Biking: the WMR Trail
The Western Maryland Rail Trail (WMRT) is a 10-mile recreational trail that follows the former route of the Western Maryland Railroad east of Hancock, MD. This trail is especially suitable for families, for novice cyclists, and for anyone seeking a pleasant, leisurely ride. We fit the third category. Most notably, the trail is completely paved, making it easy pedaling for any type of bicycle.
Although the trail runs geographically uphill from east to west, the grade is hardly noticeable, and the ambient breeze is more likely to affect the effort of pedaling in one direction or the other.
On this Sunday afternoon, we parked the car at the eastern end, called Big Pool Junction. It was still early in the season. The trees had not yet bloomed and the sky was overcast as we started out. The first landmark is the reconstructed tunnel under Ernstville Road. Further along we came to a crossover connection to the C&O Canal Trail, marked for those riding to Fort Frederick State Park . Although the WMRT eastern terminus is less than a mile from the Fort Frederick entrance, park officials recommend the longer route via the C&O, to avoid traffic on the highway. The two trails run parallel, and the C&O is often visible through the trees, on the other side of the muck and swamp of the abandoned canal.
The first three miles of the ride run through forest and meadow. On the right there is a dairy farm with one huge silo and three smaller ones. Depending on the direction of the breeze, you may catch the familiar scent of fresh manure. We did. Another interesting homestead along the trail includes a private putting green, complete with sand trap. Along this section we also observed the local wildlife. We saw a herd of deer, as Broken Claw counted fourteen whitetails before they disappeared over the ridge toward the river. We also saw several wild turkeys in a meadow. Besides the usual rabbits and squirrels, we saw some magnificent blue jays. We also passed a small snake on the trail, but we didn’t stop to identify the species. After about three miles, the trail comes quite close to I-70 and follows the interstate highway to Hancock. Despite the noise of the traffic, the trail still provides a considerable feeling of isolation and protection.
We were not alone on the trail, as we passed other cyclists, walkers, and inline skaters. Horses and motorized vehicles (excluding electric mobility aids) are prohibited. It was certainly not crowded, but I’m sure the trail gets more usage in the summer months. We passed one young family who were coping with a predicament. The father was riding his bike, carrying a child’s bike across his handlebars, while pulling a child’s towcart with two passengers! The mother was following behind on her bike with a blanket tied around her waist. Obviously they had planned to pull the baby in the towcart and have the older child ride her own bike. But sometimes plans just don’t work out.
The rest of the trip was rather uneventful. Along the trail there are several markers which explain some points of historical significance. At the lower end of Little Pool, another part of the C&O Canal, there is a scenic foot bridge connection to the Canal Trail. For most of this section, the trail runs between, and within sight of, I-70 and the Canal Trail, with the Potomac River on the far side. The WMRT is maintained by the State of Maryland, under the jurisdiction of Fort Frederick State Park. It runs adjacent to the C&O Canal Trail, which falls under the jurisdiction of the US National Park Service. So all along the trail, between the two, you will see small white tree signs marking the boundary of US federal land.
As the trail approaches downtown Hancock, it runs behind businesses, including a restaurant where diners can watch the trail travelers passing by. We waved, and they waved back. By the time we reached the trail end at Pennsylvania Avenue, the sun made its appearance, and the temperature warmed up as well. The town of Hancock provides all the services for travelers on both trails: restaurants, groceries, bike supplies, etc. The Canal itself is maintained as a town park in conjuction with the Little Tonoloway Creek picnic area. One advantage to having the two trails in parallel is to allow for a different route in each direction. However, since our trip was following several days of rain, we decided to keep to the paved WMRT for the return trip as well.
After arriving back at the Big Pool Junction parking lot, we loaded our bikes on the car and drove over to the Fort Frederick State Park for Trailwalker’s picnic lunch. Fort Frederick is a massive stone structure, originally built as Maryland’s frontier defense during the French and Indian War of the mid-1700’s. The fort was restored in recent years and offers an impressive visual history lesson. We had our picnic at a table near the concession shop, during which time we were startled by the boom of a canon blast!
After our lunch we headed over to the fort. As you can imagine, the fort has only one entrance. Inside we saw a few people in period costumes “practicing” for a major reenactment which is held anually on the grounds. We visited the reconstructed barracks, where we could walk inside and try to envision military life in the 18th century. Except during special events, there is no admission charge to the park grounds. During summer months there is a fee to enter the fort.