Underground Railroad Experience Trail

You are escaping to freedom and have made it to Woodlawn. Now you must travel through woods and skirt the edges of farm fields to safely reach the Sandy Spring itself. Can you do it?

Conductor Mike talks about Dred Scott

This excerpt from the interpretive guide [PDF] of the Underground Railroad Experience Trail, sets the stage for a journey that is one part hike, and two parts fascinating history lesson. The trail is a natural surface path cut through a stretch of Montgomery County woods steeped in Civil War era history. The trail head at Woodlawn Manor is near the Quaker town of Sandy Spring - a town that historians believe was an active stop on the legendary underground railroad. The trail itself is open throughout the week, but we highly recommend joining a 10 AM Saturday morning guided hike. Your "Conductor" (volunteer trail guide) is a wealth of knowledge and an ideal hiking companion.

The Trail Experience

From Woodlawn Manor - former home of Dr. Palmer, a Quaker slave owner - the Conductor leads you to the relative safety (from a runaway slaves' perspective) of the forest cover. At this juncture, your challenged to use the mind, a runaway slave's best weapon, to imagine the sacrifices required to survive. Proceeding north on the trail, it's necessary to start thinking about shelter - do you opt for the prickly bramble patch or the hollowed tree? With that said, shelter is temporary and danger lies ahead in the form of a stream crossing (now a bridge). Your hiking experience ends at the Sandy Spring, but for runaway slaves, Sandy Spring was just one stop on the long road to freedom.

The Underground Railroad

Men and women, white and black, working together to right a wrong. Morality does not have a color.
- Mike Robinson, Volunteer Conductor

In today's world, it is difficult to understand the underground railroad from either the perspective of a runaway slave or that of the selfless citizen willing to risk his or her life for the cause. The Underground Railroad Experience Trail is an educational path that helps us to understand this important piece of our history.

Maryland Emancipation Day

Woodlawn Manor in Sandy Spring

The last day of the scheduled guided tour, November 7th, doubles as Maryland Emancipation Day. Dedicated to showcasing Maryland's, and specifically Montgomery County's place in history, this event offers a number of family-friendly activities including a special evening edition of the guided tour entitled, "The Night Sky and the Underground Railroad." For more information as the event approaches, visit the Montgomery Parks website.

Location: Woodlawn Manor in Sandy Spring, Maryland
Distance: 2 miles one way; 3 mile circuit for guided option
Surface / Difficulty: Natural; Easy
Trail Map: Trail Map and Guide of the Underground Railroad Experience [PDF]
Additional Info: Guided tour every Saturday at 10 AM (until November 7th)

The Underground Railroad Experience Trail has been invaded by non-native plants! Help the Weed Warriors fight back!