Savage Trail Hike

We had a day off from school and went for a hike by the Savage Mill. A trail from the back of the parking lot leads off into the woods.

The path starts here

We took the first left turn on the path an came to a large, gravely field. It would be great for camping except for all those little blue rocks. Some people did make campfires here, probably some troublemaking teenagers.

The pavement ends in gravel

A fire with a bit of trash in it!

On the other side of the field, the path presented us with another choice. One way led downhill to the Little Patuxent River; the other off to the right deeper into the woods. We had a vote.

Two voters with different votes

The river won.

Off to see the Wizard

Pretty flower on the way

When we got down by the river, we discovered some ruins!

Posing by the ruins

The ruins look like they were part of the diversion of the river to a side run to power the mill's water wheel. The mill stopped production in the 1940s, so plenty of overgrowth has come up in the subsequent decades.

Inside the ruins

A corner

Part of the remaining wall

Outside the wall

Down below is a small passageway into the ruins. It looks like a water release to me, but now it's a tunnel.

Going into the ruins

Posing inside

Those pesky teenagers probably come down here too, having parties and making graffiti.

A long wall

Graffiti

After the fun exploring, we went to the river trail, looking for a good spot to stink our hands into the water.

Walking the trail

Testing the waters

Out in the water we saw a rock that looked like it had some metal rods in it on the right. At one point a train bridge crossed this area, maybe it's leftovers from that.

A rock with rods in it?

Peaceful waters

We also spotted some cool animal tracks by the river.

Okay, maybe it was only one track

Back along the trail, I spotted a snake taking a snooze on a rock. Only his head was visible. I told the kids to move on.

Almost hidden snake

Snakehead closeup (still not easy to see)

Some body too!

The trail became very rocky, especially where the water took a bend to the east. The older kids wandered out into the water. Our youngest wasn't quite so brave.

The rocky trail

As rapid as river rapids get on the Little Patuxent

Wandering out

While the young one and I were shore-bound, We saw some butterflies.

Last pollen collection of the season?

Climbing out farther

Relaxing in the river

We went back along the river and saw the point where the Middle Patuxent River and the Little Patuxent River merge. Weirdly enough, after they merge it's called the Little Patuxent. A victory for the little guys!

Merging rivers

The path had some fun wooden features. 

I went over on the right; the kids went under on the left

Low-budget bridge

Farther down the trail, we came to another fork. In the interest of making it back to civilization, we took the high road.

Which way?

On the way back to the car, we spotted a fallen tree that was clearly someone's snack.

Not a snack for us

The trail was a lot of fun and we will probably visit it again.