| Maryland Scenic Byways | |
|---|---|
 Maryland Scenic Byways signage | |
| Highway names | |
| Interstates | Interstate X (I-X) |
| US Highways | U.S. Route X (US X) |
| State | Maryland Route X (MD X) |
| System links | |
TheMaryland Scenic Byways system consists of nineteenbyways that pass through scenic and historic areas across theU.S. state ofMaryland, with four of them designated asNational Scenic Byways and two of them designated asAll-American Roads. The byways pass through a variety of surroundings, such as the mountains ofWestern Maryland, the rolling countryside in the northern part of the state, urban sites in theBaltimore andWashington, D.C., areas, small towns and wildlife areas along theChesapeake Bay, and beaches along theAtlantic Ocean. The byways also serve historical sites ranging fromcolonial settlement, theWar of 1812, and theAmerican Civil War, along with byways that follow the historic routes of theNational Road, theChesapeake and Ohio Canal, and theUnderground Railroad.
 #1: Historic National Road | |
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| Location | Keysers Ridge –Baltimore |
| Length | 170 mi[1] (270 km) |
TheHistoric National Road Scenic Byway travels fromKeysers Ridge toBaltimore along the historic route of theNational Road, a road that connected Baltimore toVandalia, Illinois. The road is designated anAll-American Road.[1]
The byway enters Maryland inGarrett County alongUS 40, following that route to Keysers Ridge. Here, the National Road followsUS 40 Alternate, heading through theSavage River State Forest and reachingGrantsville, where theCasselman Bridge is located. The road passes throughFrostburg, where theWestern Maryland Scenic Railroad is located, andLa Vale, where theLa Vale Tollgate House is located. The byway comes toCumberland, which has many historic transportation sites. From Cumberland, the Historic National Road Scenic Byway follows Henderson Avenue and Baltimore Street toI-68, continuing east on I-68 before splitting ontoMD 144 and passing throughRocky Gap State Park andGreen Ridge State Forest. At this point, the byway followsUS 40 Scenic and crossesSideling Hill. The byway follows MD 144 again and continues toHancock, where the byway has access to theChesapeake and Ohio Canal and theWestern Maryland Rail Trail.[1]
Past Hancock, the Historic National Road Scenic Byway followsI-70 before splitting onto US 40, with a detour alongMD 56 andMD 68 providing access toFort Frederick State Park. The byway continues toHagerstown, which hasSouth Prospect Street Historic District among other historic sites. In Hagerstown, the byway runs along Franklin Street, Locust Street, Baltimore Street, and Frederick Street. After Hagerstown, the Historic National Road Scenic Byway follows US 40 Alternate throughFunkstown toBoonsboro, whereWashington Monument State Park is located. At this point, the byway crosses theAppalachian National Scenic Trail and heads acrossSouth Mountain State Park. The road continues throughMiddletown and reachesFrederick, where the byway heads onto US 40. In Frederick, the byway has access to theNational Museum of Civil War Medicine andRose Hill Manor. Past Frederick, the National Scenic Road Scenic Byway continues along MD 144 and passes throughNew Market before reachingMount Airy, where it briefly followsMD 27 before following MD 144 again. The byway reachesEllicott City, which is home to theEllicott City Station and the Thomas Isaac Log Cabin, before crossingPatapsco Valley State Park. The road continues throughCatonsville before heading intoBaltimore. Here, the Historical National Road Scenic Byway heads alongLombard Street, passing through theUnion Square neighborhood before passing by theB&O Railroad Museum and ending at theInner Harbor.[1]
#2: Mountain Maryland | |
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| Location | Keysers Ridge –Cumberland |
| Length | 193 mi[1] (311 km) |
TheMountain Maryland Scenic Byway loops across the mountains ofWestern Maryland.[1]
The byway begins inKeysers Ridge and followsI-68 west toFriendsville, whereYoughiogheny River Lake is located. At this point, the byway continues south alongMD 42 towardUS 219. The Mountain Maryland Scenic Byway followed US 219 toMcHenry, which is home toWisp Ski Resort andDeep Creek Lake State Park. The byway heads west on Mayhew Inn Road and Swallow Falls Road, coming toSwallow Falls State Park. A spur on Cranesville Road provides access toCranesville Swamp Preserve. The Mountain Maryland Scenic Byway continues south along Herrington Manor Road and comes toHerrington Manor State Park before heading to the historic town ofOakland. From Oakland, the byway followsMD 135 throughMountain Lake Park andDeer Park, coming to thePotomac-Garrett State Forest. A detour in the state forest followsMD 560. There are also diversions alongMD 495 to rural areas of the Allegany Highlands,MD 38 toKitzmiller, and Savage River Road to theSavage River State Forest. The mainline of the byway continues to descendBackbone Mountain on MD 135 before heading alongMD 36. Along MD 36, the byway passes throughLonaconing andMidland, which were company coal mining towns. The Mountain Maryland Scenic Byway continues throughFrostburg before passing throughMount Savage and theCumberland Narrows and ending inCumberland.[1]
#3: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal | |
|---|---|
| Location | Cumberland–Washington, D.C. |
| Length | 236 mi[1] (380 km) |
TheChesapeake and Ohio Canal Scenic Byway runs betweenCumberland andWashington, D.C., following the towpath of theChesapeake and Ohio Canal, a canal that operated along thePotomac River between 1828 and 1924.[1]
