Maryland trails · Serpentine
Serpentine
A 2.3-mile loop in Maryland, with 209 ft of climbing. Reaches The Overlook. Managed by the state.
Elevation profile
Most of the climbing sits in the final third — 88% of the ascent, between mile 1.6 and mile 2.3. It gives back about 214 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- The Overlook (viewpoint)
Heads up
Getting there
Serpentine access — parking nearby, restroom. 39.41061, -76.83828 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On August 31, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:06 a.m., the sun rises at 6:34 a.m. and sets at 7:40 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 8:07 p.m. (EDT) — 13 h 06 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 2.3-mile route takes roughly 58 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 7:32 a.m. — 12 h 08 min before sunset.
Loop options
- Serpentine — 2.3 mi loop, 296 ft gain
Nearby trails
- Switchback — 4.9 mi
- Social Trail — 5.8 mi
- Thru — 7.0 mi
- Ole Ranger — 8.2 mi