Submit your own Adventure of the Week here and keep an eye out for your adventure to be featured in one of our next Weekly Outdoor Adventure Guides!
Weather (Click Here)
Before you hit the trails or set up camp, make sure to take a second glance at the weather for this weekend!
Today's Moon Phase according to NASA (Click Here)
Waning Gibbous: "During the second half of the lunar month, the Moon grows thinner each night. We call this waning. Its shape is still gibbous at this point, but grows a little thinner each night."
Hiking (Click Here)
Gathland State Park
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail passes through Gathland State Park. Visitors are welcome to hike the A.T. from Maine to Georgia or for just a few miles.
Those planning an overnight backpack outing can park at Gathland State Park for a few days. The Appalachian Trail is a footpath only. Mountain bikers can use the trails at Greenbrier State Park.
Overnight parking for the Appalachian Trail is permitted in the Arnoldstown Road parking lot. Please take any valuables with you.
Hunting for a Letterbox (Click Here)
Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area
Letterboxing is a fun activity for individuals and families alike. In short, letterboxing is a lot like a scavenger or treasure hunt. It combines elements of map reading, hiking, creative expression, and puzzle solving.
A letterbox is a small weatherproof box in a publicly-accessible place (like a park). Each letterbox contains a log book and a rubber stamp (often this stamp is hand carved). These boxes are hidden throughout the world. The clues to help find these boxes can be found on the internet.
A letterboxer carries with them their own “signature” stamp (can be anything from a name to animal foot prints), a travel Journal, and a stamp pad.
After the letterboxer finds a letterbox they “stamp-in” to the letterbox’s logbook with their signature stamp and write something unique in the logbook along with the day’s date. Then they take the stamp found in the letterbox and stamp their own travel journal and can write something down that helps them remember their adventure. The letterboxer’s travel journal becomes a running history of all the letterboxes and places they have visited.
Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area offers one indoor and multiple outdoor letterboxing adventures. If you wish to complete all of the outside Soldiers Delight letterboxing adventures, you should keep all the stamps together in your travel journal *hint*. If you do not have a Travel Journal, you may download one here.
Soldiers Delight’s Letterboxes require a “key” (a lock combination) entered in the correct box to un-lock it. Inside you will find a letterboxing logbook, a letterboxing stamp, and a stamp pad (not always available).
History of Our State Parks (Click Here)
North Point State Park
North Point has been continuously farmed for almost 350 years, with evidence of human occupation dating back almost 9,000 years. During the War of 1812, local militia skirmished with British troops seeking to invade Baltimore. The British route to Baltimore passed through the present-day park and is known today as the Defenders Trail.
During the first half of the 20th century, a small part of the park was the site of the Bay Shore Amusement Park. Built in 1906, Bay Shore was a bustling and attractive park offering recreation and relaxation in a setting of gardens, pathways and Edwardian architecture. The park included a dance hall, bowling alley, restaurant and a 1000-ft. pier jutting out into the Chesapeake Bay. Bay Shore Park was accessible by trolley from Baltimore.
Bay Shore Park was demolished in the late 1940s when Bethlehem Steel bought the land. The property was acquired by Maryland Department of Natural Resources in 1987 to provide resource protection and limited access to the bay.
Animal Cams (Click Here)
This week tune in to watch Siku and his polar bear family in Kolind, Denmark.
Beach Cam
In the winter months we all long for the beach. Take a look at whats going on at your favorite East Coast beaches right now.
