Cedarville State Forest

Directions:
From the Washington Beltway I-495/95, take exit 7A, Route 5 south (Branch Avenue) towards Waldorf. Follow Route 5 until it ends at Route 301 in Brandywine. Follow Route 301 south. Turn left at stoplight onto Cedarville Road (look for State Forest sign). Turn right into Forest entrance at Bee Oak Road.

General Description:

Cedarville is predominantly forested with over 50 species of trees, including white and loblolly pine plantations. The wet, wooded bottomland areas contain holly, magnolia, lowbush blueberry and mountain laurel.

A unique feature of the forest is the Cedarville Bog. It is the largest fresh-water bog in Maryland and is located within the headwaters of the Zekiah Swamp. The swamp is one mile wide and extends Southward through Charles County for 20 miles, emptying into the Wicomico River.

A haven for wildlife, the bog supports a unique variety of plants including several species of carnivorous, insect-eating plants, including the roundleaf sundew and the northern pitcher plant. Showy wildflowers dot the open meadow next to the bog. Wildlife such as white-tailed deer, American beaver and wild turkey are abundant.

The Trails:

All the trails at Cedarville State Forest are well-marked. Each trail has its own flavor and is shared by bikers, hikers and equestrians. Cedarville's 19 miles of trails are mostly flat rides on forest roads and pretty wooded trails with a few gentle rollers and an occasional steep, but short pitch. There are frequent stream crossings via foot bridges. There is hardly a rock in sight, making these trails a great place for the beginner mountain biker to experience some nice tasty, twisty singletrack without worrying about elevation gain or obstacles other than a few roots and mud holes just yet.

Many of the trails wander through boggy areas and along creeks. If a little bit of mud slogging makes you squeamish, wait for a long dry spell before riding here. Some areas can become extremely wet and boggy particularly during spring or after a rain. At these times riding them leads to trail erosion and damage. Let the trails dry out for a few days before riding.

The Friends of Cedarville State Forest and the Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts (M.O.R.E.) are working to improve the trails by laying gravel on wet spots that wont quit and rerouting some of the trails away from low lying areas.

The parking lot at the pond is a good place to start from. It is near the trailheads of the major Brown, Green and Blue trails.

Plantation Trail: 2.5 miles (easy)
Trailhead (brown trail): The pond parking lot.
Pretty level and dry mostly double-track. It circles through an abandoned pine plantation and around the 4-acre stocked fishing pond.

Swamp Trail: 2 miles (easy)
Trailhead (green trail): The pond parking lot. Starts by the 4-acre pond and then loops through the forest and headwaters of the Zekiah Swamp.

Holly Trail: 5 miles (easy)
Trailhead (orange trail): Entrance parking lot. The trail wanders through damp and marshy areas lined with holly, magnolia and assorted marsh plants and flowers.

Heritage Trail: 3.5 miles (easy)
Trailhead (blue trail): Forest Road parking area (right turn off Bee Oak Road).
Almost all singletrack. This trail has some short hills with streams and springs. Passes abandoned farmland and the charcoal kiln. It can be combined with the Orange Trail if you feel like doing a long loop ride.

White Trail: 4 miles - (easy)
This trail passes through hardwood forest and pine plantations - Local lore has it that this trail is better for for bird watching than biking. Leads to major bog areas.

Historical Note:

Historical records show that the Piscataway Tribe made this region of Southern Maryland their winter camping and hunting ground because of the mild climate and abundance of game.

In the 1930s, the State began purchasing land in an effort to create a forest demonstration area. Under the direction of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the renowned Civilian Conservation Corps (C.C.C.) developed Cedarville's roads and trails for fire protection and future recreation development.

The 1950's saw a new activity on these lands - the production of charcoal. Up to 3,600 pounds of charcoal was produced each week. This charcoal was then in turn used to heat many other state parks' buildings throughout Maryland. One of these charcoal kilns is still standing and may be seen on the Heritage Trail.

For more information:

Southern Maryland Recreational Complex
Cedarville State Forest
10201 Bee Oak Road
Brandywine, MD 20613

Phone: (301) 888-1410
TTY: call via the Maryland Relay at 711 (in Maryland) or 800-735-2258
Website: Cedarville State Forest

Return To Top

federal & state trails / county & local trails / urban legends / maryland rail trails / outdoor adventure centers & resorts

Connecticut / Delaware / Maine / Maryland / Massachusetts / New Hampshire / New Jersey /
New York / Pennsylvania / Rhode Island / Vermont

home / special features / in the loop / mountain bike events calendar / resource hub / the bike rack / about /
bike basics / bike tips / rules of the trail / site map
advertising / privacy policy / contact us

Entire contents of website, © 1999 - 2007. All rights reserved. Lynn Creative, Inc. See Terms of Use.

Bikekinetix® Is A Registered Trademark of Lynn Creative Inc.