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Resources for Campers

The MASHOUT site is located at 11828 Mason Rd NE, Cumberland, MD, just south of the MD/PA state line and just 1.3 miles south of the 1812 Brewery. The closest interstate highway is I-68, and the interchange for the MASHOUT site is Rt 220 (Exit 46 heading eastbound or Exit 47 heading westbound). Rt 220 is also accessible from the PA Turnpike (I-76) via the Bedford exit. Connecting these two interstate highways, Rt 220 offers attendees access to two very historic and interesting towns – Cumberland in MD and Bedford in PA. Both of these towns offer many amenities and entertainment options.

Nearby Hotels

For those who prefer hotel accommodations to camping, there are a number of options both north and south of the MASHOUT site. At the I-68 interchange, the Sleep Inn & Suites - Cumberland-LaVale offers clean, non-smoking rooms for around $90. There are also a number of motels and hotels in Cumberland, about 5 miles from MASHOUT site. And there are many more options at the I-76 interchange in PA and in Bedford itself. A good booking service like Booking.com or Hotels.com will provide you with numerous options in all of these locations.

Nearby Shopping

There are a number of options for basic amenities like food and convenience items.

In MD, there are full-service shopping options (such as a Super Walmart) in Cumberland-LaVale as well as basics (gas & convenience stores) at the I-68/Rt 220 interchange (Love's Travel Stop) and in Flintstone (11 miles east of MASHOUT on I-68). Of special interest in Flintstone is Redbud Bulk Foods and Deli, right off the I-68 exit (turn left into the parking lot at the end of the ramp). Redbud is operated by a Mennonite family and features freshly-baked bread, homemade deli sandwiches, and bulk foods of all types. Of special interest to homebrewers are bulk quantities (in 5 lb bags) of special brewing grains like red and white raw wheat, oats, and a number of others. There are also great snacks, dried fruits and nuts, and many other items.

In PA, there are full-service options in Bedford. Save-A-Lot (8772 Lincoln Hwy) and Giant Eagle (510 E Pitt St) are the main supermarkets downtown. There are also options for specific amenities like produce. One location in particular, Queen City Fruit, Produce, and Beer Distributor, offers fresh fruit and produce as well as a selection of over 200 commercial beers. (Note on buying beer in PA - distributors like Queen City sell beer only by the case. Individual bottles and 6-packs can only be purchased in bars and restaurants.)

Closer to the MASHOUT site, there is the State Line Discount Grocery on Rt 220 (just north of the MD/PA line and 3.5 miles from MASHOUT) and Mom's One Stop on Rt 220 (12.5 miles north of MASHOUT). Mom's offers hot meals (the hamburgers are especially recommended) in addition to convenience items.

Nearby Eating and Drinking  

The closest facility to MASHOUT which serves prepared food is Love's Travel Stop at the I-68/Rt 220 interchange, which features both a MacDonald’s and a Subway. And there are numerous eating and drinking options in Cumberland about 5 miles from MASHOUT.

In Bedford, there are a number of eating and drinking options in all price ranges. For beer lovers, two sites in particular are recommended – the Village News (110 S. Juliana St in downtown) and the historic Jean Bonnet Tavern (6048 Lincoln Hwy, about 4.5 miles west of downtown). Both have good food options and an excellent selection of local and regional craft beers. Bottles and 6-packs are also available for purchase. Note for non-smokers - smoking is allowed at Village News, so keep this in mind if you have a bad reaction to cigarette smoke.

For wine lovers, Briar Valley Vineyard and Winery at 107 E Pitt St in downtown Bedford offers daily tastings of their award-winning wines.

Coffee lovers may want to visit HeBrews Coffee Co at 103 S. Richard St in Bedford, which gets excellent reviews for its coffee and baked goods. And the best ice cream in town can be found at Lovey’s Creamery at 113 S Juliana St.

Beer Touring  

Several breweries are located in close proximity to the MASHOUT site. The 1812 Brewery (13006 Mason Rd NE - just 1.3 miles north of the MASHOUT site) opened for business in 2017. It is a farmhouse operation located in an old barn (yes, built in 1812). Taproom opening hours are limited, so contact them before visiting. The Dig Deep Brewing Co (2 Howard Street, Suite B, Cumberland, MD) is 4.3 miles from the MASHOUT site and features a nice array of very good quality ales and lagers. Olde Bedford Brewing Co, which operates out of Fat Jimmy's Outfitters at 109 Railroad St in Bedford, is 28 miles north of the MASHOUT site but well worth a visit. It is a family-run operation making excellent beers. Fat Jimmy’s is also the best outdoors store and bicycle repair facility in Bedford so will now be of multiple interest to MASHOUT attendees. A new farmhouse brewery, Locust Post Brewery, recently opened in Little Orleans, MD, 25 miles east of the MASHOUT site. It has gotten good reviews for its location and its beers, and it features live music on the weekends. Other operating breweries within driving distance of the MASHOUT site are Whitehorse Brewing, a well-reviewed farmhouse brewery in Berlin, 32 miles northwest of MASHOUT and Railroad City Brewing, a brewery and taproom located in Altoona, 40 miles north of Bedford.

