Explore the best rated trails in Manchester, MD, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail and Grist Mill Trail at Patapsco Valley State Park . With more than 111 trails covering 4500 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
I'm a new super fan of rails to trails! Loved this ride. Especially Travelers Coffee and market. ¿¿¿¿¿¿
Highly recommend this beautiful and well kept trail. Beautiful to ride along the trees and over the 2 epic ohiopyle bridges.
My friend and I went for the first time and had a blast.
First time with my new bike! It was a cool morning so hardly anyone out….and then the afternoon came. Kids. Dogs. Ugh. But all good. It was a super fun ride. In the beginning some of the asphalt buckles or tree roots lifting it up so you will feel the bumps
This trail keeps getting better- It now has an awesome newly re-graveled sibling trail for bikers, the Conewago Recreation trail, which adds another 5 miles. I road yesterday from Elizabethtown all the way to Cornwall (Rootbeer barrel) and back (30 miles round trip) all smooth. Stopped by Mt Gretna Pizzeria- very close to the trail and no worries about traffic. Also stopped at Colebrook Crossing (ice cream shop!!!), which is so close to trail you can watch people riding while you enjoy a rootbeer float LOL
The part in the city is pretty boring. You get a nice tunnel and an old rail bridge. The surface is paved and has a few root issues. Most of the path is shaded. 5 stars
The path in some areas were easily accessible and shown however coming from takoma the signage was not very well maintained…the bike trail was on side and the signage on the opposite side. Luckily I know the area to get to the actual trail. Other than that, it was a pleasant bike trail.
This trail has been resurfaced and it totally makes a HUGE difference… thank you to all who got this done- I was able to ride 30 miles round trip on both trails all the way to the Root Beer Barrel and back. Bikers have no more worries going to the county line or further!
I start at Red Hill Road parking lot in Pequa and do the 20 mile round trip to Turkey Hill and back, it is flat, no potholes or surprises and glorious. Two bridges, 5 miles each way along the river, often a train, many groups of rock climbers on the weekend. Just glorious. If you want to add miles, going west is level and wooded. Some might say boring however I find it cool, refreshing and safe. My favorite trail!
A lot of trail damage from storms in July 2025 makes for a very rough ride. Rough hard gravel, very bumpy ride. Could be dangerous if riding fast. My friends and I have moved to the Pa Heritage Rail Trail. NCR is more beautiful though rough. Would love to know if/when trail damage will be smoothed out. Got to be a budget for repair
Level, thin tiny crush stone on packed earth trail. Rolls easily, just a step below paved. From small old town of Newville through woods and farmland 10 mile ride to small university town of Shippensburg, with a couple small villages on the way. Horse path is next to bike/pedestrian path. You may see horses and riders on path. You will see farms, barns, cows, sheep, horses, cats, birds, assorted other animals, louse distant mountains. You will smell manure. It is not 15.8 miles. It is 10 miles from park at Newville to Shippensburg. You can add a couple miles by going east from Newville to a dead end. It's a nice ride. In Newville you can park at the park at Cherry & McFarland Streets
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