George Washington Birthplace National Monument Trails

The Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay, as it's now known, is the result of our great nation's call for 1,000 wartime transport vessels to be built in 18 months. The quick deadline led to hasty construction and, when World War I ended before the contract was fulfilled, hundreds of ships sat unused. Attempts to salvage materials from these already-obsolete vessels proved fruitless and many of the ships ...

Starting in the parking lot you will follow the Red Trail for 1.3 miles until you reach the cliffs that give this park its name. The trail to the cliffs is both easy to follow and gorgeous at every turn. This is a fairly flat trail and is perfect for all skill levels as well as dog-friendly. Once at the sandy beach be sure to look through the sand for shark's teeth as they are easily found here...

Point Lookout State Park is at the southern most tip of the joining of the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River in St. Mary's County, Maryland. The park offers many activities such as fishing, canoeing, boat launch, camping and lounging at the beach.   When you arrive, there are multiple places to park and enjoy the park. The best spot is at the fishing pier where you can have direct beach acce...

While there are many parks along its length, one of the best places to explore along the 115 mile long Patuxent River is by putting in at Kings Landing Park.  There is ample parking near the launch, and while vehicles are not allowed to park near the water, vehicles are encouraged to open the gate (not locked) to temporarily drop their paddle craft off fast the sandy launch.  The walk back to t...

Just at the entrance to Mason Neck State Park is the Woodmarsh Trail. The entire loop is about 3 miles. This is a pleasant easy hike that is relatively flat with no rocks to speak of. The trail wanders through a forest and passes by a large swamp along the Potomac River. There is one well built observation platform along the way called Eagle Point. After this point the trail approaches the mars...

Barren Island is an uninhabited island located in the Chesapeake Bay. It is part of the Chesapeake Marshlands NWR Complex and is known to be a swan nesting ground, as well as an active restoration project led by Army Corps of Engineers, NOAA, the FWS, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and Maryland Conservation Corps, National Aquarium in Baltimore, as well as staff form the nearby Blac...