by Kym Byrnes
One of the things I love about living in the mid-Atlantic region — and Carroll County in particular — is how vividly we get to experience all four seasons. Each one has its charms, but it’s the transition seasons, spring and fall, that fuel me.
If you ask me my favorite season during the winter, I’ll say spring, and if you ask me in the summer, I’ll say fall. The transition seasons explode with color and tickle our senses. They remind us that change can be beautiful, even necessary.
Fall especially feels like a gift. The air turns crisp, the light softens, and suddenly the trees seem to be on fire with color — bright oranges, reds, and yellows that make even an ordinary drive feel extraordinary. But when I get out in nature, the season really comes alive for me.
I’ve lived in Carroll County much of my life, and I see our parks — with their nearly 70 miles of trails — as one of our county’s greatest treasures. After busy days, nothing resets me quite like a long hike with my dogs.
At Piney Run Park in Sykesville, Hashawha Environmental Center in Westminster, or on one of the quieter, tucked-away trails, the noise of daily life falls away. There’s the crunch of leaves underfoot, the sound of water moving over rocks, and the steady rhythm of paws and boots keeping time together. In those moments, I find a kind of peace I can’t find anywhere else.
That’s what I love about hiking in Carroll in the fall. It’s good for the body, yes, but it’s just as powerful for the mind and spirit. A few hours outside can lift the weight of the week, offer perspective, and remind us that there’s beauty to be found right in our own backyard.
The October/November issue of Carroll Magazine highlights some great places across the county to find a colorful autumn hike. I hope that you’ll be inspired to get out there — whether on a familiar loop or a hidden-gem trail you’ve never tried before.
We’re lucky to live in a place where nature is always close at hand, ready to welcome us back, season after season. I hope you’ll answer nature’s invitation this season — to step outside, breathe deeply, and feel fully alive in the glow of fall.
