Top 11 MicroAdventures in Maryland
I have grown up and lived in Maryland my whole life. I have lived in the suburbs of Washington DC most of my life, worked in and around Baltimore, and lived on the Eastern Shore for a few years while in college. Maryland is referred to as “America in miniature,” because it has all the geographic features of the US in a smaller size. From the Appalachian Mountains in Western MD to the Chesapeake Bay and the beaches of the Eastern Shore, Maryland has a little bit of everything (except natural lakes, there are no natural lakes in Maryland).
While currently living in Maryland, I have searched for some of the best bite-sized adventures in this state, and I think from hiking to paddling, to skiing, to watching wild horses; Maryland has a lot to offer.
This list could be 3 times longer because there are so many places and bite-sized adventures to have in Maryland. But I have put together a list of the 11 best 1-day adventures to have in the Old Line State (that is Maryland for those that don’t know).
SUP Potomac or the Chesapeake Bay
Stand Up Paddleboarding is the fastest growing outdoor activity in the country right now and Maryland should be no exception. Maryland has so many rivers and waterways including the Chesapeake Bay that make SUP very easy and local. There are board rental companies in the North Chesapeake area, Annapolis, and along the Potomac River. If you own your own board there are a lot of places to enter into the waterways and amazing areas along the Bay. Check out the GoPaddle App to find good places to paddle.
Paddle Mallows Bay
Ever wanted to paddle through a 100-year-old Navy ghost fleet graveyard? After World War 1, the US Navy destroyed almost 230 ships near the mouth of the Potomac River. You can kayak through a few dozen sunken ships and see a whole ecosystem that has grown up around these ships, especially at low tide, when the tops of ships are visible. Our recommendation is to not use a SUP or use an inflatable boat, as most of the sharp rusted boat parts are in shallow water, and falling off a SUP or popping an inflatable would be potentially problematic.
Maryland Heights hiking trail
The borders of Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia all meet at the Harpers Ferry, WV. On the Maryland side, there is a beautiful hike to the top of the Maryland Heights Lookout Trail. This is a great location for those that are history buffs as many civil war stories come from is from this location, as well as the story of the abolitionist John Brown.
Hike any part of the C&O Canal
Speaking of Harpers Ferry, the C&O Canal National Park runs right through the trail for Maryland Heights. The C&O Canal is a 184-mile trail directly next to the Potomac River. It was supposed to be the passageway for goods between the Chesapeake Bays and Ohio. But the invention of the steam engine stopped the construction and the project never made it to Ohio. The trail is mostly flat and winds through mid-1900 century American history. There are dozens of spots to pick up this trail with plenty of road access. Microadventure as far as you want, and turn around back to your car. If you are a road or mountain biker, check out the biking guides to camp along the way.
Billy Goat Trail
As you hike parts of the C&O Canal trails there are a number of trails that shoot off of the canal trail and are spectacular as they weave along the rocky shores of the Potomac River. You will be able to do some rock hopping, relaxing by the water, or watch skilled kayakers as they play in the waves of Great Falls; but you are not allowed to go swimming.
Rent a boat or Ski at Deep Creek Lake
Deep Creek Lake is a man-made lake located in Western Maryland. It is a year-round outdoor destination for the microadventurer. In the winter you can ski and snowboard at Wisp Mountain Resort and during the warmer months, the almost 6 square mile lake is covered with jet skis, wakeboarders, paddlers, and people just cruising on their pontoon boats. Many outfitters around the lake rent all the necessary equipment to have a great day in the mountains or on the water. Additionally, check out the hiking trails and natural waterfalls nearby at Swallow Falls State Park.
King and Queens Seat
Just north of Baltimore at Rock State Park is a rock climbing area and with a cool rock formation called King and Queen Seat. You can park at the bottom and hike up or you can drive up to the upper lot and make the hike much shorter. The Disney movie Tuck Everlasting filmed a few scenes here.
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
On the Eastern Shore of Maryland is a beautiful wildlife refuge, originally created for migrating wildfowl along the Chesapeake Bay. It is over 45 square miles of beautiful marshes and home to countless species of local mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and local birds including bald eagles.
Calvert Cliffs
In Southern Maryland along the coast of the Chesapeake Bay is 24 miles of the prehistoric cliff line. Here, people will have quick 1-2 mile hikes and find fossils and sharks’ teeth. This is a great place for a microadventure if you have little kids looking for their own adventures. For the adults, keep driving south on route 4 to Solomons Island and stop at the Tiki Bar after your bite-sized adventure.
Assateague Island
One of the only places around that has wild horses. Assateague Island is a 37-mile long barrier island just off the main coast of Maryland. The island is home to feral horses that inhabit the area. These horses are a sight to behold. Assateague is amazing for beach camping and fishing, paddling, hiking, and surfing.
Jug Bay
Right smack in the middle of Maryland is Jug Bay (well kind of the middle). Jug Bay is a wetlands sanctuary just west of Annapolis with phenomenal opportunities for birdwatchers and wildlife photographers.
There are so many other amazing places throughout Maryland that I could keep going; like sailing or fishing on the Chesapeake Bay, mountain biking through Schaffer Farms or Patapsco State Park, taking a ferry over to Smith Island (a fully inhabited island that can only be reached by boat), finding 5 star and local restaurants through Baltimore (before or after catching a baseball game at Camden Yards), brewery tours in Frederick, or rock climbing 15 minutes outside DC at Carderock. All these places make for phenomenal and stunning ways to spend a day having your own bite-sized adventure in Maryland.
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