The byway begins inCumberland, a transportation center that is home to theChesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Visitor Center andCanal Place, and followsMD 51 out of the city. The road passes throughSpring Gap Recreation Area andGreen Ridge State Forest. The byway comes to thePaw Paw Tunnel and crosses theNorth Branch Potomac River intoPaw Paw, West Virginia, followingWV 9 andUS 522 through a portion ofWest Virginia. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Scenic Byway crosses the North Branch Potomac River back into Maryland atHancock, which is home to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Museum and Visitors Center. The byway runs alongMD 144 andI-70 before splitting ontoMD 56 and coming toFort Frederick State Park. From here, the byway continues along the canal towpath, running along MD 56,MD 68, andMD 63 before followingMD 65. The road comes toSharpsburg, which is near theAntietam National Battlefield. From Sharpsburg, the byway continues south alongMD 34 and Harpers Ferry Road, with a detour alongUS 340 toHarpers Ferry, West Virginia.[1]
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Scenic Byway heads east onMD 478 intoBrunswick, which is the location of theBrunswick Heritage Museum and a Visitor Center. The byway continues alongMD 464 toPoint of Rocks, which is where theBaltimore and Ohio Railroad met the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. From here, the byway followsMD 28 across theMonocacy Natural Resource Management Area, with a spur leading toSugarloaf Mountain. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Scenic Byway heads south onMD 109 intoPoolesville, where the John Poole House and the Seneca Schoolhouse is located. A side route on the byway heads west to theWhite's Ferry across thePotomac River. Another branch off the byway runs through areas protected by theMontgomery County, Maryland Agricultural Reserve, with the road continuing alongMD 118 toGermantown, a small town with antique shops. The mainline of the byway continues throughSeneca Creek State Park and picks upMD 190 (River Road), continuing along the canal towpath. The byway turns south onto Falls Road and comes to theGreat Falls of the Potomac River. From here, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Scenic Byway heads east alongMacArthur Boulevard before continuing onto theClara Barton Parkway. The road has access to theClara Barton National Historic Site before reachingWashington, D.C., and continuing toGeorgetown.[1]
#4: Antietam Campaign | |
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| Location | White's Ferry –Sharpsburg |
| Length | 126 mi[1] (203 km) |
TheAntietam Campaign Scenic Byway runs fromWhite's Ferry andSharpsburg. The byway offers access to sites related to theBattle of Antietam of theAmerican Civil War, which took place in September 1862 and was the bloodiest day in the war. The route roughly follows the path of theMaryland Campaign took byConfederate GeneralRobert E. Lee.[1]
The Antietam Campaign Scenic Byway begins inWhite's Ferry, the site of a ferry crossing where Lee crossed into Maryland fromVirginia. The byway follows Whites Ferry Road toPoolesville, which is home to the John Poole House. From here, the byway continues north onMD 109, passing throughBeallsville andBarnesville before reachingComus, where Lee's army won a rearguard action. From Comus, the Antietam Campaign Scenic Byway continues west on Comus Road and Mt. Ephraim Road, crossingSugarloaf Mountain, which served as a lookout for troops. The byway reachesDickerson and followsMD 28 across theMonocacy Natural Resource Management Area. The route continues north ontoMD 85 and passes throughBuckeystown. At this point, the byway follows Michaels Mill Road and Baker Valley Road to theMonocacy National Battlefield, which was site of theBattle of Monocacy in 1864, a battle that was known as "The Battle That Saved Washington". The byway continues north onMD 355 toFrederick, which has theNational Museum of Civil War Medicine and theBarbara Fritchie House. From Frederick, the Antietam Campaign Scenic Byway followsUS 40 andUS 40 Alternate before turning south ontoMD 17. The road passes nearSouth Mountain State Park in an area where several small battles were fought prior to the Battle of Antietam. The byway crossesSouth Mountain and continues north onMD 67 toBoonsboro, which has a museum with Civil War artifacts. At this point, the Antietam Campaign Scenic Byway continues west onMD 34 toSharpsburg. Along this stretch of road, it passes through theAntietam National Battlefield, which preserves the site of the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862.[1]
#5: Journey Through Hallowed Ground | |
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| Location | Point of Rocks –Emmitsburg |
| Length | 57 mi[1] (92 km) |
TheJourney Through Hallowed Ground Byway is aNational Scenic Byway that runs fromMonticello, Virginia, toGettysburg, Pennsylvania, with the Maryland portion running fromPoint of Rocks toEmmitsburg, passing through theCatoctin Mountain area.[1][2] The byway was formerly known as theCatoctin Mountain Scenic Byway.[3]
The byway enters Maryland fromVirginia inPoint of Rocks, which is the historic meeting point of theBaltimore and Ohio Railroad and theChesapeake and Ohio Canal. From here, the byway followsUS 15 andUS 340 north toFrederick, which has many historic sites. The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Byway continues along US 15 before branching ontoMD 806 and passing by theCatoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo. The road continues intoThurmont, where theRoddy Road Covered Bridge is located. From here, the byway continues along US 15 toEmmitsburg, which is home to the Mason and Dixon Discovery Center andSt. Joseph's College and Mother Seton Shrine The byway continues north from Emmittsburg to thePennsylvania border.[1]
