Washington Monument State Park

A squat stone drum on the crest of South Mountain, this 40-foot tower was raised by the citizens of Boonsboro in a single day in July 1827 — the first monument to George Washington ever completed anywhere in the country.

A five-minute walk on gravel leads from the parking area to the base, and an interior stair opens onto a parapet looking west across the Hagerstown Valley: the heart of Washington County, which in 1776 became the first county in the United States to take Washington's name. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail runs directly past the tower along the ridge, and in mid-September the summit becomes one of Maryland's best hawk-watching platforms as raptors ride the Cumberland Valley flyway south.

The park also serves as the headquarters for South Mountain State Battlefield and keeps a small museum on the 1862 fighting. Modest per-vehicle day-use fee.