| Hike Name | Crampton Gap, Gathland State Park |
| Closest Town | Burkittsville, MD/ Frederick County |
| Difficulty Level** | Easy to Moderate |
| Elevation Gain | |
| Distance | .5 miles to 5 + miles round trip (Choose how far you'd like to hike) |
| Features | Historical buildings, monument, picnic area |
| Description | Crampton Gap has a number of interesting diversions in addition to a gentle section of the A.T. It boasts the only memorial to war correspondants, a number of civil war memorials, and a collection of buildings designed and constructed by George Alfred Townsend, a civil war correspondant. While a short stroll on the A.T. across the field to the north of the gap is lovely, it is possible to take an extended hike on the A.T. to the south of the gap. If you park in the upper parking lot, you make a gentle steady ascent (about 0.2 miles) before reaching a level trail that extends almost all the way to the Ed Garvey Shelter, 4 miles to the south. Walk as far as is comfortable, then retract your steps. |
| Directions | From the west on US Alt 40, take MD 67 south 7 miles to Gapland Road.(MD 572). Go left (east) on Gapland 1 mile to Gathland State Park in Crampton Gap. The most prominent feature in the park is a stone arch at the intersection of Gapland Road and Arnoldtown Road. Alternatively from the east on US 40A, take MD 17 south from Middletown for 6 miles . Turn right (west) onto Gapland Road (AKA W. Main St.) in the small town of Burkittsville and go about a mile to the park. From the west on US 340, take MD 67 north 5 miles to Gapland Road. Go right and proceed as above. Alternatively from the east on US 340 follow MD 17 north about 4.5 miles to Burkittsville Go left on W. Main St. which becomes Gapland Road. Go about a mile to the park. |