From Thurmont, a loop of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Byway heads west onMD 77 acrossCatoctin Mountain and reachesCunningham Falls State Park, which is home toCatoctin Furnace. At this point,Catoctin Mountain Park, which contains theCamp David Presidential retreat, is to the north of the road. The byway continues toSmithsburg. From Smithsburg, the loop of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Byway heads south toWolfsville and followsMD 17 through a valley. The byway heads onto Highland School Road, which reaches the summit of Catoctin Mountain, before heading onto Gambrill Park Road intoGambrill State Park. The loop continues east onUS 40 toward Frederick.[1]
#6: Old Main Streets | |
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| Location | Emmitsburg –Mount Airy |
| Length | 111 mi[1] (179 km) |
TheOld Main Streets Scenic Byway loops through small rural towns across the northern part of Maryland betweenEmmitsburg andMount Airy.[1]
The upper loop of the byway begins inEmmitsburg, which is home toSt. Joseph's College and Mother Seton Shrine. From here, the byway continues south alongUS 15 toThurmont, which is a small town at the foot ofCatoctin Mountain that is home to severalcovered bridges. The Old Main Streets Scenic Byway continues east onMD 77, passing through the community ofDetour, which developed along theWestern Maryland Railway. The byway continues east on Middleburg Road and reachesUniontown, a small village with many country homes and theUniontown Academy. Uniontown Road continues east toWestminster, which is home toMcDaniel College and theCarroll County Farm Museum. From Westminster, the byway heads northwest onMD 140 andMD 832 toTaneytown, which was founded as an agricultural trading center. The upper loop of the Old Main Streets Scenic Byway continues along MD 140 back to Emmitsburg.[1]
From Uniontown, the lower loop of the Old Main Streets Scenic Byway heads south alongMD 84 and west alongMD 75 toLinwood, which has manyVictorian buildings. The next town west isUnion Bridge, which is home to theUnion Bridge Station. The byway continues southwest throughJohnsville toLibertytown, where it turns northeast ontoMD 31. The lower loop of the byway passes through the historic town ofNew Windsor before continuing north of MD 84 and returning to Uniontown.[1]
At Libertytown, a branch of the Old Main Streets Scenic Byway heads east alongMD 26 before following Woodville Road, Shirley Bohn Road, and Buffalo Road south through countryside that has severalvineyards. The byway heads intoMount Airy and runs through town onMD 808 (Main Street), with nearby recreation. The byway continues alongMD 27 to theNational Road.[1]
#7: Mason and Dixon | |
|---|---|
| Location | Emmitsburg–Appleton |
| Length | 143 mi[1] (230 km) |
TheMason and Dixon Scenic Byway runs south of theMason–Dixon line, a line surveyed byCharles Mason andJeremiah Dixon in the 1760s to separate Maryland fromPennsylvania. The byway runs through rural areas betweenEmmitsburg andAppleton.[1]
The byway begins inEmmitsburg, which is home to the Mason and Dixon Discovery Center. From here, it followsMD 140,MD 832, and MD 140 again toWestminster, which is home to theCarroll County Farm Museum. From Westminster, the byway heads north onMD 97 toUnion Mills, where theUnion Mills Homestead Historic District is located. The Mason and Dixon Scenic Byway runs east alongMD 496 before turning south ontoMD 30 and passing throughMelrose before reachingManchester, a historic town. The byway heads east on York Street, Millers Station Road, and Alesia Road before continuing south onMD 25. The Mason and Dixon Scenic byway splits east onto Beckleysville Road and heads across thePrettyboy Reservoir. The byway turns east onto Kidds Schoolhouse Road before continuing southeast along Spooks Hill Road, passing near more of the reservoir. The route heads east along Rayville Road and Middletown Road, briefly turning south on York Road before resuming east along Wiseburg Road. The road comes toWhite Hall, where it crosses theNorthern Central Rail Trail. From here, the Mason and Dixon Scenic Byway continues along White Hall Road, turning north ontoMD 23 and passing throughDrybranch andNorrisville. Here, the byway heads east onMD 136 and runs a short distance south of theMason–Dixon line separating Maryland fromPennsylvania, reachingHarkins.[1]
In Harkins, a loop of the Mason and Dixon Scenic Byway heads south onMD 24, passingEden Mill Nature Center andRocks State Park. The loop continues through agricultural areas and turns north onto Grier Nursery Road and west onto Cherry Hill Road before heading back onto MD 24 and reconnecting to the mainline of the byway.[1]
From Harkins, the mainline of the Mason and Dixon Scenic Byway continues east along MD 136, passing throughWhiteford, where there are many agricultural sites nearby. The byway continues east ontoUS 1 and crosses theSusquehanna River on theConowingo Dam. The Mason and Dixon Scenic Byway heads east ontoMD 273 and passes throughRising Sun, where thePlumpton Park Zoo is located to the east of town. The road comes to theFair Hill Natural Resource Management Area, which occupies former land owned by theDu Pont family and has equestrian facilities, before the byway ends at theDelaware border inAppleton.[1]
#8: Falls Road | |
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| Location | Baltimore –Alesia |
| Length | 39 mi[1] (63 km) |
TheFalls Road Scenic Byway follows Falls Road (MD 25) betweenBaltimore andAlesia, passing through a mix of urban and rural surroundings in theJones Falls Valley.[1]
_just_south_of_Maryland_State_Route_137_(Mount_Carmel_Road)_in_Whitehouse%2c_Baltimore_County%2c_Maryland.jpg)
The byway begins inBaltimore, heading north past theBaltimore Streetcar Museum. The road continues near the Baltimore neighborhoods ofWoodberry,Brick Hill, andHampden, passing nearJohns Hopkins University. The route passes through theRoland Park neighborhood before coming toMount Washington, which is considered by some to be Baltimore's first suburb. The Falls Road Scenic Byway heads intoBaltimore County and passes theBare Hills House before coming to Ruxton Road, which provides access toRuxton. Falls Road crossesI-695 and passes byThe Cloisters, a mansion that was constructed in 1932. A spur to the west alongMD 130 provides access toMaryvale Preparatory School andSt. Paul's School. Farther north, the byway heads into more rural areas and comes toOregon Ridge Park before reachingButler. The Falls Road Scenic Byway passes nearGunpowder Falls State Park andPrettyboy Reservoir before coming toAlesia.[1]
