Maryland - Sugarloaf Mountain,
Monocacy River, Lilypons Gardens
(Includes all areas adjacent to the Monocacy River)
Maps:
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Topo! Mid-Atlantic by National Geographic.
- Civil War Campaigns Across the Potomac, Traihead Graphics, Inc. #111
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For the Sugarloaf Mountain trails see the site of the mountain's owner, Stronghold, Inc.: http://www.sugarloafmd.com/.
Note, that even thought the mountain is privately owned, the access is free.
-
Monocacy Natural Area has no maps that I know of, other than the primitive map which is part of the PATC book - see below. There are no blazed trails, but the roads are easy to follow. Note, that the area is used for hunting, so it's preferable to go there on Sunday when hunting is forbidden.
- Monocacy Battlefield National Park consists of at least 3 areas which are a couple miles from each other. The Eastmost (off Rt. 355) has a former mill, a mansion and a Visitors Center. Here are some resources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monocacy_National_Battlefield. http://www.nps.gov/mono/index.htm - the map of the Westmost Area - Worthington Farm Trail system and some other.
- Lilipons Gardens are private. As far as I know, the owners don't mind people walking there, but that can change any time. There are lots of easy to follow trails but they are not blazed or mapped, again as far as I know.
Books:
- Towpath Guide to the C & O Canal. Thomas F. Hanh. Ed. 15, 1999. This book will only cover the Monocacy Aqueduct, otherwise not worth mentioning in this page.
- Hikes in the Washington Region, Part A: Montgomery & Frederick Counties, by PATC. Ed. 4, 2001
Hike 1. Monocacy NRMA
Club: My scouting
Date: 06/19/2004
Parking: good
Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: MonocacyNRMA_GPS20040619.tpo
Description File: MonocacyNRMA_GPS20040619.doc
GPS TrackMaker Trace: MonocacyNRMA_GPS20040619.gtm
Photo Album: MonocacyNRMA_GPS20061111 - not the same hike, but the same area.
Note: Hunting area. Wear bright.
Hike 2. Sugarloaf Mountain
Club: My scouting
Date: 03/13/2005
Parking: good
Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: SugarloafMtn_GPS20050313.tpo
Description File: SugarloafMtn_GPS20050313.doc
GPS TrackMaker Trace: SugarloafMtn_GPS20050313.gtm
Photo Album: SugarloafMtn_GPS20050313; SugarloafMtn_GPS20051227; SugarloafMtnAndLilypons_GPS20060521 - some dates are different, same area.
Note: Closes at sunset.
Hike 3. Monocacy Battlefield
Club: My scouting
Date: 03/19/2005
Parking: good
Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: MonocacyBattlefield_GPS20050319.tpo
GPS TrackMaker Trace: MonocacyBattlefield_GPS20050319.gtm
Photo Album: MonocacyBattlefield_GPS20050319
Hike 4. Monocacy Battlefield -Worthington McKinney Area
Club: My scouting
Date: 04/24/2005
Parking: good
Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: MonocacyBattlefield_WorthingtonMcKinney_GPS20050424.tpo
GPS TrackMaker Trace: MonocacyBattlefield_WorthingtonMcKinney_GPS20050424.gtm
Photo Album: MonocacyBattlefield_WorthingtonMcKinney_GPS20050424.html
Note: We did only the northern loop (next to the river). There is another loop that adds a few miles.
Hike 5. Lilypons Gardens
Club: My scouting
Date: 09/18/2005
Parking: good
Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: Lilypons_GPS20050918.tpo
GPS TrackMaker Trace: Lilypons_GPS20050918.gtm
Photo Album: Lilypons_GPS20050918; SugarloafMtnAndLilypons_GPS20060521
Note: A little bit of trivia. Lilypons Gardens were named after the singer Lily Pons - http://www.operaitaliana.com/autori/interprete.asp?ID=6 . Check Lily Pons at www.yourtube.com
Hike 6. Sugarloaf Mountain
Club: Jack's scouting.
Date: 09/02/2006
Parking: good
Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: SugarloafMtn_GPS20060902JThorsen.tpo