Things to Do Near MASHOUT

General Outdoor Activities (including swimming, fishing and hiking):

Rocky Gap State Park is 6 miles (about a 10-12 minute drive) east of the MASHOUT site. The park offers a full-facilities campground for those who prefer showers, flush toilets, and full hookups to the more primitive facilities at the MASHOUT site. And since the campground allows pets, it may serve as a viable alternative for those who feel they must bring their pet along on MASHOUT weekend.

The park also provides hot showers at the day use area at Lake Habeeb (which also offers boating, fishing and swimming opportunities) and there are numerous hiking trails in the park as well. Cost of admission to the park is $4 per person for MD residents, $6 for out-of-state residents. MD seniors get free admission with the state Golden Age Pass.

For hikers, there are several very scenic trails around Lake Habeeb and ascending the ridge just north of the lake. A detailed trail map can be obtained at the park office near the entrance.

And in the opposite direction from the MASHOUT site in PA, there is Shawnee State Park, just northwest of Bedford and 47 minutes from the MASHOUT site by car. This park features a large lake with a swimming beach plus bathhouses with showers - and no entry fees! In addition, the highly rated Jean Bonnet Tavern (with good food and craft beer as mentioned above) is right on the route to the park. Shawnee also has a full service campground as well as hiking and bicycling trails so could be an excellent destination for a day excursion.

Biking and Hiking:

Rocky Gap State Park offers several very nice hiking trails as well as great bicycling both in and around the park. Just north of Rocky Gap is Buchanan State Forest in PA, which also offers a number of great trails and cycling opportunities. This triad is completed by Green Ridge State Forest, southeast of Rocky Gap, which is renowned for its wide variety of excellent mountain biking trails.

The very scenic (and flat) C&O Canal Towpath can be cycled from its terminus in Cumberland to points east. The terminus of the canal is just below the Western Maryland Railroad passenger station in downtown Cumberland (at the corner of Baltimore and Canal Streets).

The Great Allegheny Passage, a 150 mile abandoned rail grade that has been converted into one of the finest biking and hiking trails in the east, is open from Cumberland (where it connects to the C&O Canal) to Homestead, PA near Pittsburgh. The 16 mile section between Cumberland and Frostburg makes for a very nice day ride, and the trail section from Frostburg west to Meyersdale (also 16 miles) passes through one of the longest rail-trail tunnels in the country, under Savage Mountain (total distance 3,294').

Railroad Excursion:

Railroad buffs may wish to sign up for the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad excursion. In past years, this excursion was pulled by "Mountain Thunder", a 1916 Baldwin coal burner. The locomotive was under restoration for some time, and work was completed in 2022. However, as of summer 2023, all excursions are still pulled by diesel locomotives. Check the website regularly for updates. Excursions leave from the Western MD Railroad Passenger Station in Cumberland at 11:30 AM on Friday and Saturday. The train travels through beautiful country to Frostburg, where there is a 1/2 hour layover for lunch and sightseeing. Return trip is along the same tracks. The complete round trip takes 3 hours. Reservations should be made at least two days in advance, either on the website or by calling 1-800-872-4650. In past years, the railroad also carried bicycles from Cumberland to Frostburg for a small fee, which made for a wonderful all-downhill 16-mile ride back to Cumberland. However, it appears that this service is no longer being offered.

Sightseeing:

Cumberland, a transportation center for 150 years, is well worth a visit. Three historical transportation routes, the C&O Canal, the B&O Railroad, and the National Highway (Rt 40), converge on Cumberland. The Allegheny County Visitors Center, in the old Western Maryland train station at the corner of Baltimore & Canal Streets, is a good place to start a tour of the city. The Washington Street Historic District (with architectural styles from the late 19th century), and the old Emmanuel Church (1849), built on the site of the original Ft Cumberland (at Washington and Greene Streets) are worth a look. History House (301-777-8678), the 1867 mansion built for the owner of the C&O Canal, is filled with paintings, furniture, costumes, and Civil War artifacts. At Riverside Park, you can gaze into (but not enter) George Washington's original cabin from Ft Cumberland, complete with a mannequin of the Father of our Country, along with sword, bugle, and chamber pot. A full schedule of Cumberland events to be held during MASHOUT weekend can be found on the Mountain Side of Maryland website.

Bedford, with a history pre-dating the American Revolution (settled in 1751) has numerous sites of both natural and historical interest. One thing it has in common with the city of Cumberland is George Washington, who headquartered at the Espy House in Bedford (121 E Pitt St) while putting down the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794 (the rebellion began in the nearby Jean Bonnet Tavern just west of town). Fort Bedford on the Juniata River was built by the British army in 1758 and was the first British fort taken by the continental army during the American Revolution. Old Bedford Village at 220 Sawblade Rd is a living history village that offers a variety of educational & entertainment options. And the National Museum of the American Coverlet (322 S Juliana St) provides those interested in the weaving arts with an extensive look at the history and technology of woven American bed covers. The Bedford County Visitor's Bureau offers free walking tours of historic Bedford every Friday from 3:30 to 5:00 PM. The bureau is located at 131 S Juliana St downtown. On the natural side, those interested in caves and caverns may want to tour two fairly extensive natural caves in the area - Coral Caverns, the only known fossilized coral reef cavern, is located 7 miles west of Bedford; and Lincoln Caverns & Whisper Rocks, two adjacent limestone caverns, are located 56 miles north of Bedford.