#9: Horses and Hounds | |
|---|---|
| Location | Cockeysville–Towson |
| Length | 100 mi[1] (160 km) |
TheHorses and Hounds Scenic Byway extends 100 miles (160 km) in a loop through northern and easternBaltimore County and westernHarford County. The byway begins atI-83 Exit 20 inCockeysville and heads west along Shawan Road, passing betweenOregon Ridge Park and the equestrian facility Shawan Downs, home of the Legacy Chase, asteeplechase event. Another steeplechase, the Maryland Hunt Cup, is held in Worthington Valley, which the byway passes through along Tufton Avenue. The byway continues west along Worthington Road towardGlyndon. There, a spur of the byway heads towardReisterstown while the mainline turns north ontoMD 128.[1]
Along MD 128, the Horses and Hounds Scenic Byway passes St. John's Episcopal Church, home of an annual "Blessing of the Hounds," on its way toButler, home of the Grand National Steeplechase. The main path of the byway leaves MD 128 at Dover Road to head towardUpperco, then veers northwest on Trenton Hill Road to rejoin a secondary path that follows MD 128 toMD 25, where the bywayruns concurrently with the Falls Road Scenic Byway, toMD 88. The byway leaves MD 88 at Grace Road, then heads east on Mt. Carmel Road, which becomesMD 137. MD 137 heads east through White House toHereford, where the byway briefly heads south onMD 45 before continuing east onMD 138 toMonkton, where the byway crosses paths with theNorthern Central Railroad Trail.[1]
At Monkton, the Horses and Hounds Scenic Byway splits into a shorter branch that follows Manor Road toMD 146 and a longer branch that follows MD 138 pastMy Lady's Manor, site of another steeplechase course, into Harford County. The byway follows Troyer Road, Harford Creamery Road, and Madonna Road to MD 146 nearJarrettsville before returning to Baltimore County and passing theLadew Topiary Gardens. The two byway paths merge north ofJacksonville and follow MD 146 south to theLoch Raven Reservoir, where the byway follows Dulaney Valley Road and Hydes Road east toHydes, home of the Boordy Vineyards. The byway follows Long Green Pike past St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church toGlen Arm.[1]
From Glen Arm the Horses and Hounds Scenic Byway has a long sidetrack that heads east towardJerusalem, which contains one of several units ofGunpowder Falls State Park. The sidetrack follows Glen Arm Road toMD 147, follows Reckord Road, Guyton Road, and Bottom Road in a brief jaunt through Harford County nearFallston, heads southeast along Fork Road, Sunshine Avenue, and Bradshaw Road throughKingsville, east along Franklinville Road to Jerusalem, north along Jericho Road to theJerusalem Mill Village, and west along Jerusalem Road back to Kingsville. The alternate byway route follows MD 147 to Factory Road, which it follows back to Glen Arm. The main byway path heads southwest along Glen Arm Road andCromwell Bridge Road to its end atI-695 nearTowson. The final side path leaves Glen Arm Road for a path around Loch Raven Reservoir along Manor Road, Morgan Mill Road, Loch Raven Drive, and Providence Road to the side path's end at theHampton National Historic Site in Towson.[1]
#10: Lower Susquehanna | |
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| Location | Havre de Grace –Perryville |
| Length | 33 mi[1] (53 km) |
TheLower Susquehanna Scenic Byway comprises 33 miles (53 km) of highway betweenHavre de Grace andPerryville serving historical and recreational destinations on both sides ofSusquehanna River in easternHarford County and westernCecil County. The byway begins in downtown Havre de Grace, the site of theConcord Point Light, the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum, and the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum. The byway uses Union Avenue and Washington Street to head away from the Chesapeake Bay to the northern edge of the city, then Water Street and Erie Street to the location of the Susquehanna Museum of Havre de Grace, located at the southern end of theSusquehanna and Tidewater Canal. In the northern part of Havre de Grace, the byway also follows Otsego Street and Juniata Street. The two paths merge into one at Superior Street, which heads west under theThomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge and becomes part ofMD 155 heading northwest out of the city.[1]
The Lower Susquehanna Scenic Byway follows MD 155 (Level Road) west pastI-95 to Webster Lapidum Road, where a spur of the byway splits to the northeast. The spur continues onto Quaker Bottom Road to theSteppingstone Museum. The main route of the byway follows MD 155 toLevel, where it turns north ontoMD 161 (Darlington Road) and then northeast onto Rock Run Road. Rock Run Road leads toSusquehanna State Park. Within the state park, the byway turns northwest onto Stafford Road, which parallels both the canal and the west bank of the river. AtDeer Creek, the byway turns inland, following the creek then heading northwest towardDarlington. A spur of the byway continues northwest to MD 161 to pass through the village; the main route turns northeast onto Shuresville Road towardConowingo Dam. Just west of the dam, there is access to an overlook and to the Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway Trail, which parallels the river south from the dam. The byway turns ontoUS 1 (Conowingo Road) to cross the river on top of the dam; while crossing the river, the byway is concurrent with the Mason and Dixon Scenic Byway.[1]
