Raven Rocks Climbing

On the north bank of the Gunpowder.

Park at the Hereford Area pullout, where York road crosses the Gunpowder in Parkton. There are three possible approaches.

The first (20 minutes):   Cross the bridge heading north to the trailhead for the Gunpowder North trail.  (This can be dicey in traffic because the bridge is very narrow.)  Look for the guardrail cut on the right and a white blaze. Follow this trail for about 20 minutes along the river.  (This will include a 100 yard stretch of trail lined by greenbrier and prickles. Fun.)  You will eventually see the Overlook on the opposite bank. Raven Rocks is about 100 yards downstream from the Overlook, on the north bank. Look to your left and up hill and behold the Raven Rocks massif.  

The second (15 minutes) was :  Cross York road and take the Gunpowder South trail in the far side of the open grassy area of “Hillbilly Beach”.  Follow the trail up and over the ridge. As the trail descends back toward the river look to your left (north) for a large fallen tree over the river.  Cross the log “bridge” using the rope handrail.  (This approach avoids the traffic over the York road bridge and the greenbrier gauntlet along the beginning of the Gunpowder North trail.).  After crossing you may continue on the Gunpowder North trail as described above.  Or, after about 80 yards, you may cut left up and over the ridge. Find an incipient trail through the woods heading roughly northeast and skirting the top of the ridge on the right, just out of sight of the No Trespassing signs. This will keep you inside the park boundary, which borders the cul de sac on your left (north).  Follow this for about 150 feet to a rock rib on your left.  Gain the top of this ridge and behold, in the col below, the Raven Rocks massif.

The third (40 minutes):  This approach begins downstream. Park at the pullout where Bluemount road crosses the Gunpowder.   Cross the bridge to the trailhead of the Gunpowder North trail, on the left. Look for the white blazes. Follow this upstream to Raven Rocks. When you see the cascade you’re almost there. Note:  the downstream section of this trail gets very overgrown in the spring and summer.