Western Maryland Rail Trail - Maryland
This is a video of the West Maryland Rail Trail. I rode this trail in late October of 2014 while on a 10 Day Trip riding the C&O Canal and GAP trails. This is a beautiful trail with a smooth surface.
Here is what TrailLink has to say about the trail:
The Western Maryland Rail Trail is a 22-mile paved route that will take you through several eras of American history.
You can access this trail from many points, but the main trailhead is in the quaint town of Hancock (population 1,750). Stop here for food, drinks, antique shopping, to stay the night or just to wander around the historical downtown, which was once Maryland's frontier and frequently visited by George Washington, among other notables.
The rail-trail parallels the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, a 185-mile, unpaved towpath that was used to transport coal from Cumberland, Maryland, to the port of Georgetown in Washington, D.C., from 1828 until 1924. The route's historical sites include the canal's locks and lock houses.
The western portion of the Western Maryland Rail Trail is blessed with magnificent views of the Potomac River. Large rock outcroppings will catch your attention, as will the ruins of the Round Top Cement Mill, which was built in the 1830s and was Hancock's largest employer during the Civil War.
To the east, and just past downtown Hancock, you can buy trailside snacks from Blue Goose Fruit Market & Bakery where, in the 1920s, more than 5,000 surrounding acres were planted with fruit trees. Traveling a little farther, you will find historical markers for Little Pool and Park Head cemeteries.
At trail's end, hop on the C&O Canal towpath and continue just a short distance east to Fort Frederick, well worth a visit. To vary your route, and maximize your scenery, take the Western Maryland Rail Trail in one direction and loop back on the towpath.