Washington Monument State Park · MD
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
The Appalachian Trail crosses South Mountain through the park, passing the 1827 stone tower on Monument Knob, the first monument completed to George Washington. A steady climb to the summit; a noted fall hawk-migration lookout.
Live · updated
Today
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Today's best: mountain biking
Conditions
Score by activity
Hiking
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Trail running
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Mountain biking
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Score breakdown
- · 88°F air — Within comfort range, outside ideal
- − Thunderstorms — Get off exposed ridges before they arrive
- ✓ Trail: prime — No meaningful rain in the last 48 hours. Trail surface is dry and tacky — prime traction.
- − 83 min of daylight — You need at least 556 min with margin. Bring a headlamp or start tomorrow.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 28.54 mi
- Elevation gain
- 10390 ft
- Surface
- dirt
- Difficulty
- moderate
Trailhead
Coordinates
39.4576, -77.6264 — MD.
Park
Part of Washington Monument State Park (official site →).
Peak nymphal tick activity — check yourself within 2 hours of leaving the trail.
Frequently Asked
How long is Appalachian National Scenic Trail?
Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a 28.54-mile route with 10390 feet of elevation gain — moderate — some sustained climbing or technical sections; expect to work for it but no specialized skills required. The trail facts panel on this page lists distance, surface, and access tags as they appear in OpenStreetMap.
What's the trail surface like at Appalachian National Scenic Trail?
Appalachian National Scenic Trail is natural dirt singletrack — soft underfoot, holds water, slow to dry after rain. Today's mud rating, derived from recent precipitation and the surface type, is shown in the conditions panel above.
Who manages Appalachian National Scenic Trail, and where do closure alerts come from?
Appalachian National Scenic Trail is in Washington Monument State Park, which is managed by the managing agency. Closure and advisory data on this page comes from the agency. Always confirm against the park's own page before driving — emergency closures can post faster than scrapers refresh.