Non-Club: Walkies at Agricultural History Farm Park

Venue: Agricultural History Farm Park. 18400 Muncaster Road Derwood, MD 20855
I found this lovely park as a nice central-ish spot. It’s off the beaten track in Montgomery County, but is easily accessible and is quiet. Trails are grassy, wide, and nicely maintained. On the trail that I tested, terrain is rolling with some long slow climbs and some short steepish climbs. There is one easy water crossing. There is ample parking and porta-pots are available. We need to bring our own water and any snacks. Besides hiking (and there are lots of trails!), there is a demonstration garden and lots of historic farm gear.

Meeting Point: When you enter the park, go straight down the road, pass a gravel drive on the right, then make the next right past the buildings and go up the hill to a shady parking lot. If that’s full, there’s more parking lower down, but this spot is closer to the trailhead.

Trail: The trail that I checked out takes parts of two trails and combines them in a nice loop trail that skirts the edges of cultivated fields. It’s mostly shady, but there are some sunny spots, so bring a hat and sun screen. Also bug spray, though the bugs weren’t bad. It’s a little over two miles and took me a little over an hour, which included stopping for pictures, and several stops to be sure that I was on the expected trail. Cell signal is a little shaky there, so if you want to explore some of the other trails, a printed map would be a good idea.