how to hike the Liberty Dam Trail & get fit

8/10 - would definitely recommend this hike

Hey Y’all!

If you’ve been aware of everything going on this year, you’ll probably notice that a lot of people are finding unique ways to spend their time; I mean, why do you think I started this blog? With COVID-19 limiting most of our travel options and activities, avid travelers are looking more towards the outdoors. I myself had to get creative and try some new activities this summer. Because, despite what you may think, I don’t normally plan picnics in Harper’s Ferry, bust a road trip all the way up to Maine to find Black culture, or hike in my own state. That’s not normally what my summers look like. But alas, 2020 is the year of the pivot, so we move.

But, once I got over myself, I ended up not being too disappointed about having to hike. I unintentionally lost 15 pounds this quarantine from running and being outside consistently, so hiking seemed like another good activity to try; and it was a great excuse to get some miles in.

Funny enough, I was invited to join several Nike Run Challenges this summer, where me and other runners competed to try and hit a target mileage goal for a particular month. These challenges, plus my overly competitive spirit pushed me to run 5+ miles a day and prompted my unexpected weight loss. Therefore, I would’t recommend running that intensely just to lose weight, because it’s not fun, you could hurt yourself, and it may not be the right fitness plan for your body type. But, if you are looking for safe ways to stay active, live in the DMV, and want to be outside, then I definitely recommend the Liberty Dam Hike.

The Liberty Dam Trail in Marriottsville, MD, a town about 25 miles west of Baltimore. For those who don’t know, the Dam is connected to the Liberty Reservoir, which is just a massive pool of water that supplies water to Baltimore and Carroll counties when needed. Many people opt to boat, fish, and swim in the reservoir and the lakes that feed into it.

I didn’t do any that because I didn’t trust the water lol; but if the spirit moves you, go for it. I just kept it simple with the Liberty Dam Hike, and I was throughly pleased with my experience. It was a nice and leisurely way to spend an afternoon. Even though I went during the heat of the summer, I still recommend trying this hike out in the Fall. Even if it’s too cold to swim, the hike itself is short, and the views are nice enough to enjoy this trail in slightly colder weather.

So, with that being said, let me tell you the best ways to hike the Liberty Dam Trail.

Where tf is this place?

The one (negative) thing about this hike is that it’s SUPER hard to find. We couldn’t even really locate it on our GPS, so that made our trip a fail from the start. But, don’t worry, I’m tryna give you these important tips now so that you don’t make the same mistakes that I did. If you’re driving to the Liberty Dam Trail, I use the Patapsco Valley State Park or the Liberty Dam Overlook as your destination points on your GPS.

Both options are solid, but the major difference is parking. The Liberty Dam Overlook is the most ideal option, but the ‘lot’ has very limited parking, and cars are known to be ticketed/towed from here if parked illegally. If you can get to this ‘lot’ early enough to get an actual spot without double parking yourself or someone else in, then go for it. Sadly, there are no signs or identifying information for the hike in this area, so you have to be pretty secure in your ability and desire to park here. But, basically, if you’re in a spot that looks shady and has a gate near it, then you’re probably in the right place.

If that doesn’t appeal to you, and you want something a little more official, then you can park down the road at the Patapsco Valley State Park. This is where I parked when I went. This parking lot is monitored by a gate guard during operating hours. Entry is $20 per car and discounted for special groups. BUT, this lot is half a mile away from the Liberty Dam Overlook trail, and the walk from here is probably more strenuous than the actual Liberty Dam Hike itself, because the hill leading up to it is STEEP. It left my thigh muscles a little sore the next day. Also, the walk from the State Park to the Dam is not paved, so you have to walk on a (non busy) road to get there. I’ll leave it up to you to decide which option is better.

Pro Tip: Do not set the Liberty Dam as your destination point! Even though it’s tempting and lowkey makes sense, this WILL NOT take you to the trailhead. This destination takes you to a private residence, and there’s no access to the Dam from there.

What’s the hike like?

Once you leave the ‘parking lot’ to enter the trail, you’ll reach a split in the road.Walk towards the worn path. If you start walking towards the right and up a more paved road that has plenty of ‘trespassing’ and ‘private property’ signs, then you’re going the wrong way. Don’t ask me how I know that lol.

Overall, the hike was very chill. It’s roughly 1.6 miles roundtrip with minimal changes in elevation, so you’re pretty much walking on flat ground. II think it’s ideal for folks who are still working on their fitness journey because the hike will be as easy or as difficult as you make it.

But, if you’re a more experienced runner or hiker, and want more of a challenge on an easy trail, then you can wear ankle weights, or rotate in calisthenic exercises like lunges, push ups, or walking calf raises to add some difficulty.

The trail itself is worn out from dozens of hikers traversing this path, and virtually no maintenance. As such, the ground itself is muddy, but still firm and walkable. And, there are quite a few fallen trees along the trail, so please keep that in mind if you try to bring strollers, wheelchairs, or coolers with wheels.

Because this trail is not officially maintained, there are no trash cans, so bring your own plastic bags and take your trash with you! Don’t be like past hikers who carelessly left their trash and put the wildlife in this area at risk.

Pro Tip: The dam is not always on, so you may not see the gushing waters depending on the time of year you go.

Congrats! You Made It!

Once you walk through the foliage and past the trash, you should make it to this pretty cool dam where you swim in still water, and even try hiking up the rocks even more to get a better view or work your muscles some more.

If not, at least you’ve made it to the end of this post, and heard some pretty useful tips along the way.

Check out more pics from my trip to see what my experience was like. And, when you go, don’t forget to pick up your trash, bring water, and a speaker or some libations to keep yourself entertained.

I hope you enjoyed my trip to Liberty Dam!

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you learned a little bit about the Liberty Dam, and how you can hike this trail this season. But, let me know! Did you find this information useful? Are you going to hike the dam now? If you went, what was your experience like? Let me know your response in the comments below, and share this post with a friend!