PATC Hikes & Events

Join us for a weekend of fall fun at Pine Grove Furnace!

Schaeffer Farm Trails, Germantown, MD: A Moderate 10.5-Mile Hike

Seneca Creek State Park spans over 6,300 acres, following the course of Seneca Creek as it winds toward the Potomac River. The park is renowned for its recreational opportunities—boating on Clopper Lake, picnicking, and over 50 miles of hiking and biking trails. Schaeffer Farm, situated on the park’s northern edge near Germantown, is a network of interconnected trails that trace their origins to former farmland, now reclaimed by nature and transformed for outdoor recreation.

The 10.5-mile hike is typically completed as a loop, beginning and ending at the parking area off Schaeffer Road. The trail is well-marked, with various color-coded segments—White, Red, Yellow, Blue, and Orange. Schaeffer Farm is beloved for its diversity. The hike meanders through mature hardwood forests, past wildflower-strewn meadows, along the edges of open fields, and over wooden bridges that cross gentle creeks. We will also hike on a trail thorough the middle of a corn field. Despite the distance of 10.5 miles, the elevation gain of only 800 feet makes is a moderate hike. One caution. The trail is popular with bikers, so we will be sharing the trail.

Bring a snack or lunch to enjoy along the way.

Dogs are allowed on the Schaeffer Farm Trail, but they must be on a leash at all times. Please be advised, though, that some of the trails are narrow and we will be sharing them with bikers.

Time to Meet: Please meet at 9:15 for introductions and sign in. We will start hiking promptly at 9:30

Directions to Trailhead:
It is suggested to use the GPS coordinates (see below). But if you need a physical address, go just past 14920 Schaeffer Road, Germantown, MD 20874 and turn left into the park parking lot. Travel up the road about 100 yards to the parking lot.

The GPS Coordinates are 39.14274, -77.31009.

Contact Information:
Please use the comments feature for routine comments and questions. The hike Leader is Tim; 202-744-0289. Call or text as needed.

Details
Rating: Moderate
Distance: 10.5 miles
Elevation Gain: Approximately 800 feet
Pace: 2.0 to 2.5 miles per hour
Facilities: Toilets can be found near the trailhead
Fees: No entrance fees

Cancellation:
In the unlikely event that the hike needs to be cancelled, it may be cancelled up to the evening before the hike. Hikers will be notified through comments on this posting.

Join us for a weekend of fall fun at Pine Grove Furnace!

Join the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) - Blue Ridge Chapter Book Club for our monthly meeting where we will read The Lost City of Z then meet up at Woodstock Brewhouse to discuss the book.

The Lost City of Z by David Grann is a true-life adventure story that chronicles the life and disappearance of British explorer Percy Fawcett, who vanished in the Amazon jungle in 1925 while searching for an advanced ancient civilization he called "Z". The book interweaves Fawcett's obsessive quest with Grann's own contemporary journey into the Amazon to uncover the fate of the explorer and the forgotten history of the region, revealing that Fawcett's theories about sophisticated Amazonian cultures were, in fact, largely accurate.