AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Frederick City Watershed

Salamander Rock–Sand Flat, 9 sights

15.3 mi · ▲ 1,335 ft · 5 hr 46 min

Salamander Rock–Sand Flat, 9 sights is a 15.3-mile out-and-back in Frederick City Watershed near Fishers Hollow, MD. The route passes Sand Flat before reaching Salamander Rock at the turnaround, 7.6 miles in. It climbs 1,335 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 62/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi1,365 – 1,841 ft · steepest grade: 20%16.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Headless Hollow 39.49565, -77.50041
Nearest town Fishers Hollow, MD
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Salamander Rock–Sand Flat, 9 sights

15.3 mi · ▲ 1,335 ft · 5 hr 46 min

Elevation 1,366–1,841 ft

Out & Back · Frederick City Watershed

Trailhead: Headless Hollow · 39.49565, -77.50041

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:56 AM · sunset 7:12 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Headless Hollow, heading E.
  2. 0.1 miBear right onto Powerline Trail, heading N.
  3. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Lawn Mower, heading E.
  4. 250 ftSharp left onto Huggy Bear, heading SE.
  5. 0.7 miTurn left onto Stoner Road, heading NE.
  6. 450 ftBear right onto Monarch Trail, heading NW.
  7. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Catoctin National Recreation Trail, heading E.
  8. 0.6 miTurn right onto Knuckle Buster Trail, heading NE.
  9. 50 ftTurn left onto Blue Balls, heading NE.
  10. 0.9 miSharp right onto Access Trail, heading N.
  11. 200 ftTurn left onto Blue Balls second leg, heading NE.
  12. 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
  13. 0.2 miBear left, heading NE.
  14. 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
  15. 350 ftTurn left onto Blue Connector, heading NE.
  16. 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
  17. 200 ftBear left onto Pond Access Trail, heading N.
  18. 0.1 miTurn right onto Catoctin National Recreation Trail, heading N.
  19. 400 ftSharp left onto Trail 4, heading NE.
  20. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Catoctin National Recreation Trail, heading N.
  21. 0.2 miBear right onto Old Blue Trail, heading E.
  22. 0.4 miBear right onto Old Blue Trail, heading NW.
  23. 0.3 miTurn right onto Catoctin National Recreation Trail, heading NW.
  24. 0.3 miTurn left onto Closed Trail, heading NE.
  25. 0.7 miTurn right, heading N.
  26. 400 ftTurn left onto Nordic Track, heading N.
  27. 0.2 miPass Sand Flat.
  28. 0.2 miBear left onto Sand Flats Trail, heading E.
  29. 350 ftBear right onto Fireroad, heading E.
  30. 0.3 miTurn right onto Skink, heading N.
  31. 150 ftTurn left onto Salamander Trail, heading N.
  32. 0.6 miTurn right onto Red By-Pass Trail, heading N.
  33. 0.1 miTurn right onto Salamander Trail, heading NE.
  34. 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
  35. 100 ftReach Salamander Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  36. 0.3 miTurn left onto Red By-Pass Trail, heading E.
  37. 0.1 miTurn left onto Salamander Trail, heading E.
  38. 0.6 miTurn right onto Skink, heading S.
  39. 150 ftTurn left onto Fireroad, heading S.
  40. 0.3 miBear left onto Sand Flats Trail, heading S.
  41. 350 ftBear right onto Nordic Track, heading S.
  42. 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
  43. 400 ftTurn left onto Closed Trail, heading SW.
  44. 0.7 miTurn right onto Catoctin National Recreation Trail, heading S.
  45. 0.3 miTurn left onto Old Blue Trail, heading SE.
  46. 0.3 miBear left onto Old Blue Trail, heading S.
  47. 0.4 miBear left onto Catoctin National Recreation Trail, heading NW.
  48. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Trail 4, heading S.
  49. 0.2 miSharp right onto Catoctin National Recreation Trail, heading SE.
  50. 350 ftTurn left onto Pond Access Trail, heading E.
  51. 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
  52. 200 ftBear right, heading E.
  53. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Blue Connector, heading NE.
  54. 300 ftTurn right, heading E.
  55. 300 ftBear left, heading SE.
  56. 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
  57. 0.2 miTurn right onto Blue Balls second leg, heading SW.
  58. 0.3 miTurn right onto Access Trail, heading SW.
  59. 150 ftSharp left onto Blue Balls, heading W.
  60. 0.5 miTurn right, heading SW.
  61. 0.4 miTurn right onto Knuckle Buster Trail, heading W.
  62. 100 ftTurn left onto Catoctin National Recreation Trail, heading SW.
  63. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Monarch Trail, heading SW.
  64. 0.2 miBear left onto Stoner Road, heading W.
  65. 450 ftTurn right onto Huggy Bear, heading SW.
  66. 0.7 miSharp right onto Lawn Mower, heading SW.
  67. 0.3 miBear left onto Headless Hollow, heading S.
  68. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/sand-flat-out-back

Trail surface

94% dirt6% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:56 AMSunset 7:12 PM

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Headless Hollow Trailhead

Hikes near Fishers Hollow, Maryland