Patuxent Branch Trail Hike (ODH Training #4)
Details
• What we'll do
The Hike: Approximately 10.5 miles out-and-back at your own pace on gravel and paved surfaces (possibly some muddy or slick spots), with an optional extra 1.7-mile loop around Lake Elkhorn in Columbia, MD. In the course of the hike, we’ll cross the last remaining Bollman suspension truss bridge in the US and walk along the scenic Little Patuxent River valley. Also, we’ll once again offer an optional lunch stop at McDonalds next to Lake Elkhorn.
• What to bring
This is winter hiking at its finest: bring a bag lunch or heavy snacks, water, and dress for the weather; warm caps or hats, gloves or mittens, water-resistant footwear with good traction and a dry spare pair of socks are recommended. Since public rest facilities are in short supply, bring extra cash to patronize any business whose facilities you use.
Meet: 10 am at Exxon/Tiger Mart/Wendy’s, corner of US 1 and Gorman Road in Savage, MD, via I-95N exit 38A, MD 32 east and then US 1 south to Gorman Road (allow 1 hour from downtown DC). To check whether inclement weather or dangerous trail conditions will cancel this hike, visit this site after 6pm on January 26.
• Important to know
Each person must sign a liability waiver in order to participate. Also, Sierra Club Potomac Region Outings requests a modest donation ($2 per person would be nice) to help defray expenses of our all-volunteer program. You need not be a Sierra Club member to participate, but you may become a member by clicking "Join" on the following site: https://www.sierraclub.org/virginia
Although open to all, this hike is part of a series of Saturday training hikes leading up to the One Day Hike (ODH) on 20 April 2024 —100 or 50 km along the C&O Canal. See SCPRO’s Meetup page for announcements of other training hikes as they are posted. If you would like to volunteer to help support the ODH, contact Mike Darzi ([mike.darzi@gmail.com](mailto:mike.darzi@gmail.com)).If you would like to support the ODH, look for the "volunteer opportunities" entry on meetup for 20 April. For official updates regarding training hikes, registration, and other information, join the ODH discussion group by sending a blank email to onedayhike+subscribe@groups.io.