September 25th, 2018, Maryland
I slept in a bit, still tired from the long day yesterday. Big Ben was up and ready to leave before 8am. He said goodbye, and that he would be taking a few days “off” hiking with his father and uncle, who both live nearby.
I took my time and got going at 9:15am. It was still raining and the trail was flooded in many areas. It was slow going again but I planned a shorter day, then another lower mileage day tomorrow going into Harpers Ferry. I passed a handful of day and section hikers heading north but none of us stopped to talk today, perhaps due to the weather.
By around 3pm the rain stopped and the sun tried to peek out a little later, which was a welcome sight. And around that time I reached Washington Monument State Park. Apparently some villagers in Maryland built the first ever monument to George Washington in 1827.
And, with the sky clearing, I could almost get a good look at the view. The trail also passed an old stone church in excellent condition. I didn’t see any parking or evidence it was a functioning church and am still curious about what it was.
Around 5pm I reached the Dahlgren Backpacker Campground which is run by the Maryland Park Service. It is for backpackers only with free showers, bathrooms, water point, and tent pads with picnic tables and fire pits. This is the first service like this I’ve seen. I took a shower, charged up my electronics, and had dinner before continuing on another half hour to the shelter where I stopped for the night. Thank you, Maryland!
