Indian Head MD Rail Trail Deja Vu All Over Again
07-05-21, 04:17 AM
#1
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Indian Head MD Rail Trail Deja Vu All Over Again
On Saturday, my wife I drove down to White Plains MD and rode one of our favorite Maryland rail trails - the Indian Head Rail Trail. We've done it before but not for several years. It is only 13 miles long but a beautiful surface, great views of wetlands and the Mattawoman Creek. At the Western End, a .5 mile hilly neighborhood road ride takes you to Mattingly Park on Mattawoman Creek, where you can rent kayaks and buy sodas and candy.
It is a 50 mile ride from my house, so kinda violates the "bike more miles than you drive to get there" rule but someday the IHRT may be extended SE to connect with the partially complete 3 Notches trail that starts in Charlotte Hall and would add another 13 miles.
13.5 miles on the Indian Head Rail Trails and views of Mattawoman Creek from the boat launch at Mattingly Park.
When we got back I emailed the photos to a friend who I knew liked to do rides like that and on Sunday am he replied that he was going to try it out - so I did the ride again, this time with him. A bit warmer and fewer people on the trail on 4th of July Sunday, but another beautiful ride.
Starting gate at the White Hall (eastern) end of the IHRT, water tower view at the Western end of the trail. Indian Head Navy base seems to have influenced the water tower art...
It is a 50 mile ride from my house, so kinda violates the "bike more miles than you drive to get there" rule but someday the IHRT may be extended SE to connect with the partially complete 3 Notches trail that starts in Charlotte Hall and would add another 13 miles.
13.5 miles on the Indian Head Rail Trails and views of Mattawoman Creek from the boat launch at Mattingly Park.
When we got back I emailed the photos to a friend who I knew liked to do rides like that and on Sunday am he replied that he was going to try it out - so I did the ride again, this time with him. A bit warmer and fewer people on the trail on 4th of July Sunday, but another beautiful ride.
Starting gate at the White Hall (eastern) end of the IHRT, water tower view at the Western end of the trail. Indian Head Navy base seems to have influenced the water tower art...
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07-07-21, 02:47 PM
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It's been a few years since I've ridden that trail. It was nice! Only real issue I had with it, was the drivers going through Waldorf. Wow, they do not have patience and are really speeding through!
07-08-21, 05:47 AM
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Rt. 5 and 301 have been widened a lot over the years, traffic heavy but moves much better these days.
The road crossings for the IHRT are very well designed but the crossing traffic is definitely not of the "Oh, I see a cyclist approaching and I will stop and let them cross variety." More of the "If I speed up to 70 mph it will convince that cyclist to wait on the path until I zoom by." kind...
A friend of mine down there checked out the Three Notch Trail from Charlotte Hall SE of the IHRT - it is now complete. There was a sign saying they are studying connecting the two, that would make a nice long off road stretch down there.
The road crossings for the IHRT are very well designed but the crossing traffic is definitely not of the "Oh, I see a cyclist approaching and I will stop and let them cross variety." More of the "If I speed up to 70 mph it will convince that cyclist to wait on the path until I zoom by." kind...
A friend of mine down there checked out the Three Notch Trail from Charlotte Hall SE of the IHRT - it is now complete. There was a sign saying they are studying connecting the two, that would make a nice long off road stretch down there.
07-08-21, 07:45 AM
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07-08-21, 11:27 AM
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^^^Just when I thought BF couldn’t get any weirder.^^^
07-09-21, 04:19 AM
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"INSERT STATE NAME HERE Welcomes You!" road sign sayings, and the same sayings on license plates, are often oxymorons.
Over the years, after a pickup truck nearly took my left ear off with their passenger-side mirror, I would often look up and see that slogan on their plate...
Over the years, after a pickup truck nearly took my left ear off with their passenger-side mirror, I would often look up and see that slogan on their plate...
07-09-21, 05:39 AM
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Heh. The post my last post was referring to got deleted. Apparent spammer.
