Go tubing to beat the heat this weekend
Looking for a fun weekend activity that doesn't require skill and doesn't pollute? How about tubing in Gunpowder State Park. We went Sunday. The water was cold, but the scenery was fantastic.
The park is almost 18,000 acres in Harford and Baltimore counties. They protect the stream valley of the Big and Little Gunpowder Falls and the Gunpowder River. There are 100 miles of trails, including the 21-mile North Central Railroad Trail, called the NCR, which runs along the portion of the river you can float in.
You can rent a tube at Monkton Bike Inc. I think it was $10 for a nice big tube. They can also give you directions on getting in and out of the water and estimated times.
My friend Craig organized my trip and brought along his own tubes and snacks. We unintentionally got a little ambitious and stayed out for more than three hours. The water was low and moving VERY slowly. Good thing at the end, there was ice cream, a bathroom and a towel.
Baltimore Sun photo of tubing on the Gunpowder/Kim Hairston
Comments
Tubes at Monkton Bike are $23 (that figure is from just over a month ago). I love tubing and it's beautiful up there, but the prices have deterred me more often than not.
We saw a whole bunch in Monkton with $10 signs in front of them. I'll have to investigate who was renting them. -MC
Posted by: Mary | August 17, 2009 5:16 PM
Another option for tubing is the Shenandoah River. You can rent a tube from Downriver Canoe Co. and be dropped off for $16. $6 more gets you a cooler tube to chill your drinks & snacks. The river is a delightful 78-80 degrees and is pretty shallow. It's sooooo much warmer than the 55 degree Gunpowder but it is a 2 hour drive to get there. I have found that it's worth it!
Posted by: MaryD | August 17, 2009 8:14 PM
We love to kayak on the Gunpowder, but I would not describe all who venture onto the river as "non-polluting." We carry trash bags with us and pick up trash along the way. Bottles, cans, fishing gear, bait boxes, lost clothing, even a bag of pesticide on one trip. If we had room for all the tires, we'd pick those up, too. Once found a TV.
Posted by: Frank Roylance | August 17, 2009 9:26 PM