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Nathaniel's Place,
Hamburg Rd. Frederick, MD
Please continue to respect this place in memory of Nathaniel Marquez, of Frederick, MD. This alcove; an old homestead, with it's ancient outcroppings and waterfalls.
He is remembered, some 20years later.... I recall when this place went from a local party spot, to a memorial party spot. I've only recently learned of his forest reclamation project, and how fitting a tribute this is to have- what peace there is amongst the trees!
This place holds meaning for lots of locals and outsiders as well. If you don't remember Nathaniel, just take in the beauty of his Place. Know that he mattered, and that his life and his story resonated with a lot of us kids back then.
Thank you to his family, the Marquez's, for the beautiful stone used to mark this hidden alcove.
*Please be careful getting in and out of the parking spots here. There's only room for a couple of cars, and visibility is poor re-entering the road there, due to the sharp, blind turns. Hamburg Rd. is narrow with rocks jutting out along roadside. Do not recommend transversing this route in high winds and snow, trees and rocks falling is common during storms. There is also a natural spring that locals use for fresh water towards bottom of hill (away from Fort Detrick aquifer) so, please be especially aware of the foot traffic there.
**If any kids, teens or whoever these days is still reading this and uses the spot to chill--- Please, take your trash when you leave. and bring a fire extinguisher w you if you use the fireplace. Thank you!!
🕊️to Nathaniel🕊️ a friend of a friend, from a long time ago
Hamburg Rd. Frederick, MD
Please continue to respect this place in memory of Nathaniel Marquez, of Frederick, MD. This alcove; an old homestead, with it's ancient outcroppings and waterfalls.
He is remembered, some 20years later.... I recall when this place went from a local party spot, to a memorial party spot. I've only recently learned of his forest reclamation project, and how fitting a tribute this is to have- what peace there is amongst the trees!
This place holds meaning for lots of locals and outsiders as well. If you don't remember Nathaniel, just take in the beauty of his Place. Know that he mattered, and that his life and his story resonated with a lot of us kids back then.
Thank you to his family, the Marquez's, for the beautiful stone used to mark this hidden alcove.
*Please be careful getting in and out of the parking spots here. There's only room for a couple of cars, and visibility is poor re-entering the road there, due to the sharp, blind turns. Hamburg Rd. is narrow with rocks jutting out along roadside. Do not recommend transversing this route in high winds and snow, trees and rocks falling is common during storms. There is also a natural spring that locals use for fresh water towards bottom of hill (away from Fort Detrick aquifer) so, please be especially aware of the foot traffic there.
**If any kids, teens or whoever these days is still reading this and uses the spot to chill--- Please, take your trash when you leave. and bring a fire extinguisher w you if you use the fireplace. Thank you!!
🕊️to Nathaniel🕊️ a friend of a friend, from a long time ago
Beautiful place to drive and hike/mtn bike! Its high elevation makes the forest different from the woods in the rest of the county. Grass yields to ferns here, opening up the sightlines and creating space to move through. Convenient pull offs to park throughout.
Perfect little spot right outside of town to go sit by a stream and listen to nature for a while.
3.4 mile hike, kids friendly.
Frederick Municipal Forest is a great place to bike or hike. Absolutely awesome streams and creeks that are crystal clear. Parking is limited, so don't expect to pull into a parking spot once you arrive. However, the beauty of this place offsets any little inconveniences. Multiple trails throughout this place. Once you have experienced the serenity of this forest, you will definitely return again and again.
This is a very nice park with plenty of hiking trails and plenty of parking. Suggest parking at the lower lot on Gambrell Park Road and taking the black trail up to High Knob Road where the tea room stands. From there, you can take in the South Frederick overlook, and, on the other side of the knob, Middletown overlook. There’s also a North Frederick overlook about a half mile away The trails are fairly well kept, with enough vertical to make it interesting. Bathrooms are in good shape, all had toilet paper and hand soap. A plethora of picnic tables and grills are available. The tea room can be rented out for special occasions, I had a friend who had a wedding reception there. But it’s not very large. There are some pictures of the inside in this review. There is also a Tibetan meditation center farther up Gambrill Park Road, which I did not get a chance to check out.
Access to the park is fairly easy from the Baltimore National Pike. Beware if your GPS tries to take another route there, there are lots of dirt roads north of the park and I ran into obstruction getting there and had to backtrack. The park was fairly empty on a clear autumn day, and lots of folks brought their dogs. I did not get a chance to visit the campgrounds, but would like to do that at a later date. There is an entry fee of a couple dollars, but it’s on the honor system when I went. Well really enjoyed my time there, and will definitely be heading back to spend some more time on the trails.
Access to the park is fairly easy from the Baltimore National Pike. Beware if your GPS tries to take another route there, there are lots of dirt roads north of the park and I ran into obstruction getting there and had to backtrack. The park was fairly empty on a clear autumn day, and lots of folks brought their dogs. I did not get a chance to visit the campgrounds, but would like to do that at a later date. There is an entry fee of a couple dollars, but it’s on the honor system when I went. Well really enjoyed my time there, and will definitely be heading back to spend some more time on the trails.
Beautiful park. Can’t wait to enjoy a dry hike her. The tea room is a great venue and reasonably priced for a small wedding or shower.
