Bill Saunders

Hikes from this hike leader

Today
  • FREDERICK MUNICIPAL FOREST: 15 PONDS HIKE – 14H

    Hike Distance:
    14.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Hard
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This 13-14 mile hike with a car plant will visit all 15 ponds in the northern part of Frederick Municipal Forest (FMF). We will start at Hamburg Road and head north on the Catoctin Trail, passing 4 ponds before we branch off onto unmarked trails. We will then hike a loop around the northern part […]

  • SOUTHERN FREDERICK MUNICIPAL FOREST – 11H

    Hike Distance:
    11.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Hard
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This 10-11 mile hike starts at Hamburg Road and follows trails in the southern part of Frederick Municipal Forest and the northern part of Gambrill State Park. The hike includes at least one hard climb of 700+ feet over a one-mile section of trail. Please indicate whether you plan to carpool or meet at the […]

  • PVSP HILTON / AVALON LOOP – 11H

    Hike Distance:
    11.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Hard
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This 10-11 mile loop hike in Patapsco Valley State Park will use trails in the Hilton area (including Santee Branch, Buzzard Rocks and Grist Mill Trails) plus the Ridge Trail and Cascade TraiL in the Avalon area. There are several moderate stream crossings (you may want to bring hiking poles for the crossings) and an […]

  • CATOCTIN TRAIL #1: NORTH END SOUTH TO CUNNINGHAM FALLS – 11/12H

    Hike Distance:
    12.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Hard
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This hike is the first in a series of 5 south hikes that will cover the entire Catoctin Trail (CT), starting at the northern end and hiking south. Starting at the Hunting Creek Lake parking lot in Cunningham Falls State Park, we will hike to Cunningham Falls and then continue north on a combination of […]

  • PVSP HILTON AREA – 9M

    Hike Distance:
    9.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Moderate
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This loop hike in Patapsco Valley State Park will use several trails in the Hilton area. There will be several moderate stream crossings (consider bringing hiking poles for the crossings), estimated total ascent of 900 feet.

  • GAMBRILL STATE PARK – 10/11H

    Hike Distance:
    11.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Hard
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This loop hike will start from the Upper Parking Lot in Gambrill State Park and use a combination of trails in Gambrill and the Frederick watershed. Please indicate whether you plan to carpool or meet at the trailhead.

  • PATUXENT RIVER PARK / JUG BAY – 13H

    Hike Distance:
    13.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Hard
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This loop hike will use trails in the Jug Bay Natural Resources Area of Patuxent River Park in Upper Marlboro. Much of the hike will be on wooded trails with mild rolling hills, but there will be several miles of trail near the marshlands, and we will visit several observation decks and towers that provide […]

  • FREDERICK MUNICIPAL FOREST / HAMBURG RD – 13H *ANNIVERSARY HIKE*

    Hike Distance:
    13.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Hard
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This hike will repeat most of a hike carried out by MCM in May 1935. We will start on the Catoctin Trail’s Hamburg Road parking area and then use the Catoctin and Death March trails as well as other adjoining trails in a long loop that returns to Hamburg Road. The hike has several long […]

  • CATOCTIN TRAIL SERIES SOUTHBOUND #2: CUNNINGHAM FALLS TO MANOR AREA – 12/13H

    Hike Distance:
    13.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Hard
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This hike is the second in a series of 5 hikes that will cover the entire Catoctin Trail (CT) in a southbound direction. Starting at the Manor Area of Cunningham Falls State Park, we will follow the CT north for several miles to Cunningham Falls for lunch, then return to the Manor Area. The hike […]

  • PVSP OELLA-PICKALL AREA – 9M

    Hike Distance:
    9.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Moderate
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This hike starts at Drexel Woods Drive in Baltimore County, hikes south of the Route 40 bridge, and then loops around on several trails before heading north again. We will climb to the Pickall pavilion area before looping back down to the river and returning to the starting point. The estimated ascent is 1100 feet, […]

  • PVSP HENRYTON AREA – 9M

    Hike Distance:
    9.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Moderate
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This hike starts at Marriotsville Road parking area next to the railroad tracks, then hikes north towards Sykesville using the River Road Trail and side trails. There will be about 900-1000 feet of ascent.

