Switchback Trail
Photo: aparlette, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 0.5 mi
- round trip
- 119 ft
- climb
- 271 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Jun, Aug–Nov
- best months
Switchback Trail is a short, easy out-and-back hike in Maryland, about a mile long and with a total elevation gain of 10 feet. The trail starts and ends at roughly the same level, with a low point of 257 feet and a high of 271 feet, and it sits about a mile from the town of Marriottsville. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Cylburn show May highs around 73°F and October highs around 66°F, while July averages climb to about 86°F. The trail makes an easy pairing with other outings in the area. Mckeldin Falls Rapids Trail is just 0.2 miles away, and Tall Poplar Trail is about half a mile off. Woodstock Rock, a climbing area, lies about 1.5 miles away, and Liberty Reservoir offers lake fishing roughly 6 miles from the trail.
Local outfitters
- Gettysburg Licensed Town Guides38 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Mckeldin Falls Rapids TrailHikingPhoto: aparlette, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.2 mi
- Wood-Marr (HoCo Thru Trail)Mountain biking0.3 mi
Tall Poplar TrailHikingPhoto: aparlette, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.5 mi- Woodstock RockRock climbing1.5 mi
- EreborRock climbing3 mi
- Gorsuch SwitchRock climbing3 mi
- Liberty ReservoirLake fishing5.9 mi
- Middle Patuxent RiverCanoeing8.5 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Mckeldin Falls Rapids TrailHiking · Next doorPhoto: aparlette, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Switchback TrailHiking · Next doorPhoto: aparlette, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Tall Poplar TrailHiking · Next doorPhoto: aparlette, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Plantation TrailHiking · ~1 min drivePhoto: SridharSaraf, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Tall Poplar TrailHiking · ~1 min drivePhoto: aparlette, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Thru Trail (white)Hiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: ikarusmedia, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Overlook LoopHiking · ~5 min drivePhoto: Nicolas Raymond from Bethesda, Maryland, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Middle Thru TrailHiking · ~5 min drivePhoto: Nicolas Raymond from Bethesda, Maryland, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Overlook SpurHiking · ~5 min drivePhoto: Nicolas Raymond from Bethesda, Maryland, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Lower Through TrailHiking · ~5 min drivePhoto: Nicolas Raymond from Bethesda, Maryland, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Best time to visit Switchback Trail
Best months: April–June and August–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
42° / 27°
Feb
46° / 28°
Mar
54° / 34°
Apr
66° / 45°
May
73° / 55°
Jun
82° / 64°
Jul
86° / 69°
Aug
84° / 67°
Sep
77° / 60°
Oct
66° / 49°
Nov
56° / 39°
Dec
46° / 31°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cylburn, MD, 12.1 mi away at 235 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
