Maryland trails · Mason Dixon Trail
Mason Dixon Trail
A 36.2-mile network in Maryland, with 437 ft of climbing. Reaches Bacon Hill and other lake/pass/summit destinations. Managed by the state.
Elevation profile
Most of the climbing sits in the final third — 56% of the ascent, between mile 35.4 and mile 53.2. It gives back about 1,708 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- Bacon Hill (summit)
- Plum Creek Pond (lake)
- Susquehanna Point (pass)
- Cow Pond (lake)
Heads up
Getting there
Mason Dixon Trail access. 39.55783, -76.09625 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On August 31, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:03 a.m., the sun rises at 6:31 a.m. and sets at 7:37 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 8:05 p.m. (EDT) — 13 h 06 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 36.2-mile route works out to roughly 13 h 38 min of walking — more than a single day of daylight here, so plan it as an overnight or hike it in sections.
Loop options
- Social Trail + Mason Dixon Trail + Purple — 5.5 mi loop, 936 ft gain
- Elk Neck State Forest Main Track Trail System + Mason-Dixon Trail + Mason Dixon Trail — 2.9 mi loop, 296 ft gain
- Driving Trails + Elk Neck Light House Trail + Mason Dixon Trail — 6.8 mi loop, 571 ft gain
Nearby trails
- Rose Trail — 11.4 mi
- BCMSR Yellow Trail — 13.0 mi
- White — 17.7 mi
- Torrey C Brown Rail Trail — 29.2 mi