Sugarloaf Mountain - how crowded

[Anonymous]

Anyone tried going during the week? Thinking about going Monday when schools are closed. Any other recommendations for relatively close hikes?

[Anonymous]

I live at the base of Sugarloaf and trust me in most if my years here, there has never been as much traffic as this year. I miss the quiet solitude and no noise from cars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone tried going during the week? Thinking about going Monday when schools are closed. Any other recommendations for relatively close hikes?

There’s tons.

I’m hesitant to give you my secrets but look at Trail Maps.

Just find anything not super popular.

[Anonymous]

Saturday we drove out there, around 2pm saturday. What surprised me most was the lack of good posted guidance and what a clusterf--- it all seemed to be. The gate was closed and said 'parking lot full'. But, people come and go all day, so a gate that closes at 1000 because its full, ultimately will start having car stalls open up some time soon when people who arrived at 0800 have started departing after their hikes. Anyway, the roads nearby were total rustic crap, and there was no clear plan for where to walk anyway.
I was a little disappointed, and probably will stick to Cabin John creek or other places near me to hike in. Anyway we ended up going up to Mt Airy to my parents and hiking around our 200 acre family farm and woods. Since I never did make it up Sugarloaf I cant compare it, but I will say parking where I did end up was no problem and we were the only ones on the trails that we did get to use!
Then my mom told me the exact same thing happened to her at Sugarloaf, like 40-50 years ago, and she never went back either. I realized history rhymes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Saturday we drove out there, around 2pm saturday. What surprised me most was the lack of good posted guidance and what a clusterf--- it all seemed to be. The gate was closed and said 'parking lot full'. But, people come and go all day, so a gate that closes at 1000 because its full, ultimately will start having car stalls open up some time soon when people who arrived at 0800 have started departing after their hikes. Anyway, the roads nearby were total rustic crap, and there was no clear plan for where to walk anyway.
I was a little disappointed, and probably will stick to Cabin John creek or other places near me to hike in. Anyway we ended up going up to Mt Airy to my parents and hiking around our 200 acre family farm and woods. Since I never did make it up Sugarloaf I cant compare it, but I will say parking where I did end up was no problem and we were the only ones on the trails that we did get to use!
Then my mom told me the exact same thing happened to her at Sugarloaf, like 40-50 years ago, and she never went back either. I realized history rhymes.

We went yesterday as well and we were also quite annoyed with the lack of clear signage or any attempt to direct the traffic. The parking further up was actually not full. It was closed. The only way to park close to the mountain was in the few spots right at the entrance, and there were like 100 cars competing for them at around 2pm when we arrived. After some confused driving around on the surrounding narrow roads we ended up and parked back at the winery. We made it all the way to the top with our five year old, but the first bit walking from the winery on the super narrow road was very unpleasant. The mountain is nice but nothing spectacular. I would not go there again after this experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Saturday we drove out there, around 2pm saturday. What surprised me most was the lack of good posted guidance and what a clusterf--- it all seemed to be. The gate was closed and said 'parking lot full'. But, people come and go all day, so a gate that closes at 1000 because its full, ultimately will start having car stalls open up some time soon when people who arrived at 0800 have started departing after their hikes. Anyway, the roads nearby were total rustic crap, and there was no clear plan for where to walk anyway.
I was a little disappointed, and probably will stick to Cabin John creek or other places near me to hike in. Anyway we ended up going up to Mt Airy to my parents and hiking around our 200 acre family farm and woods. Since I never did make it up Sugarloaf I cant compare it, but I will say parking where I did end up was no problem and we were the only ones on the trails that we did get to use!
Then my mom told me the exact same thing happened to her at Sugarloaf, like 40-50 years ago, and she never went back either. I realized history rhymes.

We went yesterday as well and we were also quite annoyed with the lack of clear signage or any attempt to direct the traffic. The parking further up was actually not full. It was closed. The only way to park close to the mountain was in the few spots right at the entrance, and there were like 100 cars competing for them at around 2pm when we arrived. After some confused driving around on the surrounding narrow roads we ended up and parked back at the winery. We made it all the way to the top with our five year old, but the first bit walking from the winery on the super narrow road was very unpleasant. The mountain is nice but nothing spectacular. I would not go there again after this experience.

I saw a lot of people walking up the narrow road too from the winery parking lot, and it seemed a bit dangerous really. Full disclosure here...I'm aware SM is privately owned, and open to the public out of the owning corporation's good will. "It is what it is," and the fact is, if you dont like it, dont go. But I'm not keen on driving way out into the country and still being in a mass of cars and crowds, it kind of defeats the purpose. And the lack of planning, signage, and curation really makes it more of a hassle than its worth. For Me. Naturally, YMMV. Flip side...it was great to see people interested in getting outdoors and doing "stuff" that doesn't involve shopping and eating. Shopping and eating, eating and shopping. As Mr Carlin used to say. Maybe this pandemic can rid us our favorite pastimes of their #1 status...?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s like everyone suddenly discovered hiking when they could no longer go to the movies. Annoying.

As a lifelong hiker - I agree. Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone tried going during the week? Thinking about going Monday when schools are closed. Any other recommendations for relatively close hikes?

Same question - we might try it during the week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait until it gets a bit colder. Most of these people aren't very hardy.

I'm looking forward to winter hiking this year. Hope you're right.

[Anonymous]

Virginia has so much more parks. A variety of them. Everywhere. Flat, steep, easy to do, strenuous, hard to find, lakes. And they are not as crowded as the limited few ones in MD.

[Anonymous]

I read the title and thought "Rio! It's always crowded!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Virginia has so much more parks. A variety of them. Everywhere. Flat, steep, easy to do, strenuous, hard to find, lakes. And they are not as crowded as the limited few ones in MD.

Any specific suggestions for some more strenuous hikes no longer than 1h drive from DC? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Virginia has so much more parks. A variety of them. Everywhere. Flat, steep, easy to do, strenuous, hard to find, lakes. And they are not as crowded as the limited few ones in MD.

Any specific suggestions for some more strenuous hikes no longer than 1h drive from DC? Thanks.

Sorry can’t give away the secret places or a few DCUM posters may flock there! But google has tons of info.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Virginia has so much more parks. A variety of them. Everywhere. Flat, steep, easy to do, strenuous, hard to find, lakes. And they are not as crowded as the limited few ones in MD.

Any specific suggestions for some more strenuous hikes no longer than 1h drive from DC? Thanks.

Sorry can’t give away the secret places or a few DCUM posters may flock there! But google has tons of info.

If you're driving from DC, I think you have to go more than an hour into VA to find any hikes that are harder than easy.

We have favorite hikes we do over and over. Sugarloaf was definitely a one and done for us.