Brandywine, Md
To See Rare Plants
Cedarville State Forest
Photograph by Krossbow/Flickr Creative Commons.
This forest protects the headwaters of Zekiah Swamp, Maryland’s most ecologically diverse stream, known for its rare and endangered plants, including the carnivorous northern pitcher plant. The forest’s trail network, which offers loops of 2.5 to 7 miles, is mostly upland terrain, but two paths—the Blue and White trails—cross Zekiah and a tributary, Wolf Den Branch. From these sluggish waters and moist bogs of sphagnum moss starts a stream that flows under a canopy of maples, sweet gum, and river birch. If time is short, drive to Cedarville Pond, a scenic picnic area, for a 2.8-mile loop on the Green and Brown trails. For more information, see dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/southern/cedarville.asp.
