Parks,
golf courses and trails are abundant throughout the
county, providing lots of outdoor fun and adventure.
The
Washington County Government has established more
than ten parks in the county. The first county park
was Doub's Woods, established in 1953 and the most
recent one was the Washington County Regional Park,
established in 1992. Each county park is different,
but many offer similar activities to it s visitors.
The parks have pavilions for picnicking and group gatherings,
playground equipment and ball fields. Many of these
parks have yearly festivals or fairs, celebrating craft
and culture in Washington County. Some parks even offer
fishing and provide canoe access to the many area streams.
Several
towns in Washington County have parks as well. The
most well known of these is Hagerstown's 50-acre
City Park. Nestled in the south end of Hagerstown,
the City Park has lakes complete with ducks, swans
and geese.
The
Appalachian Trail, extending from Maine to Georgia,
has 40 miles of trail in Maryland. The majority of
the trail follows along the ridge crest of South
Mountain, at Washington County's eastern border.
The Appalachian Trail joins the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal Towpath at the Potomac River.
Seventy-eight
miles of the 184 mile C & O Canal towpath are
located in Washington County. The towpath is excellent
for hiking, as well as horseback riding, boating
and fishing. The canal stretches from Georgetown
in Washington DC to Cumberland, Maryland, but the
portion of towpath in Washington County and further
west is the most peaceful and serene.
The
Western Maryland Rail Trail is paved trail about 23
miles long. Beginning about ½ mile west of
historic Fort Frederick State Park in Washington County,
the trail follows the former Western Maryland Railway
line through Hancock, Maryland, and onto Woodmont Natural
Resources Management Area and the Sideling Hill Wildlife
Management Area ending at the Pearre terminus.
For
golfers, Washington County has five area courses,
both public and private. They range from the nine-hole
Municipal Golf Course to the 18-hole championship course
at the Fountain Head Country Club. The county's newest
golf course, Black Rock, is one of the most spectacular
public courses in Maryland. It attracts golfers from
as far away as Baltimore.
Washington
County has an abundance of parks and recreational
areas that allow visitors to enjoy the natural wonders
and beauty of our mountains and valleys.
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