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We might live near a lot of other people in the Maryland and metropolitan D.C. region but our area offers a wide variety of hiking options from flat and sandy to mountainous with rock and stream hopping. If you are looking for a group hike or just some suggestions on where to hike, try some of the following organizations. Many have planned daily hikes or at least weekly hikes that are open to all.
Maryland Biking Clubs
Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club (Prince George’s, St. Mary’s, Charles Counties) Route Improvement Committee promotes bicycling safety with public officials and promotes bikeway development. www.Ohbike.org.
Baltimore Bicycling Club (Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Howard, and Harford Counties) Schedules one or more cycling events every Saturday and Sunday (weather permitting) all year long. Rides offer great variety in terms of distances, speed and type of terrain. Other Club-sponsored events include tours, outings and social events. www.Baltobikeclub.org.
Cumberland Valley Cycling Club: (Washington County) CVCC has been based in Hagerstown since 1983. Rides are scheduled all year long, but regular weekly rides of various levels are organized from April to October. www.bikecvcc.com
Frederick Pedalers/Free State Cluster Bicycle Club: (Frederick County) Located next to the Appalachian mountains in central Maryland, Frederick County offers some of the best cycling in the country. www.frederickpedalers.org
Potomac Pedalers Touring Club: (DC and suburbs) Offers numerous rides each year in a wide variety of cycling abilities. More than 1,000Saturday and Sunday rides are offered each year, comprehensively covering the variable terrain of the Washington DC area and the surrounding suburbs and countryside. Distances range from 10 miles to 600 kilometers and speeds range from eight to more than 20 miles per hour. www.bikepptc.org
Maryland Hiking Clubs
Maryland Outdoor Club: (Central Maryland) Events of all types, from hiking, to canoeing, kayaking, rafting, tubing, camping, backpacking, climbing, spelunking (caving), biking, sailing, running, etc. Children permitted on some outings. www.mdoutdoorclub.org
Wanderbirds Hiking Club: (DC and suburbs) Charters a bus for nearly all hikes; occasionally goes by carpool. Hikers range in age from 7 to over 80. www.wanderbirds.org
Mountain Club of Maryland: (Baltimore) Baltimore-based volunteer organization centered on hiking. Organizes and leads hikes and other outdoor activities, such as camping, seasonal canoe trips and backpacking weekends. Seasonal canoe trips and backpacking ventures. www.mcomd.org
Capital Hiking Club: (Maryland) Offers a variety of different hikes in areas around Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and D.C. Some hikes include special activities and/or stops, such as swimming holes, wineries, battlefields, farmers markets, river tubing, Atlantic beaches, etc., although most hikes are of the through-the-woods variety. Most hikes have both a short (5-9 miles) and a long (9-13 miles) option, as well as a medium option on occasion. Bus transportation to hiking sites is provided. www.capitalhikingclub.org
C & O Canal Association: (Maryland) Activities include hikes, bike and canoe trips, a level walkers program and special projects to support park activities. The C&O Canal Association sponsors a spring and fall hike, a continuing hike series on various Saturday and Sunday mornings throughout the year, bike trips on the towpath and canoe trips on the Potomac River. www.candocanal.org
The Sierra Club, Maryland Chapter. The club is devoted to preserving Maryland’s environment, and also to appreciating the world’s natural beauty. It sponsors paddling, hiking and biking trips, as well as making an effort to be good stewards of the places we live in and explore. www.maryland.sierraclub.org
Maryland Running Clubs
Annapolis Striders: (Anne Arundel County) Annual kids events; youth running; training. www.annapolisstriders.org
Chesapeake Bay Running Club: (Southern Maryland) We stimulate interest in running and walking to all residents in the Southern Maryland region by sponsoring championship races on/off the road, or track, fun runs/walks, and other social events. www.cbrcmd.org
Eldersburg Rogue Runners: (Carroll County) Supports runners of all ages and abilities in South Carroll County in any way it can. This includes assistance in training, stretching, injury prevention, and increasing endurance/performance. www.errun.org
Seashore Striders: (Eastern Shore) Hosts spring, summer, and fall events for the public including the popular Seashore Strider Summer Racing Series. www.seashorestriders.com
Montgomery County Road Runners Club: (Montgomery County) Known for low-key but high-quality club races, training runs, special events, and other activities. Offers programs and opportunities for all types of runners, from newcomers to experienced. www.mcrrc.org
Prince George’s Running Club. A club that welcomes runners of all levels, PGRC organizes weekly runs and beginning running programs. Members may also participate in local races. www.pgrc.org
Maryland Canoeing and Kayaking Clubs
Canoe Cruisers Association of Greater Washington, D.C. The group coordinates trips, and offers a wide range of classes on paddling and river safety for members, supports river cleanup and forest conservation programs, promotes activities that allow disadvantaged children to experience paddling, sponsors competitive paddling, and more. www.canoecruisers.org
Chesapeake Paddlers Association. This sea kayaking group meets in Annapolis, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., as well as many other locations in MD and VA. Members can participate in regular paddles and organized trips. Workshops are also offered. www.cpakayaker.com
Greater Baltimore Canoe Club. Welcomes paddlers of all levels and interests, which include canoe camping, sea kayaking, scenic and relaxing easy moving water, fun intermediate white water, and advanced adrenaline rushes. The club coordinates trips, offers free classes, and the website provides a forum for those interested in scheduling last-minute, “pick-up” trips. www.baltimorecanoeclub.org
Mason-Dixon Canoe Cruisers. The club organizes trips in Maryland, Southern Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Virginia, and runs classes on the fundamentals of canoeing and kayaking. www.masondixoncanoeclub.org
Monocacy Canoe Club. A family oriented canoe and kayak club for paddlers of all levels. Offers classes and organizes trips for members. www.monocacycanoe.org
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