Holiday Hike with Optional Meal

Thanksgiving in Historical Savage Park Along the River!!

An Easy/Newbie Friendly 2 Miles With Up to 9 More Moderate Miles: The Choice Is Yours!

Great for first time and experienced hikers both. Total distance ranges from your choice of distance and pace options ranging from a newbie friendly and easy 2 to a total of 9 moderate total miles. This hike is 9 moderate miles if you do all legs of this trek, but we offer several shorter distance options as outlined below thanks to convenient bailouts about every 2 miles of this hike! This is a truly a something for everyone (SFE) hike with TONS of parking (we couldn't fill the lot if we tried) so hope to see you there for great times out on the trail!

A beautiful hike along the Middle Patuxent River to its confluence with the Little Patuxent River, then upstream, with a return via an abandoned quarry road. Most of the hike follows the streams closely. Within minutes of setting off, you will be transported from one of the most densely populated suburbs in America to a lovely woodland along two former mill streams.

This trail takes you through beech, oak, and pine trees before confronting the rapids-filled Patuxent River. The Wincopin Trail begins as an asphalt path for a few yards but quickly turns to packed dirt. Consequently, the trail becomes narrower and tighter, but it’s well maintained and easy to follow. Very thick woods, beech, oak, and poplar crowd either side.

Hike Pace

The pace on this hike will be 2 - 2.5 mph, the pace of an average hiker.

Trail Information

Nearby City: Old Historical Savage Area
Length:Your Choice of 2.4 Easy Side of Moderate Miles in the Wincopin area, 4 Moderate, or 8 Moderate Miles if you join us for the entire hike. You can decide while on the trail as all paces will go all distances to provide you mix and match customization.
Elev. Gain: Rolling hills with a couple of steep climbs but we will stop to rest as necessary because we are all about the camaraderie.
Trail Type: Modified Loop
Pace: 2 - 2.5 mph
Scenery: Middle Patuxent and Little Patuxent River; Savage Mill Historic Sites
Exposure: Mostly shade
Trail Surface: Packed dirt with several sections even mulched!
Skill Level: Easy to Moderate depending on how far you hike with us. The hills are mostly further along the trail.

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

Carpool Information

There are 2 carpools for this hike!
DC Area Carpool
To carpool or caravan from the metro DC area, meetup at the Centerville Park and Ride. Click here for informationand directions to the Centerville location.

Metro Carpool
Click here for directions and information about Vienna Metro if you would prefer to carpool from there. It is highly recommended that if carpooling from a Metro that everyone chip in towards a Zip Car (information about Zip Cars is included on the link with directions to the Metro stop). I am not responsible for people using the Metro not having a ride to the trailhead so please make sure you have made arrangements for a way to get there once you arrive to a carpool location.

If you can drive or want to carpool from additional locations, please post your location in the comment section below. Click here for suggested carpool locations complete with directions. For those who need a ride, reach out to the drivers. Make friends, and support the environment - by just offering a ride!

Directions to the Trailhead
Click Here for Directions to where we meet for this hike.

Hike Meetup Time is at 11:45 a.m.

Carpool time from Vienna Metro stop is 10:45 a.m.

Carpool meetup time from Centerville is 10:30 a.m.

Optional Post Hike Lunch
We will have an optional post-hike lunch at nearby Rams Head (8600 Foundry St., Savage, Maryland 20763) Telephone: [masked]. Click Here for the restaurant's home page with a link to their menu and additional information.

Points of Interest Nearby
Time should be saved to explore nearby Savage Mill (pictured above and also where the optional lunch is so if you join us for lunch you will see it anyway-grin). Nine buildings remain dating back to 1820. In 1974, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Take note that our post-hike meal restaurant is located inside Savage Mill, pictured above, and is a destination within itself for many people. If you like to shop in an artsy type mall, or antiquing, then plan on spending some time after lunch perusing these most unique shops and galleries.

A Leashed Fido Is Welcome On This Hike!

Gear Suggestions

Click here for suggestions for what to wear and what not to wear for our hikes.

Please note that our holiday hikes are not refundable due to too many people backing out of the at the last minute before the refund cut-off. Sorry, but this is the only way to help make sure that there is a good turnout and our leaders not offer to lead a hike on their holiday in vein...or they will be burned enough that they will no longer offer. Since we have made holiday hikes non-refundable it has boosted attendance rate significantly and often have perfect attendance, yay! Thanks so much for your understanding.

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 which means 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!

Keith: [masked]