I just got relocated to the Baltimore area with my wife and two dogs and I'm trying to find some decent hikes. Anything from a day trip to extended stay?

Try: http://www.hikingupward.com/

Walks-with-dogs,

Welcome to the Central Atlantic area. Years ago I lived in Wilmington, DE, and was for a time program chair and then president of the Wilmington Trail Club.

There is lots of hiking within reach of Baltimore. The AT from about Waynesboro north to NY is workable for weekends, and mostly, this section is beautiful. Look also at the C&O Towpath, starting in DC and crossing the AT at Harper's Ferry. Also, the Horseshoe trail cuts south east from the AT at about Hershey. And the Brandywine trail cuts off the Horseshoe trail above Chadd's Ford, PA and goes right into Wilmington (not much over an hour from you, I suspect). There is also the Mason-Dixon Trail just where you would expect it to be. Finally, I believe that the BATONA Club of Philadelphia maintains an interesting trail in New Jersey, I think down in the Pine Barrens, again, close to you. Hope that gives you some ideas. Best, jcp

walk-with-dogs,

Just did a little checking with my hiking daughter in Newark, DE, and on Google. Yes, the BATONA trail is in the Pine Barrens area in NJ, and you can Google it. The Mason-Dixon trail also connects the AT with the Brandywine trail at Chad's Ford (B-Trail has been shortened somewhat and no longer goes into Wilmington proper). The M-D passes within about three miles of my daughter's place. Also discovered the following on Google: http://www.mcomd.org/.

Happy trails, jcp

The Maryland State Park system has a lot of trails that are great for day hikes: http://shopdnr.com/trailguides.aspx

For longer hikes, the C&O Tow Path has already been mentioned. And 41 miles of the AT runs through Maryland. Harper's Ferry to Greenbriar State Park is a nice two day hike.

The Mid-Atlantic Hiking Group on Meetups.com is great for getting to know the area. They have some very well-organized hikes with many to choose from each month. During the fall they often had 3 or 4 per day, with groups of a few people to 30 or more (15 hikers per leader). The hikes range all over Maryland and Virginia, with most within one hours drive of Baltimore!