6 Reasons to Hike Annapolis Rock

Annapolis Rock is a 1,700-ft cliff rising above Cumberland Valley in rural MD. It’s located on Piscataway land. (Photo courtesy of author)

Annapolis Rock in Myersville, MD is a hike I will probably never do again—more on that later. Here are a few reasons why YOU should check it out.

1. The location is convenient

Annapolis Rock is only 1 hr away from both Washington D.C. and Baltimore and yet, if you live in the DMV, you’ve probably never heard of it. While all of your friends are heading off to Shenandoah National Park to hike Old Rag for the tenth time, set your sights on this 1700-ft cliff rising majestically above the Cumberland Valley with gorgeous views of Greenbrier State Park to the west. It’s a great place to catch a sunset, in or out of season. Or enjoy a solitary early morning hike before the trail gets super crowded. To get started, drive to this parking lot off I-40.

Greenbrier Lake and Greenbrier State Park are visible to the west. (Photo courtesy of author)

2. You won’t get lost

This 5-mile hike takes place along the white blazed Appalachian Trail in Maryland. The trail is pretty well marked—most of my favorite trails don’t have signage this good! I was nervous to attempt this hike for the first time because I knew I’d be getting an early start and because I was worried about getting lost. Let’s face it: I’m a solo hiker with a not-so-great sense of direction and a lot of enthusiasm so I tend to do a lot of research before I head somewhere new. That means downloading topo maps and reading trip reports. In the end, I was pleasantly surprised by just how well marked the trail was from start to finish.

At one point, I did stop to ask the one other person I saw on the way there for directions, however there was no need. I was already super close to the turn off for the blue blazed connector trail that leads to Annapolis Rock. They did show me this pretty cool hiking app on their phone called Guthook though, so no regrets.

Signage much? (Photo courtesy of author)

Let’s get started! (Photo courtesy of author)

The first section of the Trail parallels I-70. If you cross the footbridge over the highway you’ll be headed in the wrong direction, or south to Washington Monument State Park. So don’t cross the highway! (Photo courtesy of author)

Walk under the overpass; don’t worry—you’re heading in the right direction! (Photo courtesy of author)

3. You like hiking alone

If hiking alone is your thing, just come early on weekends or hike during the week. Otherwise, the trail does get pretty busy. If you live in the DMV, Annapolis Rock is the most popular local hike you’ve never heard of. The rock feature is westward facing, but an early morning hike is one way to escape the crowds and take your time snapping the perfect photo. Offseason hikes or poor weather days are another way to have the trail mostly to yourself. When I arrived at 7:15 am, the parking lot was already one third-full. However, I saw only one other person on the trail on my way to the scenic overlook, so I have to assume some of those cars belonged to campers or rock climbers or people heading south along the AT. Once I turned around and headed back towards my car, I passed many more people heading up the trail than I did on my way in.

This is pretty much what the first section of trail looks like. I hope you like steps. (Photo courtesy of author)

Another section of trail closer to the turnoff for the Annapolis Rock connector (Photo courtesy of author)

4. You love hiking with other people

Are hikes better with friends? Of course, they are! If you want to maximize the social aspect, plan on a mid-day hike. You might have to get creative with parking, however, as the small lot off I-40 does fill up fast on in-season weekends. After 9 a.m. or so, you’ll see families with small children, lots of dogs, and lots of young people taking advantage of this immersive nature walk. I noticed that only about 40% of people wear masks on the trail - even in more crowded areas.

I forgot my tripod so here is a non-epic shot of me at Annapolis Rock. Earrings are from Biulu Co-op. an artisan collective of Indigenous makers based in Winnipeg, Canada. (Photo courtesy of author)

5. You’ve got some extra time

If you have extra time and you’re feeling pretty good, nearby Black Rock offers another gorgeous westward view and extends your out-and-back hike to 8-miles. Or you could head south to Washington Monument State Park and visit the first Washington Monument, a 40-ft stone tower erected in 1827 in honor of the former president. You can reach it by returning to the footbridge over I-70 near the beginning of your hike and heading south along the Appalachian Trail. As long as you have enough water and snacks, feel free to make your decision last minute based on how you’re feeling!

6. You like amenities

The connector trail leading to Annapolis Rock also includes a spring where you can fill-up your water source and a mouldering privy. The privy is painted bright red—you can’t miss it! It does wondrous things with your poop! Reportedly. Allegedly. I haven’t tried it yet. Apparently, it’s the opposite of a pit toilet. Mouldering privies use aerobic conditions (oxygen) along with worms and microorganism to break down human waste.

If you’re an overnight hiker, you can camp at the Pogo Memorial Campsite, a large campsite located north of Black Rock, where the Thurston Griggs trail meets the AT, or at Pine Knob Shelter which is closer to the Annapolis Rock/Black Rock trailhead off I-40. Camping is also permitted off the Annapolis Rock connector trail. Some of the area is temporarily cordoned off to encourage visitors to stay on marked trails and to allow for re-growth of flora and fauna, so watch your step! Please also have no more than 10 people in your party. If you have any other questions about the campsites, you can always contact the trail manager at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, (301) 791-4656 or DSpedden@DNR.STATE.MD.US.

If this is your idea of a good time, then this hike is definitely for you. If you have trouble with steps at home, you may not want to tackle them here either (Photo courtesy of author)

Why you shouldn’t hike Annapolis Rock

Annapolis Rock is a hike I will probably never do again. Why? Because I didn’t realize the first mile was basically stairs—I kid you not, stairs made out of earth and logs—but stairs nonetheless! I love a good hike! I can walk uphill and downhill—usually! However, I use elbow crutches in my daily life and stairs are the ultimate challenge. I mean video-game boss, next-level, ultimate big-bad kind of challenge.

After doing a lot of research before trying this hike, I was a little sad to find out that the casually referenced ‘stairs in the first mile’ actually meant one mile of walking up and down staircases and trying to clear my right foot without falling on my face. That doesn’t mean this isn’t an awesome hike. There. You’ve been warned!

Annapolis Rock is a hike I will most likely never do again, but you should totally try it!