The Lower Susquehanna Scenic Byway turns south ontoMD 222 (Susquehanna River Road) to follow the east bank of the river. The byway passes through the town ofPort Deposit, which contains the historic Gerry House. At the southern edge of town, MD 222 and the byway turn northeast to climb a high bluff above the town. On top of the bluff, the byway turns onto Mount Ararat Farm Road and then Frenchtown Road, which the route follows to its conclusion atMD 7 (Broad Street) in Perryville. Perryville containsRodgers Tavern and thePerryville Railroad Museum, which are located west and east on MD 7, respectively.[1]
#11: Charles Street | |
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| Location | Baltimore –Lutherville |
| Length | 10 mi[1] (16 km) |
TheCharles Street Scenic Byway runs alongCharles Street (MD 139) throughBaltimore and north intoBaltimore County, ending inLutherville. Charles Street serves as Baltimore's main thoroughfare and passes through many cultural, residential, and commercial areas.[1] The byway is aNational Scenic Byway designated asBaltimore's Historic Charles Street.[4]
Charles Street begins at theInner Harbor, which is home to theNational Aquarium in Baltimore,Maryland Science Center, andPort Discovery. Also nearby is theLittle Italy neighborhood as well asOriole Park at Camden Yards andM&T Bank Stadium. Farther north, the byway heads throughDowntown Baltimore, which is home to many skyscrapers includingOne Charles Center. In the downtown area, there are many cultural sites includingCFG Bank Arena and theHippodrome Theatre. The road passes through theCathedral Hill Historic District and theMount Vernon neighborhood, where the originalWashington Monument is located. The byway runs through Belvedere Row before reachingDruid Hill Park area, which is home to theBaltimore Museum of Art and theMaryland Zoo. Charles Street passes through the garden suburb ofRoland Park before running through theGuilford neighborhood, whereSherwood Gardens is located. The road passes nearNotre Dame of Maryland University andLoyola University Maryland before heading nearFriends School of Baltimore andCathedral of Mary Our Queen. Charles Street heads intoBaltimore County, whereMD 134 provides access toLutherville and a spur servesTowson, a major commercial center. Charles Street ends at an interchange withI-695.[1]
#12: National Historic Seaport | |
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| Location | Baltimore |
| Length | 7 mi[1] (11 km) |
TheNational Historic Seaport Scenic Byway loops around theInner Harbor ofBaltimore, which is home to many historic sites.[1]
The byway begins in theCanton neighborhood ofBaltimore, which has restaurants, stores, and taverns. From here, the byway heads west onO'Donnell Street, passing through theButchers Hill neighborhood. The National Historic Seaport Scenic Byway continues northwest onBoston Street, reachingFells Point, a historic shipbuilding area that has many restaurants and shops as well as the Fells Point Maritime Museum. In this neighborhood, the byway heads west onAliceanna Street, south onWolfe Street, west on Thames Street, and north onBroadway. From Fells Point, the National Historic Seaport Scenic Byway continues west onFleet Street to theLittle Italy neighborhood, which has many Italian restaurants and shops. The byway turns north ontoPresident Street, where thePresident Street Station and theFlag House & Star-Spangled Banner Museum are located. The byway turns west ontoLombard Street and heads into theInner Harbor area, turning south ontoLight Street. In this area is theNational Aquarium in Baltimore,Baltimore Maritime Museum,Baltimore World Trade Center, andMaryland Science Center. At the Maryland Science Center, the National Historic Seaport Scenic Byway turns east ontoKey Highway, passing theBaltimore Museum of Industry and theAmerican Visionary Art Museum. The byway continues onFort Avenue to theLocust Point neighborhood, which is whereFort McHenry is located.[1]
#13: Star-Spangled Banner | |
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| Location | Solomons–Baltimore |
| Length | 106 mi[1] (171 km) |
TheStar-Spangled Banner Scenic Byway runs fromSolomons toBaltimore, providing access to sites related to theWar of 1812.[1]
The byway begins inSolomons, a fishing village on theChesapeake Bay that is home to theCalvert Marine Museum that has artifacts related to theChesapeake Bay Flotilla. From Solomons, the byway followsMD 2/MD 4, passing nearCalvert Cliffs State Park andFlag Ponds Nature Park, with a spur to theJefferson Patterson Park and Museum. The Star-Spangled Banner Scenic Byway continues alongMD 265,MD 264, and Grays Road before turning west onMD 506 and passingBattle Creek Cypress Swamp. The byway follows Sixes Road toMD 231, reachingBenedict, a landing point for British troops heading inland along thePatuxent River in August 1814. The Star-Spangled Banner Scenic Byway heads north alongMD 381,MD 382, andUS 301 toUpper Marlboro, a town the British occupied on their way toWashington, D.C. In Upper Marlboro is the Mount Calvert Historical and Archaeological Park, Croom Airport, andThe Show Place Arena. From here, the byway follows MD 4,I-495, andMD 202 toBladensburg, which has a park along theAnacostia River and was the site of theBattle of Bladensburg on August 24, 1814, a British victory that allowed for the invasion of Washington, D.C. Past Bladensburg, the Star-Spangled Banner Scenic Byway heads north on theBaltimore-Washington Parkway past many cultural sites toBaltimore. In Baltimore, the byway heads east on Ostend Street, south onHanover Street, and east onFort Avenue to reachFort McHenry. Fort McHenry is the site of theBattle of Fort McHenry in which American troops defeated the British navy who was attempting to capture Baltimore. This battle inspiredFrancis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner".[1]
#14: Booth's Escape | |
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| Location | Washington, D.C. –Popes Creek |
| Length | 66 mi[1] (106 km) |
