20220626-CARROLLLIVING - Flipbook - Page 17
Take in a game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore — only a short drive from Carroll County. PHOTO BY
KEVIN RICHARDSON
Road and Littlestown Pike in Union Mills, is a
traditional swimming option for those who want
a natural experience in fresh, running water.
Hashawha Lake, 300 John Owings Road in
Westminster, combines fishing opportunities
with a restored wetland area at the beginning
of the Stream Trail at Hashawha Environmental
Center. Community Pond, 30 College View
Blvd. in Westminster, also offers fishing or a
chance to simply feed the ducks and geese that
call the pond home.
that took over Four Seasons and Sportsman’s
Hall, Coppermine Cascade Lake offers a pool
with a large slide, not to mention a splashpad,
pavilions and an arcade at 2844 Snydersburg
Road in Hampstead. Other public and private
pools include South Carroll Swim Club (1300
W Old Liberty Road in Winfield), Coppermine
Four Seasons (2710 Hampstead Mexico Road
in Hampstead), Manchester-Lineboro Lions
Club (3347 Victory St. in Manchester), the
Westminster Riding Club (366 N. Colonial
Ave. in Westminster), Ridge Swim Club (309
Beck Drive in Mount Airy), Nottingham Swim
Club (1104 Kingsbridge Terrace in Mount Airy)
and Freedom Swim Club (1330 Johnsville Road,
Eldersburg).
Fishing, etc. Piney Run Reservoir, 30 Martz
Road in Sykesville, is a 300-acre lake owned by
the Carroll County Department of Parks and
Recreation that offers up multiple boat ramps
and canoe and kayak rentals. Lions Club Park
swimming hole, at the corner of Old Hanover
Play golf. One activity that not only wasn’t
canceled but gained in popularity in 2020 is
golf. Carroll has the following 18-hole courses,
all open to the public: The Links at Challedon,
6166 Challedon Circle in Mount Airy; Oakmont
Green Golf Course, 2290 Golfview Lane in
Hampstead; River Downs Golf Club, 1900 River
Downs Drive in Finksburg; and Westminster
National Golf Course, 2158 Littlestown Pike
in Westminster. There is also one public ninehole course: McDaniel College Golf Club, 207
Pennsylvania Ave. in Westminster. And there
is a private 18-hole club straddling Carroll and
Baltimore counties in Piney Branch Golf Club,
5301 Trenton Mill Road in Hampstead. And if
you are just looking to hit balls on the driving
range — or have a drink, listen to some live music
or play mini-golf — there’s always Island Green
Family Fun Center, 1199 Pleasant Valley Road
South, Westminster.
Take a hike. There are numerous walking
trails in the county to enjoy and get some fresh
air. Westminster Community Pond, 30 College
View Blvd. in Westminster; offers a paved
trail. Leister Park, 4134 Black Rock Road in
Hampstead, offers a 1.56-mile paved trail that
can be picked up from the park’s parking lot or
from Black Rock Road. Sandymount Park, 2250
Old Westminster Pike in Finksburg, has a 1-mile
paved walking path that extends around the
park’s three fields. Hashawha Environmental
Center/Bear Branch Nature Center, 300 John
Owings Road in Westminster, features three
trails of various lengths and difficulty. Freedom
Park, 1111 Raincliffe Road in Eldersburg; offers
a big loop and a smaller loop. Other trails are
located at Cape Horn Park in Hampstead,
Deer Park in Westminster, Krimgold Park in
Woodbine, Morgan Run Natural Environment
Area and Wakefield Valley Park in Westminster.
Day trips
To the big city. Hey, you spent a year or
more cooped up in your home, largely unable
to travel. So, while there are numerous fun and
interesting things to do in Carroll County, you’re
also conveniently located near all manner of
exciting spots for day trips. Baltimore is less than
an hour from most of Carroll and Washington,
D.C., is just a little more than an hour and
both feature professional sports teams, zoos,
museums, dining experiences, entertainment
options and more.
Just over the border: But maybe our favorite
day trip is the closest to home: Gettysburg
National Military Park in Pennsylvania. The
Battle of Gettysburg was not only the bloodiest
battle of the Civil War, many believe it was
the turning point. The park, a short drive up
Route 97, offers tours, sight-seeing, museum
experiences and picnic areas. Visit nps.gov/gett/
index.htm to learn more.
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