MD -- Hanging in State Parks

[Yojimbo]

From Baltimore you will only be a couple hours from the AT to the West. And there you will have no issues with hanging in your hammock.

[Widjit]

I usually hike out at Green Ridge State Forest in MD. I've never had a single issue with my hammock. Neither in the camp sites nor camping out on a trail. Given, nobody probably sees it out on the trail. I even had a pair of rangers come check my permit at one of the primitive sites and they didn't say a thing about the hammock. Green Ridge is my favorite place in Maryland and it is what I suggest to anyone wanting to camp there. It's all primitive sites or camping on the trail, so don't go there looking for any glamping. And be sure to bring your shovel! lol

I'm actually heading out this coming weekend to do some hanging.

-Widj

[Detman101]

I will be in Baltimore this coming weekend. It seems that the state parks are not very welcoming to hammocks. On the other hand, I am new to hammocks, so I might not be able to hang my hammock. Are there any recommendations for a day hike in the vicinity?

Given I will be in northern Baltimore (Stevenson) around six pm on Friday, I will probably look for some good ethnic food and some music in the Baltimore area. However, I was considering a road trip if there was any decent day hikes within a reasonable distance (staying Saturday night) I will return to Baltimore on Sunday afternoon.


Looking for : easy to moderate day hike within a 3-4 hours drive from Baltimore. I would probably stay overnight in a cheap motel or attempt to hang a hammock for the first time on Saturday night.

Gambrill State Park is good for a hike and hang during the day. However, the park closes at sundown.
It's so strange, back in NY I could find wooded areas EVERYWHERE that were unpatrolled by authorities and weren't closed at sundown...can't find anything in maryland like that.
Everything is either pay to play or shutdown at sundown...

[beenaround]

Im pretty sure I read that at Little Bennett Campgrounds you need to have a tent if you are spending the night on one of their sites. Im not sure if they will really enforce that rule it if they see a legit hammock/tarp and all the rest of your gear set up correctly.

[mikeholczer]

Im pretty sure I read that at Little Bennett Campgrounds you need to have a tent if you are spending the night on one of their sites. Im not sure if they will really enforce that rule it if they see a legit hammock/tarp and all the rest of your gear set up correctly.

I slept in my hammock last summer when we were there, no one questioned me at all. It might have helped that my wife and daughter where in a tent, but my hammock and tarp was between the parking spot and the tent, so it couldn't have been missed.


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[MDCrab]

I did a hang at Greenbrier state park in the fall last year. When I spoke with the Park Rangers they said as long as there was not significant impact on the ground outside the site pad and withing reasonable distance to the pad. I had a good hang that night despite the wind and dropping temps. All the campsites along the AT in MD are hang friendly. I managed to use a hammock when biking the C&O canal tow path one year, I always managed to find a site that I could hang at comfortably. Of course this thread is a bit long in the tooth and I'm sure the OP has gotten their answer. Just an FYI. I haven't been to Green Ridge yet but it looks like prime hanging territory.

[Chesapeake]

Elk Neck State Park in Cecil County is vary Hammock friendly. The rangers don't bother you at all or ask that you have a certain width strap/ hugger. Obviously practicing leave no trace and using at least 1" - 1.5" straps is the best way to keep it so lax. Lots of good trails, a lighthouse that's on a 100' bluff, swimming/ fishing/ boating/ kayaking etc. in the Chesapeake bay and its right down the road from the Mason Dixon Trail that goes from the AT in western MD to eastern MD & PA / DEL. Its a realy nice park and lots of good trees.

[abneuph]

I spoke with the campground ranger at Susquehanna several weeks ago. He said as long as you are using straps and keep your set up on the pad as much as possible he didn't see a problem. Leave no trace, basically. Having taken a walk around the loops during a hike, some sites are better than others. See you out there! -

I have only stealth camped in my hammock around here. I'd love to hammock in my local park, which is Susquehanna State Park. I don't think I can though, because they are very clear about tents only being on the designated areas... unfortunately those designated areas have been cleared of trees. You'd have to hang off to the side of the site, which is not allowed.

I haven't checked Rocks State Park yet, but I'd like to hang there too.

I'm going to check on a place locally that I inadvertently stumbled upon online. It's in Darlington, called Pines something or other. No real info I could find, but I have GPS coordinates. I'll swing by and see if it's an untapped treasure. Will report back tonight.

EDIT: so, it was a bust. I didn't realize that the GPS coordinates pointed to right behind a house my girlfriend used to rent. I pulled up, and was all "whaaa?" Those coordinates are off.

[IcyThunder]

We camp MD state parks every month for 3 seasons of the year and have never had a problem hanging. We have done it in Susquehanna, Cunningham Falls, Greenbrier, Tuckahoe, and Patapsco. We keep most of our setup on the tent pad, but have our hammocks off the sides and use tree huggers. No one has ever given us a problem about it and we were never sneaky about.


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[Treeshadow]

I hung in Elk Neck State Park, Md. 2 months ago no real problems but they don't want you to wonder to far off pad. I'm going in June to Jane's island and they said they were fine and asked about my straps. Assateaque No and they do not have any trees anyway...lol.
I always call the ranger station of each park to make sure.