Cool Places

Finding Ways to Beat the Heat is Job One (and Probably Job Two) this Summer

By Guy Fletcher

Photography by Turner Photography Studio

On these hazy summer days, when you can see the heat lift off the road and feel your throat begin to dry, your mind might naturally wander to those heavenly places that promise a well-maintained HVAC system, a chilly glass of ice water or maybe even Mother Nature’s own kind of air conditioning in the form of a cool river, shaded trail or refreshing waterfall.   

The good news is there is no shortage of these kinds of things available in Frederick County. That is a very good thing, considering the summer we’ve been having.

So, let’s look at just some of the ways we can all fend off the dog days of August.

River of Fun

One of the easiest ways to cool off in the summer is having a giant waterway in your neighborhood.

Fortunately, the southwest border of Frederick County is guarded by the Potomac River, which bends, turns and even splits (around islands) from Knoxville along to the Washington County border down near its confluence with the Monocacy River at Dickerson.

This expansive river provides many opportunities for cooling off, from kayaking and boating to fishing, swimming and just simply dipping your toes in the shore, whiling away the day beneath the shady trees.  

For the slightly more adventurous, there are many tubing and rafting opportunities available on the river, albeit with access on the Virginia and West Virgina side of the Potomac. Check out River & Trail Outfitters and River Riders.

And the Potomac River is only one of the waterways in the county. The Monocacy boasts many recreational opportunities of its own, as do many creeks and streams.

Falling for Relief

When you have a region with plenty of natural water and mountains, there must be waterfalls. That is true in Frederick County and few get more attention than Cunningham Falls near Thurmont. At 78-feet long, it is the largest cascading waterfall in Maryland.

Once named McAfee Falls after a family of early European settlers, the name Cunningham Falls was adopted from a photographer from nearby Pen Mar Park who frequently photographed the falls.

But while the falls are refreshing to the eyes only (swimming is not allowed), the real summer relief at Cunnigham Falls State Park comes from the nearby 43-acre, manmade Hunting Creek Lake, which offers swimming, boating, fishing and other activities. Big Hunting Creek, one of Maryland’s premier trout streams, flows through the park.

If you are going to Cunningham Falls, keep in mind that cell phone service in the area can be limited.

Movies to Give You Shivers

Retreating to the air-conditioned movies to escape summer’s swelter (you may even want to bring a sweater) is something we tend to take for granted, but patrons in the 1930s of the Tivoli Theatre, now the Wineberg Center for the Arts, 20 W. Patrick St., weren’t so lucky. One audience member was quoted at the time as saying, “It could get hot as blazes in there in the summer.”

All that changed when a Walkersville racehorse named Challedon won the Hollywood Gold Cup. At a pre-race party, Frederick surgeon Edward Thomas—a friend of the horse’s owner—urged movie mogul Jack Warner to bet on Challedon. After the race, Warner wanted to show his appreciation, first offering Thomas part of his winnings. Thomas demurred, but suggested that Warner, owner of Frederick’s Tivoli, install air conditioning at the theater. It happened in 1940, making the Tivoli the city’s first air-conditioned building. Now, wouldn’t that make a good plot for a movie?

Today, you don’t have to make a wager to cool off at the local movie theaters. Just pass the popcorn.

Fountains Look Cool

Parks must have walking paths, benches, something for kids to play on and, if it’s a top-tier park, a fountain. Urban planners tell us that a fountain can help to create a natural vibe. Whether it’s the sound of running water or seeing it spray or cascade, fountains remind us of nature’s most necessary resource. In summertime, that’s especially important.

Frederick has a fair share of fountains, especially in Carroll Creek Park. The East/West Fountain near the South Market Street entrance is a beautiful presentation of tiered waterfalls against stonework and at the park’s other end, near the Claire McCardell statue, jets of water shoot across the creek.

In Baker Park, a fountain is prominently gushing in the middle of Culler Lake, and a fountain built in the late 1890s stands outside City Hall. The heat may make you want to try it, but it’s generally frowned upon to frolic in the fountains. That’s where the fountain on North Market and 7th streets comes into play. The spray hits the sidewalk area, making it possible to get a bit of relief.     

Frederick’s Concrete Beaches

So, you don’t have a pool in your backyard. You may not even have a backyard. You don’t have friends or family with a pool, and even if you do, you feel a bit squishy about inviting yourself over. Time to take advantage of Frederick City’s public pools.

The largest facility is the Edward P. Thomas Memorial Swimming Pool at 500 Fleming Avenue. There’s a main pool, wading pool, diving well and splash features such as tumble buckets that leave you almost shivering, but in a good way because it’s so hot outside. There’s a grassy area for throwing down a blanket, as well as picnic tables and lounge chairs.

At 125 W. All Saints St. is the William R. Diggs Memorial Swimming Pool, a smaller facility that tends to have less hubbub. A slide offers kids a thrill and adults without small children to watch after can read a book or even sneak in a nap on lounge chairs beneath shade trees.   

A Shady Way to Stay Cool

What to do when the sidewalks and streets sizzle like you could fry an egg on them, but you still want to walk, bike or run for exercise? Make your way to the towpath of the old C&O Canal, which starts in Georgetown and ends in Cumberland, crossing through Frederick County areas like Brunswick and Point of Rocks.

The trail is flat, with no strenuous hills to make you sweat bullets, but most importantly is the canopy of trees that line the banks of the Potomac River, keeping high temperatures at bay. One of the most abundant trees is the Silver Maple, plentiful because it loves to have wet feet. Tulip Poplar also thrive in moist soil and add their height of 60 to 100 feet to the shade factor. You can also spot Box Elder, a species of Maple, and the American Sycamore.

Once you’ve enjoyed the breeze of the leaves, you may want to visit the C&O Canal National Park Visitor Center in Brunswick, which shares a building with the Brunswick Railroad Museum. 

If the towpath is too tame for your hiking needs, you can tackle a more strenuous path through the woods along the Appalachian Trail, Sugarloaf Mountain, Gambrill State Park and many other routes. 

Trekking in Trees

For more adventures in the shade, check out Tree Trekkers at 9560 Old National Pike. This private park is tucked into 30 acres of protected forest that helps keep the sun out, which is good because the ziplines and other aerial adventures might cause you to work up a little sweat.

The cool thing is there is something here for nearly all ages (recommended for 7 and above) and adventure needs, with 250 obstacles, 40 ziplines, 16 trails and eight difficulty levels.

Participants begin their visit in “ground school,” led by a qualified course monitor, before making their way to a practice course. Participants are instructed on how to use their equipment and then given time to practice before walking to the main start platform.

With so much variety in trails and difficulture, Tree Trekkers is the perfect place for group gatherings like birthday parties, corporate teambuilding, family fun, date nights and more.

Screaming for Ice Cream

All it takes is having someone walking by with a cone of ice cream to suddenly awaken the idea that you, too, need a cold, refreshing treat. Ice cream is special anytime of the year, especially sitting next to a slice of birthday cake, but it’s truly made for the summer. 

If you’re feeling extra ambitious, try making it yourself with either a hand-cranked machine or letting your freezer do the job. With the abundance of fresh, local fruit, let your creativity go crazy. But if that’s too much of a bother, there are plenty of shops around the city and county with employees at the ready with scoops or a deft hand at swirling soft serve into a cone or dish. 

By the way, ice cream is said to have originated with the Chinese, brought to Italy by Marco Polo (hello, gelato) later showing up in France where Thomas Jefferson brough the idea to America. Even with the endless varieties of flavors, the worldwide favorite is vanilla.