On the outer edge of the heavily populated D.C. metro area, Baltimore is ideally located for the outdoorsperson willing to put in a bit of driving time. In fact, some of the East's best backcountry is within a three-hour drive.

For groomed trails and exceptional views, visit Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and the Appalachian Trail along Maryland's Blue Ridge. If isolation is your thing, Green Ridge State Forest in western Maryland and George Washington National Forest's Massanutten Mountain in Virginia are about as secluded as you can get in the Mid-Atlantic states. Closer to home, the C&O Canal offers easy walking and free primitive camping, while Gunpowder Falls State Park has over 100 miles of pathways for day hiking.

Move on to Shenandoah National Park

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Weekends Baltimore - Do some canoeing, hiking, biking—maybe even some horseback riding! Washington, D.C. - Exercise something other than your political muscle for a few days. Charlotte - The mountains are in your backyard, and the ocean isn't far either.

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