Mid-Atlantic Rail-Trails including Washington and Baltimore

Mid-Atlantic Rail-Trails including Washington and Baltimore: "What is a Rail Trail? A Rail Trail is a recreational path which has been built in the right-of-way of an abandoned railroad. As a result of the Interstate Highway System, tens of thousands of miles of railroads have been abandoned over the past several decades. While some of these railroads have become rail trails, many of these right-of-ways are now being considered for conversion to some sort of 'green way' or recreation path. Typically, the rails and ties are removed and then the surface is improved to allow hiking ,biking, rollerblading, and/or horseback riding.

Rail trails can be great for biking and blading because railroads are designed to have very small grades, thus the resulting rail trail is nearly all flat. Also, in many situations, the right-of-ways exist in undeveloped areas away from the the hustle and bustle of everyday life. However, it should be noted that all rail trails are not created equal. While some trails have been paved or had some type of surface improvement, other trails may remain in a 'original ballast' condition which is typically muddy and rocky (not suitable for blading or skinny tires!).

For more information on Rail Trails, check out the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy."