Liberty Reservoir and Piney Run Park

Piney Run Park

Let's explore the forests around the crystal clear Piney Run Reservoir and it's clear streams which make for what is my favorite Baltimore area hiking destination. There should be tons of wildlife. We will check out the hummingbird garden and aviary (birds permanently injured and maintained by the park and is pretty impressive); you can see the birds even when the nature center is closed. The birds you might see that were there when I hiked this last include black vultures, turkey vultures, barred owls, great horned owls (the largest resident owl in Maryland), red-shouldered hawks, and red-tailed hawks. I will be leading this hike at a social pace of 2.0 mph so we can enjoy the wildlife, flowers and each others company. Additionally, we will have an optional post hike meal. The location will be based on group the groups preference.

The trails are almost all in the shade and most of the trails are wide enough for socializing while hiking with only a small amount of single track spots.

Note: Take note that if you are interested in staying after the hike, there are boat rentals and tons of shaded picnic areas and tables, in addition to some of the best fishing around for anyone that is interested.

Trail Information
http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/recpark/pineyrun/docs/trail-guide.pdf?x=1448074239232



Activity Type: Hiking
Location: Carroll County (Finksburg)
Length: 4.7 total miles
Elevation Gain: 550 feet that you won't even notice
Trail Type: Loop
Skill Level: Easy with wide trails for the most part and perfect for social hiking.
Season: Year-round
Trailhead Elevation: 70 feet
Top Elevation: 610 feet
Local Contacts: Piney Run Park
Local Maps: USGS Finksburg
Park Entrance Fee:
Carroll County Residents are $5.00 Out of County residents are $10.00 per vehicle.
Hike Pace
This hike will be led at about 2.5 which is that of an average hiker.

Weather Information
We hike rain or shine. Click here to see an up to the minute forecast for where we will be hiking.

Directions to the Trailhead

Click Here for Directions to Where We Meet for This Hike

Park Entrance Fee:
Carroll County Residents are $5.00 Out of County residents are $10.00 per vehicle.

Fido is Welcome on This Hike!

Please remember we are a social hiking group that values fellowship and camaraderie and practice good hike etiquette. We take breaks as necessary and have at least one guide in the front in addition to a "sweeper" in the back to help make certain that no hiker is left behind. If you get upset because someone has to rest at the top of a hill etc. then please find another group! We are very supportive, encouraging, and focus on safety while getting or staying fit on the trail and practicing Leave No Trace outdoor ethics

Let's have good times and see you on the trail!

Dining

EW Becks Pub in Sykesville

Liberty Reservoir: Middle Run Trail

An anomaly: despite this hike’s location at Liberty Reservoir, it rarely offers views of the reservoir itself. Nevertheless, it’s arguably the prettiest and most diverse hike in the Liberty Reservoir watershed. The trail splits almost immediately; a fishermen’s path to the right heads downhill toward the water, and the main trail, a wide fire road, continues straight. If you want to spend a little while by the water, take the cut down to the edge of the reservoir; to continue this hike, go straight. 

Trail Statistics & Information

Activity Type:	Hiking
Nearby City:	Finksburg
Length:	3.7 total miles
Elevation Gain:	570 feet
Trail Type:	Out-and-back
Skill Level:	Moderate
Duration:	1.5 hours–2 hours
Season:	Year-round
Local Maps:	USGS Finksburg

West-Morgan Run 8 Mile Hike

If you can not make this hike please remove yourself from the RSVP list so I do not wait for those who are not going to show.  Thanks Jim

Length: 8.0 -8.5 Miles,
Configuration: Loop,
Difficulty: Moderate-Strenuous,
Scenery: Liberty Reservoir, Morgan Run, Little Morgan Run, white pine plantations,
Exposure: Shade,
Hiking Time: 3 - 3.25hrs.

Special Comments: This hike includes several difficult river crossings.  At Little Morgan Run; expect wet feet in all but the lowest water levels.

