DOG SLED TOURS

Mushing around Maryland: Go dog sledding in Baltimore County

Get your thrills with an Iditarod-style winter adventure close to home. Snow not required.

by Kim O’Connell, moco360.com

Dog sledding north of Baltimore with Maryland Sled Dog Adventures Credit: Photo courtesy Maryland Sled Dog Adventures

Early on a crisp autumn morning, I was feeling a little apprehensive as I wound my way down a country road near Parkton, Maryland, about a half-hour’s drive north of Baltimore. My contact, Catherine Benson, had dropped a pin on a map, mentioning cornfields and a wooded trail.

“Bring a helmet,” she’d written in an email. “Any kind of helmet is fine.” Oh, and one more thing. “Clothes that can get a little dog fur on them are also a good idea.”

I wondered if it would be obvious where to stop. As I went around a curve, I realized I needn’t have worried. Nine stunning Siberian huskies, all clipped to a chain alongside a pickup truck, raised their heads in unison at my approach. As soon as I got out of the car, the dogs began barking and howling and pacing, straining against their leads. They were clearly ready for what was coming. I couldn’t quite say the same.

I quickly spotted Benson, who was readying the rig that would be our transport on the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail FINISH READING HERE

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