Chesapeake hikes that take my breath away–literally

One of my favorite holidays is coming up. Thanksgiving? No, although I do enjoy that one as well.

It’s National Take a Hike Day, celebrated every November 17.

I can envision all of you reading this, scratching your head and thinking, “isn’t that just one of those social media holidays?”

Well, maybe to some degree. But for me, it’s a chance to celebrate something that brings me endless joy, gives me peace and in some ways, has saved my life.

Now I know you are curious. I’m going to get there, I promise. But before I go, I want to share with you some of my favorite places to hike in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and why they are so special to me.

So first–why celebrate hiking? I personally think the National Park Service describes it best–it’s for your physical, mental and relational health. You don’t need to strap on a heavy backpack and cover 15-20 miles up and down rocky terrain in one day to benefit from hiking. A simple stroll in your neighborhood, the park down the street or a path near your office building at lunch will improve your mental and physical well-being just the same. Add in some friends, coworkers or family while doing so to lift your spirits and nurture these important relationships.

I grew up in the mountains of Pennsylvania, fortunate to have an endless expanse of woods as my playground. But once my high school friends and I turned 16 and were able to drive, there was always one place we’d head to–Ricketts Glen State Park. Back then, it didn’t really cross my mind that we were hiking. We were hanging out together, running around the woods and splashing around in the waterfalls.

Ricketts Glen has 22 waterfalls throughout the park, including the 94-foot Ganoga Falls. The park is also a National Natural Landmark, which means it has been recognized by the National Park Service for having outstanding biological and geological resources. It stretches across Columbia, Luzerne and Sullivan counties in north central Pennsylvania. This entire article could be an ode to Ricketts Glen with its many hiking trails, scenic vistas and history (it was named after a Union Army soldier in the Civil War), but for me, at this time in my life, it was all about being with my friends in the middle of the woods.

Throughout college and early in my career, I didn’t get out into the woods hiking as often–it was more strolling in neighborhood parks, walking around my community with my dog or running through urban trails in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. But eventually I found and fell in love with Catocin Mountain Park.

Not only does this park encompass Camp David and the Appalachian Trail, but it also has incredible views from Chimney Rock, fun scrambles around Wolf Rock and a place to splash around in Cunningham Falls (pro tip: do not even try to go near the falls in the summer).

Around this same time, I met one of my lifelong friends who, fortunately for me, owns a vacation home in Canaan Valley, West Virginia. Which led me to discover Dolly Sods. At the very edge of the watershed, Dolly Sods is a special, magical place. Part of the Monongahela National Forest, its geography is more similar to that found in northern Canada. The region was all but decimated in the 1800s and early 19oos by the logging industry. Now protected as a U.S. Wilderness Area, it is critical that this ecological gem remains preserved for the 26 rare and protected species that call the area home, as well as for the millions of people that depend on the Potomac and Ohio rivers for drinking water, since both headwaters start here.

It may sound like I spent my 20s hiking out in the woods all the time, but I really wasn’t. A few times a year, I’d escape from D.C., or eventually, Annapolis, Maryland, where I currently live, to be out among nature. I distinctly remember buying my first professional, way-more-money-than-I-wanted-to-spend hiking boots at the end of 2019. The universe must have known that I would need them a lot in the coming months.

Like many other people, once the Covid pandemic settled in, I ran to the woods at every opportunity. I began to explore every inch of Patapsco Valley State Park. Patapsco is Maryland’s oldest state park, with history to discover at almost every turn. The park has original structures from the Baltimore County Water and Electric Company and Avalon Iron and Nail Works, and remains of Revolutionary War era infrastructure can still be found. There are swinging bridges, an old grist mill, opportunities for wading in the Patapsco River and areas for camping, picnicking and recreating.

But during this time, a few other things happened. I started to develop chronic shoulder pain that kept me from most workouts, and in early 2021, I caught the dreaded coronavirus before vaccines were widely available. I won’t go into details, but when I say I caught it, I did–badly. In the hospital on oxygen, badly. When the world began to open up again, here I was with a bum shoulder and scarred lungs.

Recovery was–and still is–tough. I hate straggling behind my friends now and struggling to catch my breath. But that hasn’t kept from getting outdoors and exploring trails.

In the summer of 2023, I was visiting the above-mentioned friend and looking for a hiking spot on my drive back to Annapolis, when I read about Seneca Rocks in West Virginia, also part of the Monongahela National Forest. I noted that it was one of those “must do” hikes in the region, but I was wary. With little stamina these days, I could hike almost three miles, but could I do it at an almost vertical gain of 850 feet? The answer is yes, but it is still to this day, one of the hardest hikes I’ve ever done. But I kept at it, stopped when I needed to and felt incredibly proud of myself when I got to the top.

Hiking for me now is more about finding peace. After a stressful work day, I eagerly throw on my boots and head to Bacon Ridge Natural Area–my favorite local hiking spot (another pro tip–be mindful of the many, many mountain bikers here). My other local Annapolis favorites are Greenbury Point Conservation Area and Beverly Triton Nature Park. There is nothing like breathing in fresh air and staring at the trees and the sky to reset your head and embrace calmness.

So, download All Trails and hit the pavement, gravel or dirt this weekend and celebrate not only hiking, but being outdoors. And send me your recommendations for good hikes in Delaware, Virginia, New York and D.C.--I have a lot more ground to cover across the watershed!