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The Patuxent Branch Trail, Wincopin Trails, and the Savage Trails have consistently received attention as terrific hiking, biking, and dog walking paths in Howard County (see https://www.baltimoresun.com/.../bs-mg-howard-trails...). During the pandemic these trails so more use than ever and some travelers included blogs about their experience (https://happytrailsmom.com/wincopin-trails/). We hope that someday these trails will be included in the proposed "Between the Bridges Historic Park"..
Current Savage resident and hiking and paddling expert, Saki Rex, has also written about these trails and others in Howard County and beyond. Check out his post about Wincopin and Patuxent Branch Trails (https://www.paddlethesusquehanna.com/trip-ideas/article/the-patuxent-branch-trail-connecting-the-industrial-past-of-guilford-with-the-present).
But did you know that this areas trails were rating in the top trails in the Washington area back in 1937? Here is what the popular trails author, Robert Shosteck, wrote about the Savage-Guilford trail loop, including portions of all of these trails, in his book “Guide to Trails Around Washington” featuring his top 38 hiking trails (our is number 21 - see the excerpts from his book on the Guilford-Savage trails):
“This rather easy round-trip hike of 7.3 miles follows open trails and the bed of the abandoned B&O spur line to the Guilford Quarry. Part of the return trip is along the old right-of-way, and the remainder through fields and along dirt roads and lanes.
Plan this hike for some hot July or August day, when an easy walk through shaded woods amidst a scenic landscape ends at the old mill stream, where a fine swim may be had. The antiquarian will find much interest among the ruins of the Guilford Quarry, and at Savage, with its canal and locks”.
There is a longer set of directions for the hike that match the map attached below. I found it interesting that not only did the trail go on the south side of the Middle Patuxent River, but on the way back, whether following the Savage side of the Little Patuxent River, or the Wincopin Trail side, it was a relaxing swim across the river nearer to Savage which was made a small lake due to the mill dam holding back the water.
Image above: This is Robert Shosteck's drawing, done in 1936, of the Patuxent Trails - Guilford to Savage. The two swimming spots seem to be the Guilford and Waltersville quarry pit that is still filled with water near around the bend of the Guilford Quarry bridge, and the small lake formed by the Savage Mill Dam.
Image above: This is from the 1942 topo map of the area showing no rails between Savage and Guilford. The rails had been removed shortly after that portion of the line was decommissioned in 1928. It is possible that the old Gabbro Bridge crossing the Middle Patuxent River was removed since it was no longer in use. The Guilford Quarry Bridge was used as a private roadway for many years so it was let to stand.
Image above: This is from the 1926 topo map, pretty much unchanged since the maps first showed the railroad in 1907. The rails between Savage and Guilford were removed shortly after that portion of the line was decommissioned in 1928. Two unimproved road crossings of the river(fords) appear in Guilford, as well as the the houses near modern-day Sea Shadow, one reaching to where Vollmerhausen Road currently is. You can see the original dirt road (Vollmerhausen) going from the bridge area across the Little Patuxent River to Savage-Guilford Road.
1937 Shosteck - Guide to Trails Around Washington - Savage Guilford Excerpts.pdfPage updated
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