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Please join Karen Dansby and Gwen Haney for a wonderful hike of the Monocacy Natural Resources Management Area and a happy ending of ice cream. The hike begins at Furnace Branch Trail and we will hike for 1.6 miles and take Dr. Belt Trail (a new reroute) which is 1.75 miles. There are two creek crossings so it is recommended to take an extra pair of socks and hiking sticks. The trail is packed dirt, roots and some rocks. Most of the trail is in the shade. At the end of Dr. Belt Trail we will hike a half mile on Ed Sears Road (paved road) then take Ridgeline Trail for an additional 1.6 miles. The total mileage is 5.6 miles that can be completed in 2.5 hours. This is a lollipop hike with the stem being part of Furnace Branch Trail. After the hike, we will meet at Deere Valley Farms (22919 Dickerson Rd, Dickerson, MD 20842 ) for some tasty ice cream.
Both locations are part of the Maryland Ice Cream Trail which encourages everyone to get out and enjoy Maryland’s state parks and support the Maryland dairy industry. You can find out more information about how to sign up at MarylandsBest.Net
The hike is scheduled for Thursday, August 13th at 9:30 am. Please plan to arrive 10 minutes early so we can start promptly at 9:30 am. There is no a rain date.
Directions: Take Route 28 through the town of Dickerson and less than 10 minutes as you come out of Dickerson towards Frederick, the parking lot is at the bottom of the hill on the right side of the road. It is easy to miss if you are going too fast. The sharp right turn into the parking lot is BEFORE you get to the bridge. There is a sign … "Monocacy Natural Resources Management Area." If you miss the turn, go across the bridge and turn around at Park Mill Road, just past the bridge. There is plenty of parking at the trailhead.
Karen Dansby was born and raised in Arlington, VA. She spent 20+ years in eastern Kentucky, then retired to Sedona, AZ. Karen participated in trail maintenance in Sedona, hiked and participated in Preventive Search and Rescue for almost 10 years at the South and North Rim of the Grand Canyon. She moved back to Poolesville to be close to family.
Gwen Haney grew up in rural PA but did most of her hiking while living in Arizona, in the mountains and canyons of the southwest. She moved to Maryland 17 years ago to be near family and continues to enjoy being outdoors and on trails.
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