Directions: Take I-695 to I-70 west, and continue to MD 32 north; go 10 miles to Liberty Reservoir Bridge. Cross the bridge and immediately look for the gravel parking area to the right; park your car here or on the grass on the right.  NOTE *  Please be very careful since the road speed is 40 miles per hour on this section of roadway, however people do speed in this area.  Approximate address is 4895 Sykesville Road, Eldersburg, Maryland to use your GPS.  It is recommend that you follow the directions exactly which will put you in the right location.

It is highly recommended that you bring bug spray along with sunscreen to this hike, you will need it.  Make sure to wear comfortable non slip shoes and or hiking boots that can and will get muddy.  Hiking sticks are recommended for those that will need them.NOTE - I hiked this trail on 8/1/2015 so please read the posting which has changed, since the trail book that I use was not up to date.

This hike has several large hills that you will need to be able to climb so I have changed it to moderate-strenuous as well as increased the miles since some of the fire roads have been reworked and no longer allow passage.  There are also spots that you will be walking right at the rivers/reservoirs edge, along with climbing over rocks.  We will also enter a power line area that will be 100 percent full sun until we re-enter the woods.  Don't be surprised to come across horses on the trail.

Mountain Biking

http://www.whereweride.com/mountain-bike/maryland/baltimore/liberty-reservoir/Default.aspx

Gillis Falls Trail

Gillis Falls Trail is a 2.7 mile loop trail located near Mt Airy, Maryland. The trail is good for all skill levels and primarily used for hiking & mountain biking. 


Gillis Falls Park, Mt. Airy, MD 

The weather was gorgeous on Veteran's Day. Fortunately, both my husband and I had the day off, so we took advantage of the good weather and explored Gillis Falls Park in Mt. Airy, MD.

Gillis Falls Park was beautiful, and it just might be my new favorite place to hike in Maryland. Mainly, because of the bubbling streams that run through it, but also because there are a lot of interesting ruins in the park.

My husband and I parked in the small lot at the Carroll County Equestrian Center, located off of Grimville Road. From there, we walked up the gravel driveway, pictured below, to the top of the hill.

Instead of following the driveway around the curve, we kept straight and continued along the tree line. At the top of the hill, to the right, is the trailhead.

The trail system can be confusing, since there are no "you are here" type of maps located along the trails; however, the trails are wide and well-maintained, so it is easy to determine what is a park trail and what's a deer trail. 

We used the map on the Carroll County Government website and it seemed pretty accurate. Though we did notice a few trails that weren't on the map. For our hike on Veteran's Day, we stuck to the map. We'll probably go back later though to explore the other trails. 

Luckily, it hasn't rained lately, so the trails weren't too muddy. Though there were quite a few stream crossings.

The first one we came upon was easy to get across.

The rest were not passable by foot.

Well, they probably were passable on foot. We just didn't want to freeze our toes off.

Luckily, all the non-passable areas were confined to one particular loop, so our adventure wasn't hindered too much. We still ended up hiking 3.2 miles without the added loop.

We saw quite a few broken deer stands along the trails, which wasn't surprising since the park allows hunting in the fall. 

Which reminds me, if you're planning to hike at Gillis Falls Park, make sure it's open first by checking the Carroll County Government website. The park is closed often during hunting season.

There are also a lot of old ruins on the park grounds. I found a few websites that mention that there used to be a bible camp on the grounds. I'm guessing that's what these buildings are.

Toward the end of our hike, as we neared Grimville Road again, we saw the top of a chimney sticking up above some thick brush. Further along the trail we found a side trail, not on the map, that led to it.

After about 50 feet, we arrived at the quaint, little chimney.

The unmarked trail continued another 50 feet past the chimney.

I'm so glad we decided to follow it, because that's where I found what I consider to be the best part of Gillis Falls Park. The side trail led us to Gillis Falls itself. The stream, that is. Though the park is called Gillis Falls, I don't believe there are actually any waterfalls in the park.

The stream runs wide and clear in that area, and since busy roads are far off, the sound of running water is all that can be heard.