TheBooth's Escape Scenic Byway follows the routeJohn Wilkes Booth and accompliceDavid Herold escaped fromWashington, D.C., on afterassassinating PresidentAbraham Lincoln atFord's Theater in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865, shortly after theAmerican Civil War ended.[1]
The byway begins inWashington, D.C., followingPennsylvania Avenue andBranch Avenue to the Maryland border. In Maryland, the route runs alongMD 5 before continuing along Old Branch Avenue toClinton. Here, theSurratt House Museum is located in a tavern that was a Confederate safehouse where Booth and Herold came to after the assassination to stock on supplies; the ownerMary Surratt was convicted and executed in the plot to assassinate Lincoln. From Clinton, Booth's Escape Scenic Byway continues along Brandywine Road and MD 5 toWaldorf. The byway continues east on Poplar Hill Road, reaching theDr. Samuel A. Mudd House, where physicianSamuel Mudd treated Booth's broken leg on April 15, 1865, perhaps unaware that he had assassinated Lincoln. The route turns south onto Dr. Mudd Road and Bryantown Road toBryantown, where Dr. Mudd claimed to have first learned of the assassination. The road becomes Olivers Shop Road and comes toSt. Mary's Church and Cemetery, where Dr. Mudd is buried, and also passes byZekiah Swamp. The byway heads west onMD 6 before turning southwest onto Bel Alton Newtown Road, where it comes tothe home of Samuel Cox nearBel Alton, where Booth and Herold hid for several days. The Booth's Escape Scenic Byway continues south alongUS 301. A detour north along US 301 and west along MD 6 provides access toPort Tobacco, a former Indian settlement that became a seaport and was the county seat ofCharles County during the Civil War. The mainline of the byway continues south along US 301 and onto Popes Creek Road, coming to thePotomac River at a site where Booth and Herold accidentally rowed into theNanjemoy Creek and spent the night before later crossing the Potomac River. The Booth's Escape Scenic Byway heads east and continues south along Edge Hill Road and US 301 to theVirginia border, where inPort Royal Booth was captured and killed at a farm outside of town.[1]
#15: Roots and Tides | |
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| Location | Plum Point –Annapolis |
| Length | 47 mi[1] (76 km) |
TheRoots and Tides Scenic Byway runs fromPlum Point toAnnapolis, running through communities along the western shore of theChesapeake Bay.[1]
The byway begins atPlum Point on theChesapeake Bay, heading west onMD 263 before turning north ontoMD 261. The road passes throughWillows, with a beach a short distance to the east on the bay, before reachingChesapeake Beach andNorth Beach, which have marinas, antique shops, and bed and breakfasts and were once popular resorts for residents ofBaltimore andWashington, D.C. Chesapeake Beach is home to the historicChesapeake Beach Railway Station, which serves as a museum. The byway continues north along MD 261 before following Fairhaven Road north toFairhaven. The road continues asMD 423 and Town Point Road, passing west ofHerring Bay. The route follows Leitch Road west and Franklin Gibson Road north, heading north ontoMD 256. The Roots and Tides Scenic Byway continues north alongMD 468 and comes toGalesville, where the Galesville Heritage Museum and theCapt. Salem Avery House are located. Past here, the road passes theSmithsonian Environmental Research Center. The byway turns northwest ontoMD 214 and north ontoMD 253, coming toLondontowne, where theLondon Town Publik House is located. The Roots and Tides Scenic Byway heads north onMD 2 before following West Street and Rowe Boulevard throughAnnapolis, the state capital of Maryland that is home to several 18th century buildings, theMaryland State House and theU.S. Naval Academy.[1]
#16: Religious Freedom | |
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| Location | Port Tobacco –Point Lookout |
| Length | 189 mi[1] (304 km) |
TheReligious Freedom Byway (formerlyReligious Freedom Tour Scenic Byway) runs acrossSouthern Maryland fromPort Tobacco toPoint Lookout past colonial settlements where English settlers came for religious freedom, with some of the oldest churches in the United States along the byway.[1] The byway is aNational Scenic Byway.[5]
The upper loop of the byway begins inPort Tobacco, an Indian village that became home to a missionary founded by Jesuit FatherAndrew White and is also home to the Port Tobacco Courthouse. The byway heads southwest onMD 6, passing throughWelcome, where the Christ Church-Durham Parish is located. The route followsMD 425 and MD 6 again. It loops north and followsMD 224, coming toPurse State Park andSmallwood State Park. The byway turns southeast alongMD 225 and passesMyrtle Grove Wildlife Management Area. The Religious Freedom Byway turns south onto Rose Hill Road and comes to theThomas Stone National Historic Site, which was home toThomas Stone, a signer of theDeclaration of Independence. From here, the loop returns to Port Tobacco.[1]
From Port Tobacco, the Religious Freedom Byway continues south along Chapel Point Road, passingSt. Thomas Manor and reachingChapel Point State Park. The byway heads south alongUS 301 and Popes Creek Road toPopes Creek. At this point, a spur of the byway followsMD 257 andMD 254 toCobb Island, where Christ Protestant Episcopal Church is located. The mainline of the byway continues alongMD 234 acrossZekiah Swamp before coming toChaptico, a port settlement whereChrist Episcopal Church is located. The Religious Freedom Byway continues south alongMD 238 andMD 242 toColtons Point on thePotomac River, whereSt. Clement's Island State Park is located. St. Clement's Island is considered the "Birthplace of Maryland" where in 1634, the first Catholic mass in theBritish American colonies was celebrated.[1]
