For many years back when I moved into Maryland, I used to walk this trail. Actually back then I was mountain biking and was riding my bike through this trail. Seems like back then everything just flew past me. I would only see my line and stay focused on what path would get me through the fastest. Even the times that I would walk along this trail it was just for exercise and fresh air.
Now as time has pasted my interests have changed. Now when I walk I always think, what is under my feet? What happened in this very spot one hundred years ago? A thousand years? One Million years? Yes the earth is always changing and its appearance is always beautiful. So now I take up hiking. I also throw in a little metal detecting. No matter where I end up, I will always find something of interest.
The Gunpowder Falls trail is a example of all the things I missed. While there is little information on years past, the only thing for certain was a old sawmill. The lost Pond itself is just that A old pond that is now dried up and this was our destination. When I say we I include my hiking and all around best friend Sarah.
That day was raining. We knew we would be wet and miserable. However its things like this I love most, throw in some adventure and excitement and some challenges. The path is relatively flat many rocks lay in certain areas. When it rains the path does flood. The trail runs parallel to the gunpowder falls river so the river is just to your right when you head East and is always close until the pot rock trail meets with the lost pond trail.
You must cross a creek to get to the pot Rock side of the trail to continue towards the Lost pond. This day the creek was flowing very fast and much deeper than normal. A downed tree across it was one way across but I attempted it and it was too slippery for me so I walked across the creek itself. Hurray for the fact that I just purchased a pair of water shoes and they held up great. Sarah Took the high road and scooted across the downed tree since she was in socks and walking in wet socks sucks ass.
While you walk this trail looking to your left you can see that the land must have been blasted and the rocks were all pushed to the side in a large hill. There were many things like small structures that could not be figured out and with our timing for the day, we couldn’t explore.
While Sarah and I were looking for a better place to cross the creek, we came across a couple of stone walls. Sarah quickly figured it must have been a water wheel and turns out that the guess was correct. This was the old sawmill. Nothing stands anymore but the walls where the water wheel would have been.
We taken a moment to explore the area. The metal detector came up with many iron nails. The soil in this area was full of rotting wood from the structure that stood however many years ago.
Lost Pond was next after we crossed the creek. The hike was getting a little exhausting. I just Got over COVID and this was the first hike after pretty much all winter so I was not at full strength. We made it however. The lost pond was a very cool spot. Secluded and serene. You could clearly make out the boundaries of the pond and right through the middle was a very small creek that carved out a canyon about 15 feet deep in the deepest spot.
We looked over the area. Sarah immediately found a piece of pottery sitting right in the old pond. It was surely nothing ancient however just was so cool to see. We did explore along the creek. The sand the mud and the clay was amazing. Some of the clay the creek formed was gray and had the consistency of silly putty. While we only uncovered a dime from 1971 in lost pond it was still a good time.
