THREE NOTCH TRAIL
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St. Mary County Department of Recreation & Parks is pleased to announce that the Three Notch Trail project is currently under construction.  The recreational trail is being constructed along the 28-mile, County owned railroad right-of-way (ROW), which runs south from Hughesville (in Charles County) to Lexington Park (to the Patuxent River Naval Air Station). The trail will be a non-motorized pedestrian, bicycle and equestrian trail.  The trail is being constructed of asphalt and will be 10 feet wide in most sections.  Appropriate signage, benches, crosswalks and road barriers are also included in the scope of work.  The project will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

Phase I of the trail begins at Route 236 in New Market and proceeds approximately one mile north to the Northern County Senior Center in Charlotte Hall. This area of the trail provides connections between the Charlotte Hall Library, the St. Mary’s County Farmers’ Market, the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home, the new St. Mary’s County Welcome Center and the Northern Senior Center and links the villages of New Market and Charlotte Hall.  Phase I is now complete.

Phase II of the trail begins at the Northern Senior Activity Center and runs about 2.25 miles north to Deborah Drive, in Charles County. This section is also now complete.

Phase III, from Wildewood to Wal-Mart, is being constructed by several private developers in the California area. The South Plaza and Wal-Mart sections are now complete.  The County plans to construct Phase IVA, from Wal-Mart to Chancellor’s Run Road, in 2008.  Phase IVB, from Chancellor’s Run Road to Pegg Road, will be constructed in the future as part of the FDR Blvd. community road project. 

Phase I of Trail near Charlotte Hall Veteran's Home nears completion    

The remainder of the trail will be constructed in phases over the next several years.  Phases V, VI, VII, VIII & IX, from Wildewood to New Market, are planned from FY08 through FY13 and beyond, as funding permits. The design and engineering for Phase V, from John V. Baggett Park in Laurel Grove to MD 5 in Mechanicsville, is underway.

The plan for the trail is included in the June 2001 Southern Maryland Regional Trail and Bikeway System (SMRTABS) Study prepared for the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland.  The 2000 & 2005 St. Mary’s County Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plans also recommend the development of a network of greenways, bikeways, and trails in the County and specifically refer to the Charlotte Hall to Lexington Park trail.  The plan for the trail is also consistent with the County’s Comprehensive Plan.

Development of the County’s railroad right-of-way into a hiking, biking and equestrian trail will provide numerous recreational, tourism and transportation opportunities.  The trail will also help promote the health and wellness benefits of walking, biking and rollerblading.

Fact Sheet on Three Notch Trail

A similar trail located in Easton, MD