Walking & Hiking

Overview

The City of Hagerstown promotes walking as a healthy lifestyle and a mode of transportation and recreation in Hagerstown. The City is committed to improving and sustaining “walkability” and pedestrian safety through comprehensive programs, plans and policies. We continue to develop walking paths and require sidewalk construction to create a multi-modal transportation system.

The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) shows that, now more than ever, people living in cities are stepping up their walking regimes. That's good news since, on average, every minute of walking can extend your life on average by about two minutes.

walking

The City of Hagerstown encourages those who live and work in the City to use their feet as a low polluting, cost-effective, and healthy way to travel. Over 90% of streets in Hagerstown have sidewalks on both sides, resulting in over 150 miles of sidewalks in the City. The City has an active sidewalk inspection program which inspects sidewalk conditions on a repeating cycle.

Multi-Use Paths and Trails

One of the most enjoyable places to walk in the City is on the multi-use paths in the City’s beautiful parks. Parks that have designated path systems and provide outstanding walking environments include the following: 

“Hagerstown Walks” Route Map 

The Fourth Edition of the “Hagerstown Walks” Map is now available. You can click here to download the map, or obtain printed copies from the Parks & Recreation Division. This map allows the user to find over 85 points of interest and more than 50 self-interpretive plaques throughout the City that highlight historic points of interest! The tours will take you over sidewalks and multi-use paths.

The map provides five walking tours of the City, all beginning and ending at the Public Square in City center. The tours include:

  • North End Walk (3.7 miles)
  • Jonathan Street Neighborhood Walk (2.4 miles)
  • City Park Walk (2.4 miles)
  • West End Walk (3.3 miles)
  • National Pike Walk (1.9 miles)
Hagerstown Walks Map

Maryland Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is updating the 2019 Bicycle and Pedestrian Statewide Master Plan. MDOT’s vision is to produce a concise, data-driven bicycle, pedestrian and micromobility master plan to update policies and provide infrastructure recommendations to increase mode shift and improve safety. The Plan will highlight accomplishments since the 2040 Plan (adopted in 2019) and recommend initiatives for the next five years, including:

  • Update and strengthen MDOT’s bicycle, micromobility and pedestrian policies, practices and tools.
  • Identify gaps on Maryland’s low stress networks of shared use paths, protected bikeways and sidewalks. 
  • Recommend infrastructure that support MDOT's mission to improve walking, biking & rolling.
  • Develop an implementation plan to guide infrastructure investments & policy changes.

2050 MARYLAND Statewide Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan

2050 Maryland Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan

Sidewalks 

Well maintained sidewalks are an important element of a safe and livable neighborhood. The City of Hagerstown’s annual Curb and Sidewalk Repair Program for the upcoming construction season includes sending replacement notices to adjoining property owners. The goal for this program is to repair and/or replace deteriorated or deficient curb and sidewalk conditions throughout the City of Hagerstown, in conjunction with the City’s annual Street Pavement Preservation Program.

Another great resource for walkers interested in enjoying the benefits of nature and movement, is the following site provided by Washington County Health Department: washcopathfinder.com