The tea room is a perfect location for a small intimate wedding. The view is gorgeous.
This is a great place to stop if you are into hiking trails in the woods. There are several trails to choose from while each trail is identified with a name and color along with a detailed description of its difficulty level. Trails are nicely maintained along with some signs along your hike providing some history on the area.
Muy bonito lugar
Beautiful park!! Did the green trail, intermediate difficulty. Encountered few other hikers. Very peaceful and lotsa birds to keep an eye out for!
Pretty cool place, it was on our way to a cabin we were staying at so we didn't go out of our way for it. Fee was $6 for out of state plates and $3 for in state (if I remember correctly) there were a few different outlooks and what looked to be a building available for rent. If we are ever in the area I'll probably go back
Very nice little state park! There is an entrance fee of $3 in-state or $6 out-of-state (cash only), but there is quite a lot to see and it’s well maintained. Looks like there is an event building on site, which I assume is available to rent out for a fee. We saw two separate lookout points, the venue, an old wooden see-saw, and a statue with some historical signage. There were some wooded trails we didn’t venture into, but wish we would have had time to stay and enjoy a little bit more!
Parked near the High Knob Nature Center. $5 fee for out of state, however, military & veterans are free. Large parking area with nearby picnic tables all around. We took on the Green Ash Trail starting at the CCC Iron Mike statue. Posted information indicates the Green Trail is a 2 mile loop. It is definitely at least 3 miles with about 600 feet of elevation gain.
A very beautiful place.
Place was definitely worth the drive and hike.
The Fall Foliage made it views even more beautiful. Definitely recommend going in the Fall. The parking lot is right there by the overlook. If you don't want to walk to this overlook, after entering the parking area, drive pass the nature center on your right, keep going, and you will see the bathrooms on your left and the overlook on your right. There is a sign, Middletown Overlook in your right. If you drive pass the tea room on your right, you just passed it. The overlook is right before the tea room. Then as you leave, you will drive around to the right, and shortly later, there is South Frederick overlook in your right with some historic signs. Keep going and the nature center is on your left and you will exit the parking area. Be careful when you are walking around. If you have stability concerns and not wearing proper shoes, it is easy to lose balance and fall due to the uneven ground, rocks, etc...
A lot of hiking just minutes from Frederick.
Beautiful day...Temps started near 46 at 630am and climbed to about 60...perfect weather.
3 hours of hiking I only saw 1 guy on a bike...that's it. Felt like I had the whole place to myself.
***UPDATE 7-15-2022***
Another great day hiking!
Still awesome location.. temps in the 70s enjoying 8.5 miles hiking...only saw 1 group of 3 people...not complaining 😂
3 hours of hiking I only saw 1 guy on a bike...that's it. Felt like I had the whole place to myself.
***UPDATE 7-15-2022***
Another great day hiking!
Still awesome location.. temps in the 70s enjoying 8.5 miles hiking...only saw 1 group of 3 people...not complaining 😂
I had a nice time running here today. There are plenty of connecting trails and paths, with a few entry points, so you’ve certainly got your choice.
I got a late start in the day and originally intended to do a trail at Gambrill but the lots were full so I drove a little farther and found myself with plenty of options.
I’d give four stars for one reason alone - the trails are not marked well at all, where they separate and converge. The paths are well worn and indicate the direction easily but I think it would be really easy to get turned around or accidentally circle yourself. I ran the red loop twice, and then hiked the blue around a little, until I was ready to leave. I use GPS watch and offline maps for my runs so this didn’t give me any trouble, but I do suggest coming prepared for that.
The trail areas that I was on were fairly rocky but I wouldn’t stretch to call it technical. The red didn’t have too much difficulty in the way of gains and drops either, but the blue has a nice climb just before a nice clearing opens up, if you’re going clockwise. For enjoyability in general, I’d give it a 4/5 - easy spot to run, IMO.
It was not very crowded either. There were plenty of people around but I hardly ran in to anyone, and most of the time I had that sweet, sweet isolation - so it’s great for that!
Do recommend.
I got a late start in the day and originally intended to do a trail at Gambrill but the lots were full so I drove a little farther and found myself with plenty of options.
I’d give four stars for one reason alone - the trails are not marked well at all, where they separate and converge. The paths are well worn and indicate the direction easily but I think it would be really easy to get turned around or accidentally circle yourself. I ran the red loop twice, and then hiked the blue around a little, until I was ready to leave. I use GPS watch and offline maps for my runs so this didn’t give me any trouble, but I do suggest coming prepared for that.
The trail areas that I was on were fairly rocky but I wouldn’t stretch to call it technical. The red didn’t have too much difficulty in the way of gains and drops either, but the blue has a nice climb just before a nice clearing opens up, if you’re going clockwise. For enjoyability in general, I’d give it a 4/5 - easy spot to run, IMO.
It was not very crowded either. There were plenty of people around but I hardly ran in to anyone, and most of the time I had that sweet, sweet isolation - so it’s great for that!
Do recommend.
Great place to hike, run, and mountain bike. The trail network is extensive. There are several places to park. The entire area is very clean and well preserved. You can catch the Catoctin Trail at a few different locations. No fees to enter!
Beautiful area surrounded by wonderful trails and very helpful and friendly Park Rangers
Nice hiking and vista just minutes from Frederick