Maryland Rail Trails for Late Fall Bike Rides

More than a dozen trails converted from disused train lines stretch across Maryland, from the Eastern Shore to the Western Mountains. Perfect for family outings, these trails travel alongside rivers and canals, through wild natural areas and tunnel through mountains.

In northern Maryland, the 20-mile NCR Rail Trail follows the former Northern Central Railway from Ashland, Maryland, north to the Maryland-Pennsylvania line, passing through the historic towns of Ashland, Phoenix and Monkton, where the Victorian railway station has been restored.

The paved Western Maryland Rail Trail begins west of Fort Frederick State Park in Washington County and parallels the C&O Canal for its entire 23-mile length. The entire trail is very wheelchair- and stroller-friendly, and historic sits connected to the railroad and canal dot the trailside.

The Indian Head Rail Trail in Charles County is one of the newest, connecting the town of Indian Head to Route 301 in White Plains. Originally built in 1918 as a supply route for the Navy’s Indian Head Powder Factory, the elevated rail bed passes some of Southern Maryland’s most undeveloped natural areas. Wildlife watchers enjoy cycling through mature forests, natural wetlands and occasional farmland.

The Cross Island Trail spans Kent Island in Queen Anne’s County across the Chesapeake Bay from Annapolis. Beginning at Terrapin Nature Park, rich in birdlife, the trail winds through stands of pine and hemlock, past farm fields and across a long wooden bridge.

Although it’s only 2.5 miles long, the Easton Rail-Trail spans this tidewater town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and will soon expand to reach the village of Cordova and its restored rail station museum.