Hike the Herrington Manor/Swallow Falls Trail

I began my adventure at the trailhead in Herrington Manor State Park. The parking lot was empty and the trail was very easy to access. From start to finish this trail varies in the width of its path. For the first mile I had a lot of foot room, but as I went deeper into the forest, the trail turned to a single track. This transition happens multiple times throughout the trek.

My favorite part of this hike was entering the areas with tall hemlocks and rhododendrons, something that happened multiple times. A major attraction of this trail is its ability to keep you guessing. Sometimes you won't have any tree cover and other times you won't be able to see the sky. You will cross small bridges, walk through mud, see wildlife, and even hike along a river as you approach Swallow Falls State Park. The combination of these features make the adventure authentic, unique, exciting, and intense all at once.