Explore the most popular trails in Cedarville State Forest with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you.
The Piscataway Indian Tribe made this section of Southern Maryland its winter camping ground because of the mild climate and abundance of game. Legend says there is an Indian Burial ground in Cedarville State Forest, but to date it has not been found. The headwaters of the Zekiah Swamp are located in Cedarville. The swamp extends Southward through Charles County for 20 miles, emptying into the Wicomico River. The Swamp is one mile wide, and serves as a haven for wildlife. The surrounding land is mostly agricultural fields. In colonial times and there after efforts were made to drain the swamp for cultivation. Drainage ditches are still evident. To this day, the swamp remains wooded bottom land. In 1930, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Forest, Park and Wildlife Service purchased 2,631 acres of land for a forest demonstration area. Later 879 more acres were added to bring the total to 3,510 acres. Cedarville was the postal address for the area, hence the name given to the State Forest. In 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps, under the direction of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, developed roads and trails for fire protection and future access for the development of the area.
Great trail for someone looking for a little longer distance without the elevation. The trail is wet though so be prepared for that!
Should be rated easy. No big hills and easy to stay on the path. A great family hike! A 3 yr. old and 4 yr. old could do this trail easily.
Beth W. on Cedarville Blue Trail
Lovely forest experience. A bit of up and down and roots but fairly easy hiking. The creeks and bogs are beautiful.
Great trail to Bring in the new year
Did this later on in the day so we only made it a mile in before the sun started to set. Beautiful scenery but definitely need a good pair of boots to wear due to mud and horse manure.
I was pleasantly surprised that this little hike was so pleasing. I didn’t feel like driving 2 hours to the mountains or to great falls and Cedarville Park is 15 min away. I enjoyed a almost 5 mile hike through the woods and I forgot where I was for a little while.
I recommend this trail for beginners or children. The length is good, however not much elevation change or scenery. Also for fair warning....this trail has THE most spider webs I ever hiked on. So make sure you carry a stick while hiking this one.
This was my first time doing the blue trail and it didn’t disappoint. Very beautiful to say the least and lots of trees so for the majority of the trail your hiking in the shade. It was so peaceful and I was literally the only one on the trail (Monday around midday). The only reason I didn’t give this hike 5 stars is simply due to the amount of horse crap on parts of the trail. It’s not a crazy amount but watch your step lol Also there is a lot of spiderwebs at the moment so don’t be surprised if you bump into a few with your face.
I really liked this trail. I think it would be beautiful in the fall. I would categorize it as easy. Maybe they have it as moderate because of the inclines and declines, but none of them were steep. When entering the park, if you don’t have a state park pass, you pay using an envelope that is just before the parking lot at the visitor center, which likely will be closed. As of today (Aug 25, 2019), the cost for the day was $3 for in-state and $5 for out of state. The trail is very well marked. While there was a lot of water, I was surprised that I did not get bitten by any mosquitoes or other critters. If you go to Cedarville Park, you can can make a day of it and visit the Dr. Mudd Home Museum (about 10 minutes away) and/or a local winery (like Janemark).
A fairly easy hike with minimal elevation change, might be closer to 6 miles than 7 miles like the trail head says (my pedometer said 6.2). What I really liked is that the trail is very well marked, it’d be hard to lose this trail or get lost. Mile markers every quarter mile, in addition to frequent arrows and blazes. Great for someone like me who has a tendency to 1) lose trails, and 2) hike alone. Lots of roots and only 2 downed trees, minimal mud despite recent storms. Mostly shaded except for one small portion through a clearing. Very quiet, only saw a couple hikers, horses and one biker.
Very good trail!! The main negatives were a few faded or missing markers and a down tree on the trail. Overall I totally loved running this trail and would would definitely return. The trail feels very secluded and private which I loved. It was about 90degrees however majority of the trail was shaded which provided a great break from direct sunlight. There’s a short stretch through a grassland that’s unshaded so I just sped through that area. I enjoyed nice views of swamps, bridges, a cool turtle crossing the trail, and the thousands of trees!! A few areas are muddy and have tree roots so watch your footing while pacing through this amazing trail!!
It was a pleasant hike that was easy to follow with plenty of arrows pointing me in the correct direction. The park itself has a $3 entry fee which I wasn’t aware of when I first got there. I look forward to camping there in the future
Had a great time, trail is well marked, wildlife abounds, saw several deer, and one skunk, he was going one way, and I another, also came across some Coyote scat and paw prints. Several trees blocked the trail, but was able to get over/around them. Will definitely be going back.
Good trail, it was still a little muddy from rain, saw 2 Red Foxes, and a Deer. A couple of areas were washed out, and a dead snag had fallen across the trail, but other than that, had a great trek.
Great day for this trail!
Good hike today. Nice 6.5+ miles and no hard climbs. Certain areas were a little muddy.
Fun hike on 2/2/19. Encountered one wash out due to snow melt that was easily traversed. Two other points had downed trees. Scenic and relaxing.
Beautiful trail, such a great time to walk with the fall colors
Good landscape - woods, wildflowers, streams and a pine-tree area. Not sure I would call it moderate but it was fun.
I like the Blue trail a lot. Some technical downhills with lots of roots and some quick steep inclines to get the blood pumping. The scenery is better than the orange trail. Beautiful forest with upland and lowland species of trees. Lots of fun to ride.
