Weverton to Crampton Gap

Brief Description of Section
The historical interest in Crampton Gap and the view from Weverton Cliffs make this one of the most popular sections of the A.T. in Maryland. The guidebook says "The Trail follows both the crest of the narrow ridge and the western rim, with little change in elevation, through a mature forest with excellent footing."  It does not really mention that there is a 570 foot change in elevation over about 2 miles before it flattens out.  The ups and downs in the flatten section only seem to change elevation by around 50 feet, but it is important to remember the lessons of Damascus - all those little ups and downs will beat the shit out of you.  

Maps

Map 1	Map 2	Map 3	Map 4

Points of Interest
Crampton Gap, scene of heavy fighting during the Civil War, has preserved earthworks, a memorial to Civil War newspaper correspondents, a museum, and the ruins of Gathland. At several places along the ridge, rocky knolls exhibit interesting formations, and numerous beech trees exhibit graffiti (some authentic, some doubtful) from the turn of the century. Weverton Cliffs (0.1 mi. by side trail, at 5.8/0.9 mi.) offers a magnificent view of the Potomac River gorge.


Shelters and Campsites

Camping and fires are prohibited throughout this section.

Water is available only at Crampton Gap.  Burkittsville has a grocery store and post office.  We will need to make sure that we are filled to capacity before entering the woods.

Trail Description, South to North

0.0 From left side of parking lot, follow 20-ft access path to AT. Parallel public highway at foot of embankment, then cross lawn of private yard. Cross Weverton Rd. Beside a telephone pole enter woods and begin 480-ft ascent via 16 well-engineered switchbacks to spur leading to Weverton Cliffs.

0.9 Blue-blazed trail on right leads 0.1 mi. to Weverton Cliffs. (This magnificent view of the Potomac River gorge should not be missed. Set in stone at the cliffs, 20 ft to left of Trail, is a plaque to the memory of Congressman Goodloe E. Byron, 1928-78, a great supporter of the AT.)

2.2 Go right at fork.

2.8 Giant beech on left has oldest graffiti dates (“1892” and “1899”) that have been found on beeches on this ridge.

3.0 Turn right onto intersecting old road.

3.6 Blue-blazed trail leads 100 ft left to mediocre winter view of Pleasant Valley and Elk Ridge.

4.9 Cross clearing for buried communication cable. Ahead, go right then left at forks as Trail nears Brownsville Gap Rd.
5.0 Cross remains of Brownsville Gap dirt road which, although unblazed, may still be hiked left or right down to adjoining valley highways.

5.3 Red granite memorial plaque to Glenn R. Caveney is set flush with ground 10 feet to right of Trail. (Caveney helped maintain this section of Trail with his father. He was killed in an auto accident, and his father established a fund that was used to purchase a 4-acre tract surrounding the memorial, which was dedicated in March 1976.)

6.6 Path to right leads a short distance to slight remnants of Civil War trenches. (Heavy fighting occurred here during the Battle of Crampton’s Gap, Sept. 14, 1862. The Federals, under Franklin, eventually overwhelmed the greatly outnumbered Confederates, under McLaws.) Ahead, enter smaller of two paved parking lots for George Townsend’s Gath Hall, the stone house to right. Follow paved driveway down to public highway. (At far end of larger parking lot on left, inside surrounding stone fence line, is Townsend’s empty stone mausoleum.) Midway down driveway, on right, is rest room building, closed, but water available in season at hand pump at far end (by soda vending machine. (Farther to right is museum for Gathland State Park. Museum, Gath Hall and rest rooms were closed in 1993 for budgetary reasons.)

6.7 Gapland Rd (MD 572) at Crampton Gap. (On right, at fork of Arnoldtown and Gapland Roads, is a 50-ft tall stone memorial to Civil War newspaper correspondents, erected by George Alfred Townsend, a Civil War journalist who used the pen-name “Gath.”) To continue on Trail, cross MD 572 and pass through gap in stone fence.