Cedarville State Forest--easy 5.5 miles; shady forests & beaver dams

This will be a 5.5-mile stroll at a relaxed pace in Cedarville State Forest southeast of Brandywine, Maryland, home to forests of hardwoods and pines, and wetlands at the headwaters of Zekiah Swamp.

Hike details: We will mostly follow the Orange Trail. We will walk flat, hard-packed trails through young forests with sparse undergrowth, blueberry bushes, and glimpses of wetlands. We may stop for photos, beaver dams, toads, and if we're lucky, ripe blueberries! Almost no elevation gain. Plan for a leisurely pace of 2.0-2.5 mph.

Sign-ups: RSVP here on Meetup. If your plans change, please cancel your RSVP by 6:00 pm the night before to allow someone on the waiting list to participate. Watch Comments for changes. If weather forces a change in plans, it will be announced no later than 6 am the morning of the hike.

What to bring: Hiking boots or shoes, rain gear, plenty of water, tick and mosquito repellent, sunscreen. Snacks or lunch for a stop at picnic tables 3/4 of the way through the hike. A plastic bag or small container in case the blueberries are ripe.

Entrance fee: $3/Maryland vehicle, $5/out-of-state vehicle. Free with annual or lifetime Maryland State Park pass. BRING CASH for entrance fee. This is on an honor system, at an un-manned dropbox; insert cash or pass number in envelope and put tag on rear-view mirror.

Facilities: Porta-Potties at the trailhead.

Meeting time: Meet at 10:00 am to sign in and start hiking at 10:15 am.

Directions to meeting point: Enter Cedarville State Forest on Bee Oak Road. Stop to pay entrance fee. Continue on Bee Oak Road past the headquarters building (no public restrooms). Stay left at intersection with Hidden Springs Road. Turn right onto gravel Forest Road (called Cedarforest Road on Google Maps). Go past first pullout on left. Park in large parking lot on right, where the sign says Blue and White Trailhead.

GPS for meeting point: 38.64329667279565, -76.8177329958667
Map to trailhead: https://maps.app.goo.gl/StCJMmkzNm9FQXSk6

AllTrails: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/map-june-26-2025-4122cb1?u=i&sh=fuqxr6

Hike leader: Amber at 703-231-5978 for emergencies (please use Meetup Comments for general Q&A or to arrange carpools)

More about the park: https://dnr.maryland.gov/forests/pages/publiclands/southern-cedarville-state-forest.aspx

More about PATC: https://www.patc.net/
Consider becoming a member of PATC, the organization that maintains most of the trails in four states, from the DC metropolitan area to the Blue Ridge mountains, and maintains a network of rental cabins along the trails.