  • MANOR AREA: VANDAL TRAIL LOOP – 11H

    Hike Distance:
    11.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Hard
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This lollipop hike starts at the Manor Area parking area of Cunningham Falls State Park and follows the Catoctin Trail south into Cunningham Falls State Park and Frederick Municipal Forest. Stops at White Rock overlook and Mountaindale Overlook, with a pleasant stretch along the Vandal Trail and Little Fishing Creek. Several long climbs and total […]

  • PINE GROVE FURNACE HIKE – POLE STEEPLE/BUCK RIDGE LOOP – 13H

    Hike Distance:
    13.0 Miles
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This loop hike begins at Pine Grove Furnace State Park in PA. We will hike on the A.T. to the Pole Steeple overlook, then hike up Buck Ridge on the Bong Trail and have lunch on the rocks, then return to the parking lot using the Buck Ridge trail. The total estimated ascent is 1900 […]

  • APPALACHIAN TRAIL: GATHLAND TO WEVERTON CLIFFS – 12H or less – *ANNIVERSARY HIKE*

    Hike Distance:
    12.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Hard
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This out-and-back hike repeats the original hike led in October 1935 by the founders of the Mountain Club of Maryland to discuss the establishment of a Baltimore-based hiking club. We will retrace that hike, starting from Gathland State Park and hiking to the Weverton Cliffs overlook, where we will have lunch and then return. For […]

  • YORK, PA: LAKE WILLIAMS: 9-10H

    Hike Distance:
    10.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Moderate Plus
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    After several years of dam reconstruction, the scenic Lake Williams has been refilled with water. This hike starts at the Richard Nixon Nature Center and hikes trails in the woods surrounding Lake Williams in the York, PA watershed, with moderate hills and pleasant views of the lake. We will hike at a moderate pace of […]

  • A.T. Work Trip: Volunteers Needed to replace Roof Shingles at Hiking Shelter

    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    On Friday, November 1, the Mountain Club of Maryland (MCM) will be replacing the roofing shingles at its Bishop Darlington hiking shelter and its privy on the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania. Volunteers are needed to help remove the old shingles and put on the new ones. If you are not up for roofing work, you […]

  • ROCKBURN BRANCH PARK/PVSP AVALON AREA – 9M

    Hike Distance:
    9.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Moderate
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This loop hike will begin on trails in Rockburn Branch Park and then quickly cross over to the nearby Avalon section of Patapsco Valley State Park. The hike has several moderate stream crossings and rolling hills. There will be about 800 feet of ascent, and our pace while hiking will be about 2.5 mph. There […]

  • Catoctin Trail #3: Manor Area to Death March Trail – 12H

    Hike Distance:
    12.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Hard
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This hike is the third in a series of 5 hikes that will cover the entire Catoctin Trail (CT) in a southbound direction. We will start at the Manor Area of Cunningham Falls State Park, then follow the CT south to the Death March Trail. Then we will use the Salamander Rock and Iceberg Trails […]

  • SOUTHERN FREDERICK MUNICIPAL FOREST – 12H

    Hike Distance:
    12.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Hard
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This hike starts at Hamburg Road and follows trails in the southern part of Frederick Municipal Forest and in the northern part of Gambrill State Park. The hike includes one or two hard climbs of 700+ feet. Please indicate whether you plan to meet at the trailhead or carpool.

  • GREENBRIAR STATE PARK – 11H

    Hike Distance:
    11.0 Miles
    Hike Difficulty:
    Hard
    Hike Leader:
    Bill Saunders

    This 10-11 mile hike will start from the parking lot above the lake in Greenbriar State Park and hike many of the trails in the park. There are several long climbs and the total ascent is 1600 feet. Please indicate whether you plan to carpool or meet at the trailhead.