North Frederick Viewpoint–Blue Balls, 6 sights
9.7 mi · ▲ 802 ft · 3 hr 38 min
North Frederick Viewpoint–Blue Balls, 6 sights is a 9.7-mile out-and-back in Frederick City Watershed near Laurelcrest, MD. The route reaches North Frederick Viewpoint at the turnaround, 4.9 miles in. It climbs 802 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 50/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
North Frederick Viewpoint–Blue Balls, 6 sights
9.7 mi · ▲ 802 ft · 3 hr 38 min
Elevation 1,540–1,759 ft
Out & Back · Frederick City Watershed
Trailhead: Access Trail · 39.52395, -77.48514
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:56 AM · sunset 7:12 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Access Trail, heading NW.
- 450 ftSharp left onto Blue Balls, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Knuckle Buster Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Catoctin National Recreation Trail, heading W.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Monarch Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Stoner Road, heading SW.
- 450 ftTurn right onto Huggy Bear, heading SE.
- 0.7 miSharp right onto Lawn Mower, heading SE.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Headless Hollow, heading S.
- 50 ftBear right onto Powerline Trail, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Yellow Poplar, heading SE.
- 1.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftReach North Frederick Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 1.3 miTurn left onto Powerline Trail, heading NW.
- 0.5 miBear right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Headless Hollow, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear right onto Powerline Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Lawn Mower, heading N.
- 250 ftSharp left onto Huggy Bear, heading N.
- 0.7 miTurn left onto Stoner Road, heading W.
- 450 ftBear right onto Monarch Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Catoctin National Recreation Trail, heading N.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Knuckle Buster Trail, heading NW.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Blue Balls, heading N.
- 0.9 miSharp right onto Access Trail, heading NE.
- 350 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.8 mi in (~105 min). Leave by 5:07 PM for the 7:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:11 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Access Trail Trailhead
- Blue Balls–Catoctin - Black - Green, 3 sights 13.1 mi · ▲ 2,109 ft
- High Knob–Middletown Overlook, 8 sights 11.7 mi · ▲ 912 ft
- Bootjack Spring–Blue Balls, 3 sights 11.5 mi · ▲ 1,852 ft
- Frederick Overlook –Middletown Overlook, 6 sights 14.1 mi · ▲ 1,857 ft
- Salamander Rock–Sand Flat, 5 sights 9.8 mi · ▲ 1,019 ft
- Blue Balls–Killer Bee, 3 sights 4.9 mi · ▲ 304 ft
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