From Chaptico, the Religious Freedom Byway continues east along MD 234, with a detour alongMD 243 providing access to the St. Francis Xavier Church, the oldest Catholic church in Maryland. The byway heads east ontoMD 5 intoLeonardtown, which is home to the Old Jail Museum andTudor Hall. The road continues toCallaway, where a spur alongMD 249 servesSt. George's Episcopal Church inValley Lee, the oldest Episcopal church in Maryland, andPiney Point Light. The mainline of the byway continues along MD 5 toSt. Mary's City, which was the capital of Maryland until 1695 and has the first Catholic church in the British American colonies as well as Trinity Episcopal Church andSt. Mary's College of Maryland. The Religious Freedom Byway continues toPoint Lookout State Park, which was a summer resort that also served as a prison forConfederate troops during theAmerican Civil War.[1]
#17: Chesapeake Country | |
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| Location | Chesapeake City –Crisfield |
| Length | 419 mi[1] (674 km) |
TheChesapeake Country Scenic Byway serves sites along theChesapeake Bay in theEastern Shore region, running fromChesapeake City south toCrisfield. TheNational Scenic Byway portion runs fromStevensville, near theChesapeake Bay Bridge to theChesapeake and Delaware Canal in Chesapeake City and has a spur to Eastern Neck Island in theChester River. The main route runs mostly alongMD 18 andMD 213, former main roads that have since been bypassed byUS 50 andUS 301. The spur runs alongMD 20 andMD 445. A state-designated extension of the national byway continues across the Bay Bridge, intoAnnapolis, then back onto the Eastern Shore and heads south toward Crisfield. Both the national and state-designated sections of the byway run past many towns and buildings that remain preserved from the 18th and 19th centuries, passing through farmland and waterfront areas on the Chesapeake Bay.[1]
The Upper Eastern Shore section of the byway begins inChesapeake City, a town located at the western end of theChesapeake and Delaware Canal. The byway heads south onMD 213, coming toCecilton, whereMD 282 heads west toCrystal Beach on theElk River. The road crosses theSassafras River and passes throughGeorgetown, a community that was burned by the British during theWar of 1812. The Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway continues along MD 213 throughGalena andKennedyville, with a detour alongMD 298 andMD 292 serving the Victorian resort town ofBetterton. The mainline of the byway comes toChestertown, a port on theChester River that has many historical buildings. At this point, a branch of the byway continues west alongMD 20 toRock Hall, a town on theChesapeake Bay with many marinas, before followingMD 445 to theEastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge. From Chestertown, the mainline of the Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway continues along MD 213 toChurch Hill, where St. Luke's Episcopal Church and Church Hill Theatre are located. The next town along the road isCentreville, which is home to the Museum of Eastern Shore Life and theQueen Anne's County Courthouse, the oldest active courthouse in Maryland. From Centreville, the byway followsMD 18 west toQueenstown, which has many Colonial buildings, andGrasonville. The road heads ontoKent Island, an island where a trading post was founded in 1631 that has many seafood restaurants. The Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway comes toStevensville, which is home to theCray House and the Stevensville Train Depot. At this point, a connection for the byway crosses theChesapeake Bay Bridge toAnnapolis.[1]
From Centreville, the Mid-Shore Section of the Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway continues on MD 213, with a spur alongUS 50 providing access to theWye Mills Natural Resource Management Area. The byway heads intoWye Mills and heads south onMD 662, passing by the site ofWye Oak, which was the largestwhite oak tree in the United States until it was destroyed during a storm in 2002. The byway continues along MD 662 before picking up US 50 and coming toEaston, a historical town which is home to theAvalon Theatre and the Academy Art Museum. From Easton, a branch of the Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway heads west onMD 33 toSt. Michaels, a shipbuilding town that is home to theChesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, before heading toTilghman Island, where several restaurants and marinas. The byway heads back along MD 33 before heading ontoMD 329 and crossing theTred Avon River on theOxford–Bellevue Ferry, one of the oldest ferries in the country, toOxford, a maritime town home to the Oxford Museum and the Oxford Customs House. From here, the Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway followsMD 333 back to Easton, at which point it heads east alongMD 331, crossing theChoptank River on theDover Bridge. The byway continues toPreston, followingMD 16 south toEast New Market, a Native American trading post that became a center of Methodism. The Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway followsMD 14 through the fishing community ofSecretary before running along MD 16 toCambridge, which has sites related to theUnderground Railroad andHarriet Tubman as well as the Richardson Maritime Museum and Boatworks. The byway continues alongMD 343 toHudson, where theSharps Island Light can be seen, before heading back to Cambridge. At this point, a branch of the byway heads south alongMD 341 and Maple Dam Road into theBlackwater National Wildlife Refuge, which is home to the largest amount ofbald eagles on the East Coast. Another branch of the byway continues south alongMD 335, passing to the west of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge before reachingHooper's Island. Another branch of the Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway known as the Elliott's Island Branch splits to the east and passes through theFishing Bay Wildlife Management Area. From here, the byway heads north along theNanticoke River toVienna andEldorado. The byway continues north to Federalsburg, where theIdylwild Wildlife Management Area is located.[1]
