Washington Monument to Annapolis Rock (11 mile, 1,883' elavation, difficult)

Join us for a scenic walk along a very rocky part of the Appalachian Trail from the Washington Monument to Annapolis Rock, an 11 mile out and back trail located near Boonsboro, Maryland that features a great forest setting and is rated as difficult. There are great views from both Monument Knob and Annapolis Rock, with the former almost 360 degrees and the latter overlooking the Cumberland Valley. The Washington Monument in Boonsboro was built in 1837 by the locals in Boonsboro to commemorate the life of President George Washington. It was the first monument to honor Washington in the nation.

TRAILMAP: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/maryland/washington-monument-to-annapolis-rock--2?mobileMap=false&ref=sidebar-static-map

BRING: good warm hiking boots/hiking shoes; warm coat/gloves/hat; Plenty of water (plan for 1 liter per hour if it's hot); snack and lunch that we will eat at Annapolis Rock.

PARKING & FEES: Gather at the Washington Monument State Park Parking Lot where the Appalachian Trail crosses it. We will gather there at the trailhead. The park has a fee of $2/vehicle for Maryland residents and $4/vehicle for out-of-state residents. This is determined by license plates.

GUESTS: You may bring a guest if that person agrees to the "Release of Liability & Assumption of Risk" statement below and attests to not exhibiting symptoms of contagious illness such as COVID-19. Since you can't agree and attest on their behalf, they must print it off and sign it and bring with them and hand it to the hike leader.

RELEASE OF LIABILITY: I acknowledge that hiking in nature carries the risk of potential harm to myself up to and including the risk of injuries such as broken bones or muscle/tendon injuries, illness, disability, or death. These can be caused by slipping or falling off rocks due to loss of balance or lack of coordination; twisting ankles on rocks, brush, limbs, or ice; Acts of nature such as rock falls, inclement weather, lightning, strong wind, extreme temperatures; drownings in rivers, streams, or other bodies of water; drinking unfiltered contaminated water or becoming dehydrated; succumbing to heat exhaustion; getting bit or stung by venomous reptiles, or insects; being exposed to a person with a contagious disease such as COVID-19, and my own or somebody else’s negligent or risky behaviors. This list is neither exhaustive nor inclusive of all risks. In response, I release and hold harmless with respect to all injury, disability, death, or loss of property, whether caused by negligence or otherwise, the “Active Adventures” meetup group’s leadership as well as the designated event leader(s) for this particular event I am participating in.

COVID-19: This event is for people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID and are not showing any symptoms of sickness, or who have not had recent exposure to COVID. If you have been exposed or are sick, please stay home. There will be plenty of future opportunities to hike with us. Masks and social distancing are not required while outdoors but may be required for indoor portions of events.