Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014 - 17

BOATS, BEERS, AND BEDS

For a further exploration of the Monocacy
River, take River and Trail Outfitters (rivertrail.
com; 301-695-5177) Boat and Brewery Tour.
Canoe or kayak almost 6 miles on the placid
river, with just a few easily-run obstacles.
Afterward, relax during a guided tour of the
Barley and Hops Microbrewery (barleyandhops.net; 301-668-5555), free sampling, and
time to snack and enjoy a pint of what you
decide is your favorite brew. The nearby Best
Western (bestwesternfrederick.com; 301695-6200) provides a discounted rate if made
aware you are taking the tour.

to parallel the Monocacy River.
Sandpipers, black ducks and mallards
are often seen searching for a meal
along the banks and in the water.
Around 10 a.m., Confederate troops
forded the river (about .5 mile into
the hike and close to where Ballenger
Creek enters the river), scuffled with
a few Union soldiers and advanced
toward the Worthington House.
At 1 mile, the hike swings away
from the river and enters open fields
used as a staging area by the
Confederates and now a placid scene
often dotted with grazing cattle. Be
paying attention less than a quartermile later, as you want to turn right
(your car is about .7 mile straight
ahead if you want to shorten the outing), and gradually descend into the
woods on the Brooks Hill Loop Trail. Its
footbridge takes the route over a
brook within a bottomland forest of
maple, willow, elder and sycamore
trees.
The only real ascent of the hike,
one that gains all of about 100 feet,
rises gradually on graded switchbacks
to an oak/hickory forest atop the low
ridgeline at 1.8 miles, populated by
chipmunks, squirrels and deer. (I saw a
herd of more than a dozen close to the
river and another group of at least ten
on the ridge.)
Three large trees, noticeable to the
right during the descent from the
ridge, are believed to be more than
150 years old and to have borne "witness" to the battle. Just beyond is a

The primary walk at Monocacy is an easy three-mile loop.

row of old osage orange trees, planted
here to form a living fence between
what had been grazing meadows and
are now deep woods. The fruit is unfit
for human consumption and, even
though it has been used for cattle fodder, almost all the birds and animals in
the wild avoid it.
The hike comes to an end at 3 miles
as you return to the Worthington
House and your automobile. Stop at
the visitor center on your drive out to
pick up information about the battlefield's Thomas Farm Loop, Middle Ford
Ferry Loop, Gambrill Mill (partially
wheelchair accessible) and Monocacy
Junction trails, all on the other side of
I-270. 

WHEN YOU GO

The Hike: An easy 3-mile circuit hike that
explores the human and natural history of the
Monocacy National Battlefield near Frederick,
Maryland.
Getting There: In Frederick, take I-70 Exit 54
onto MD 85 South, turn left onto MD 355 at
the second stop light, pass by the visitor center
in 1.5 miles, cross the Monocacy River and turn
right onto Araby Church Road. Turn right onto
Baker Valley Road in another .5 mile, go under
I-270 and immediately turn right onto the dirt
road leading to the Worthington House.
Trail Information: Handout information
about the trails may be obtained at the visitor
center (301-662-3515) or downloaded fromnps.gov/mono.
MAY/JUNE 2014 | 17
http://www.hops.net http://www.bestwesternfrederick.com http://www.nps.gov/mono
Blue Ridge Country - May/June 2014

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