The Lower Eastern Shore section of the Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway begins in Vienna and heads east and south along US 50,MD 54, Old Railroad Road, andMD 347 toQuantico. From here, a branch of the byway heads east alongMD 349 toSalisbury, which is home to thePoplar Hill Mansion, theWard Museum of Wildfowl Art, and theSalisbury Zoo. The byway continues west along MD 349, with a branch servingNanticoke, andMD 352 to theWhitehaven Ferry across theWicomico River. The Chesapeake County Scenic Byway followsMD 362 east toPrincess Anne, a historic town founded in 1733 that is home to theTeackle Mansion. From here, a branch of the byway heads west alongMD 363 toDeal Island, where waterfowl may be viewed in a wildlife area. The mainline of the Chesapeake County Scenic Byway followsUS 13 andMD 413 toCrisfield, a community on the Chesapeake Bay that is known as the "Crab Capital of the World". In Crisfield is theJ. Millard Tawes Historical Museum and theWard Brothers' House and Shop, andJanes Island State Park. From Crisfield, a ferry provides access toSmith Island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay.[1]
The Lower Eastern Shore section of the Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway was originally the western portion of the Blue Crab Scenic Byway.[3]
#18: Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad | |
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| Location | Cambridge–Greensboro |
| Length | 144 mi[1] (232 km) |
TheHarriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway runs fromCambridge toGreensboro, following the route of theUnderground Railroad, a secret path by which many slaves fled theSouth to thefree states andSouthern Ontario.[1] The byway is anAll-American Road.[6]
The byway begins inCambridge, where there is a visitors center at Sailwinds Park along with many historical sites in theCambridge Historic District. Also in Cambridge is the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center, which showcasesHarriet Tubman, a conductor on the Underground Railroad who helped many slaves to freedom. From Cambridge, the byway heads south alongMD 341 before heading west onMD 16 to theStanley Institute, an African American schoolhouse, andChurch Creek, a shipbuilding town. A branch of the byway follows MD 16 toTaylors Island on theChesapeake Bay, passing by Old Trinity Church and Stewart's Canal. The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Scenic Byway continues south alongMD 335 toHarriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park, where theHarriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center focused on Tubman and the Underground Railroad is located, andHarriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park. From here, the byway heads east on Key Wallace Drive through theBlackwater National Wildlife Refuge before heading onto Greenbrier Road and passing near the Brodess Farm, where Tubman spent her younger years. The byway heads north on Bucktown Road, passing by the Bucktown Village Store. A branch from Bucktown serves theFishing Bay Wildlife Management Area. The mainline of the byway heads back to Cambridge and follows MD 16,US 50, and MD 16 again toEast New Market. A detour ontoMD 14 provides access to the Mt. Zion United Methodist Church. The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Scenic Byway continues along MD 16 toPreston, where the Linchester gristmill is located along with the site of a Quaker meeting house that was said to be a station on the Underground Railroad. The Poplar Neck Loop of the byway runs through countryside that was home to Tubman's parents. From Preston, the route continues along MD 16 toPotters Landing, a crossing point for slaves on the Underground Railroad, andMartinak State Park. The byway continues alongMD 313 toDenton, where several sites related to the Underground Railroad are located including Courthouse Square, the Tuckahoe Neck Meeting House, and the Museum of Rural Life. At this point, a spur of the byway provides access to theTuckahoe River near the birthplace ofFrederick Douglass. From Denton, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Scenic Byway continues along MD 313 toGreensboro, where it passes through the town alongMD 314 andMD 480.[1] From Greensboro, the byway heads north on MD 313 andMD 311 toGoldsboro and east onMD 287 to theDelaware border, connecting to theHarriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway of theDelaware Byways system.[1][7]
#19: Cape to Cape | |
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| Location | Ocean City –Snow Hill |
| Length | 79 mi[1] (127 km) |
TheCape to Cape Scenic Byway provides access to sites along theAtlantic Ocean and its back bays inWorcester County, running betweenOcean City and theVirginia border south ofSnow Hill.[1]
The byway begins inOcean City, Maryland's largest seaside resort that is home to 10 miles of beaches along theAtlantic Ocean, hotels, amusement rides, a boardwalk, and several water activities. From here, the Cape to Cape Scenic Byway heads south onMD 528, west onUS 50 and south onMD 611, with a branch heading toAssateague Island, a barrier island on the Atlantic Ocean known for itswild ponies. The Cape to Cape Scenic Byway heads west alongMD 376 toBerlin, a 19th-century town that has theCalvin B. Taylor House. The byway heads south through Berlin onMD 818 before it continues south alongUS 113. The Cape to Cape Scenic Byway followsUS 113 Business intoSnow Hill, a historic town where theJulia A. Purnell Museum is located. A spur heads east onMD 365 to theChincoteague Bay. From Snow Hill, the byway followsMD 12 south to theVirginia border, with spurs east along Taylor Landing Road andMD 366 toward the Chincoteague Bay.[1]
The Cape to Cape Scenic Byway was originally the eastern portion of the Blue Crab Scenic Byway.[3]
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