CALIFORNIA, Md. — Construction crews have been carving out new segments of the Three Notch Trail this summer, marking the latest push in St. Mary’s County’s decades-long effort to finish a 28-mile path from Hughesville to Lexington Park.
Crews are now focused on Phase IV-B, a 1.8-mile link between Chancellor’s Run Road and Pegg Road in California. Built alongside FDR Boulevard, the project is about 30 percent complete and is on track to open in late summer 2026. Another California segment, Phase III, is partially in place through private development near South Plaza, Wal-Mart and Wildewood condominiums. The missing link will be tied together once FDR Boulevard is completed in spring 2026, with work expected to start this November, weather permitting.
Beyond California, the next major expansion is Phase VII, a 3.3-mile stretch from Wildewood to a new trailhead near MD 245 in Hollywood. Designs are complete and funding is secured, with right-of-way agreements now being finalized. Construction is expected in 2027. Farther north, Phase VIII (4.5 miles from MD 245 to Friendship School Road) and Phase IX (2.5 miles to Baggett Park) remain in long-range plans as funding becomes available.
The project has been in the works since county commissioners endorsed it in 2003, progressing in phases as funding allowed. To date, six segments totaling more than 11 miles are open, completed between 2006 and 2016. The paved, 10-foot-wide path now links neighborhoods with schools, parks, libraries, farmers’ markets, the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home, the county Visitor’s Center and the Northern Senior Center. Interpretive panels along the trail highlight its history as a former railroad corridor where trains once ran until the early 1960s.
Public involvement continues to shape the project. This spring, county officials gathered feedback on Phase VII between March 13 and April 11, including a public meeting April 3. Residents weighed in on access points, safety features and neighborhood connections. Recreation and Parks staff are also working with the National Park Service to study incorporating the route into the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail system.
The Three Notch Trail is open daily from sunrise to sunset for walking, running and biking. Parking is available at the Charlotte Hall Trailhead at the Northern Senior Activity Center and at John V. Baggett Park in Mechanicsville, where seasonal restrooms and water are provided.
Information on Recreation and Parks capital projects is posted at stmaryscountymd.gov/Recreate/RPCIP.
Residents with questions may contact project manager Christina Bishop at the St. Mary’s County Department of Recreation and Parks.
This article reflects the most recent project updates available as of late summer 2025.
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