclaimers: The parking lot may be "at capacity" if you choose to visit the park in the summer. Do not despair; there is an auxiliary lot of sorts just near the gate.The park may be "full" but chances are you'll have the trails to yourself. Most people are here to hang in the designated beach area.There are certain areas of the park in which dogs are not welcome. Check with the ga...

A former lumber and gristmill community, Valley Falls State Park offers one of the most accessible--and massive--waterfalls in WV. Just a few dozen yards from the parking lot, you'll find the park's namesake (and probably a lot of people, engagement photoshoots, and just general mayhem). But if you hike the Rhododendron Trail as it follows the Tygart River and then Glady Creek, you'll find the ...