Boyds – Water, Nature and History

On Little Seneca Lake, the Black Hill Water Trail offers a self-guided discovery tour by canoe, kayak or rowboat. If you’re looking for a hotel for your stay, you can choose your focus based on whether you plan to spend most of your time on the water and outdoors or are interested in architectural and regional history. A self-guided boat tour, shared-use trails and a seasonal facility also differ in the planning information that matters.

Water and Trails at Black Hill Regional Park

The Black Hill Discovery Center is in Boyds and offers a view of Little Seneca Lake in Black Hill Regional Park. The park includes more than 2,000 acres of land for outdoor recreation and family gatherings. Its trail network includes more than 16 miles of natural-surface trails. Unless the map indicates otherwise, trails with natural and paved surfaces are shared by hikers, cyclists and horseback riders. Take this shared use into account when planning your route and follow the information on the relevant maps.

One specific route is the Hoyles Mill Trail, which runs south from Black Hill Regional Park through Boyds Local Park. This makes its route distinct from the general information about the trail network. The South Germantown Mountain Bike Park & BMX Pump Track is located on the Hoyles Mill Trail in Boyds. For visitors interested in cycling, this is a clearly defined focus in its own right, alongside the shared-use trails.

On the water, the Black Hill Water Trail offers a self-guided discovery tour on Little Seneca Lake by canoe, kayak or rowboat. Black Hill Boats rents rowboats, canoes, pedal boats, paddleboards and kayaks. For canoes and kayaks, it has an accessible, ADA-compliant dock and launch system. This information applies to the dock and launch system; it does not mean that all trails or activities are generally accessible.

More Recreational Activities

The South Germantown Driving Range has 40 hitting bays, ten of which are covered. This offers a different kind of recreation from a lake tour or the park trails: the focus here is on practicing at the driving range. The South Germantown Splash Park & Miniature Golf is a seasonal facility with a lighted 18-hole championship miniature golf course; check operating dates before your visit.

Architectural History and Exhibits

The Drury-Austin House showcases two phases of construction in a one-and-a-half-story dwelling: a log section dating to the late 18th century and a half-timbered section added in the early 19th century. The house is considered a substantially unaltered example of a house type that characterized the earliest settlement period in western Montgomery County. The building sections and the historical context thus offer two different perspectives on the same house.

Friends Advice offers another perspective on rural history. The property has been part of a working farm since its establishment and is defined by a main house built of local sandstone. The King Barn Dairy MOOseum, by contrast, focuses on the history of dairy farming in Montgomery County, Maryland. Its permanent collection includes interactive exhibits and educational programs on the subject.

Boyds Negro School is another historic site. Its authentic artifacts include desks, chalkboards and a cast-iron stove. Together with the houses and the museum, it offers a selection of distinct historical topics: architecture and settlement, a working farm, dairy farming and school history. When planning your stay, you can consider these themes alongside water-based and recreational activities.

More destinations in Montgomery County: Gaithersburg, Chevy Chase, Ashton-Sandy Spring, Wheaton-Glenmont, Silver Spring, Redland, Takoma Park and Potomac. Gaithersburg, Chevy Chase, Ashton-Sandy Spring, Wheaton-Glenmont, Silver Spring, Redland, Takoma Park, Potomac

For the overview of the wider destination: Montgomery.