Maryland

Catoctin Mountain Park offers wooded ridges, while Assateague Island brings beach walking and wild horses. With planning, you can combine mountains and beach…

Catoctin Mountain Park offers wooded ridges, while Assateague Island brings beach walking and wild horses. With planning, you can combine mountains and beach in one Maryland trip.

Why Maryland is two trips in one

Maryland is unusual: mountain ridges in the west and barrier-island beaches in the east, with very different demands in the same state. A wooded ridge walk calls for layers and tread, while Assateague means sun, wind, sand, and wildlife you must admire from a distance. Planning each half on its own terms is how you enjoy both without a sunburned, underprepared slog.

What to do, step by step

1. Decide which Maryland you want first — forested mountain trails or open beach walking — and check conditions for that specific park before you go.
2. For mountain hikes, pack layers, rain gear, and a downloaded map. For the beach, add sunscreen, a hat, and extra water.
3. On Assateague, watch wild horses from a respectful distance, never feed or approach them, and store food securely so animals cannot get into it.
4. Time beach walks for morning or late afternoon in summer, when heat and sun are gentler, and keep an eye on tides and weather rolling in.
5. Leave no trace in either landscape: pack out trash, stay on durable surfaces, and keep to marked paths through dunes and fragile vegetation.