It’s Monumental!

Your Quest at Washington Monument State Park is two-fold:

1. To explore this hidden little park located between Middletown and Boonsboro (on the crest of South Mountain on the Frederick and Washington County line) and solve a puzzle; and
2. To take digital photos that will be considered for use in the 2010 South Mountain Recreation Area Adventure Guide.

The very first monument completed in honor of George Washington is the crown jewel of the park; find out why the townspeople of Boonsboro picked the top of South Mountain to build a memorial to our first president on the 4th of July, 1827. Climb a spiral staircase inside the monument to get to the open air top for great views east and west, and remember to look up to spot hawks flying over. The Appalachian Trail, or the A.T. as most hikers call it, runs right through the park. This 2,174 mile long trail is America’s very first National Scenic Trail and links Georgia to Maine; we’re located at approximately the halfway mark. Remember, if you hike on the A.T., it is not a loop trail; you must turn around on the trail to come back to your car. You can stop by the park museum to learn more about the monument and the Battle of South Mountain, a Civil War battle that took place nearby. We can also give you directions for a driving tour of the battlefield area.

Quest Information:

This Quest begins at the museum at Washington Monument, which is open 9 am to 5 pm on weekends and most weekdays. If you plan to do your quest on a weekday, it is best to call the park first so we can make sure someone can be at the museum. Stop in and pick up a Park Quest packet, which will consist of some questions and a word search puzzle. The questions are about the life of George Washington, the monument, and the park. You can find the answers in the park museum, on the bulletin board, on the series of signs on the trail to the monument, or at the monument itself. The answers to the questions are hidden in the word search puzzle. Once you find all the words hidden in the puzzle, there will be certain letters to unscramble to get the answer to a final question. When you have answered the final question, you may return to the museum to have your Park Quest Passport stamped.

Bring your own digital camera and take pictures of the park, the monument, your family, the wildlife, or the South Mountain Battlefield. On June 20 and 21 and July 11 and 12, there will be living history demonstrations in the battlefield areas with an authentic Civil War cannon (you won’t believe how loud it is!)

Pick your ten best photos and submit them on a compact disc to:
Ranger Tammy McCorkle
Greenbrier State Park
21843 National Pike
Boonsboro, MD 21713

Your photos may be featured in the 2010 South Mountain Recreation Area Adventure Guide! We will pick the best photo of the monument itself for the cover of the guide (to be considered for the cover, photos must be of high resolution). Remember to pick unusual subjects or interesting angles for your photos. Photos of people enjoying the park are always needed, so take pictures of your family having fun! We will need to have everyone sign a release in order to use the pictures in our publication.

Directions to Washington Monument:

• From points east, take Interstate 70 westbound to Exit 49, MD Alternate Route 40. Travel westbound (turn left) on Alternate 40 for approximately 9 miles. At the top of South Mountain, turn right on Washington Monument Road. After one mile, the road intersects with Zittlestown Road at a four-way stop. Go straight to enter the state park. Travel to the top of the hill and park in the parking lot. The museum and Appalachian Trail are next to the parking lot. The monument is a five minute walk northbound on the Appalachian Trail (the trail is well marked).

• From points west, take Interstate 70 eastbound to Exit 35, MD Route 66. Go south on Route 66 (turn right) and travel approximately 6 miles to MD Alternate 40 in the town of Boonsboro. Go east on Alternate 40 (turn left) and travel approximately 4 miles to the top of South Mountain. Turn left on Washington Monument Road. After one mile, the road intersects with Zittlestown Road at a four-way stop. Go straight to enter the state park. Travel to the top of the hill and park in the parking lot. The museum and Appalachian Trail are next to the parking lot. The monument is a five minute walk northbound on the Appalachian Trail (the trail is well marked).

For information about Washington Monument State Park, you can call our main office at Greenbrier State Park at (301) 791-4656 or call the Washington Monument State Park office at (301) 432-8065 (you can leave a message if no one answers and we will call you back).

Quest Accessibility

The museum and restroom at Washington Monument are accessible. The approximately 1,000 foot long trail to the monument itself is rather steep and is surfaced with stone dust. If you ask at the museum, we can provide an all terrain wheelchair to make it easier to get to the monument. However, the spiral stone staircase inside the monument is not accessible.