Did you know Maryland has an Ice Cream Trail?
I don’t know who was more excited to learn about the Maryland Ice Cream Trail, me or my children!
This is a 250-year old tradition in Maryland and a must do summer activity!
What is the Maryland Ice Cream Trail?
Maryland now has 10 dairy farms with on-farm creameries that make up the Maryland Ice Cream Trail.
These creameries offer fresh delicious on-farm ice cream. That’s right—cow-to-cone!
Each creamery sells their ice cream directly to the consumer
While many of them are a fair drive from the Washington DC metro area, you might just realize that you are passing close to one on the way to your final destination.
The Maryland Ice Cream Trail Passport (& Prizes)
You can also be named the Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Champion Trailblazer by participating in their contest.
Simply take a photo or selfie at each of the creameries and submit them to [email protected].
All submissions will be entered into a drawing and the selected champion will receive a $50 gift certificate to the creamery of their choice, a copy of the children’s book “Tales of the Dairy Godmother: Chuck’s Ice Cream Wish,” and a trophy.
When to Go
The 2024 season begins on May 26th and runs through October 1st.
Every farm has it’s own hours and those hours DO and can change. While we’ve included the hours below, make sure to double check hours on the farm’s website and / or Facebook page to make sure hours have not changed before you go.
Maryland Ice Cream Trail Participating Farms
The ice cream trail is 290 miles long ranging from Washington County in the west part of the state to Worcester County on the east side.
The 9 farms below are participating in the 2024 Maryland Ice Cream Trail and we’ve broken them down by county so you can start with the ones closest to you.
Montgomery County
#1 Woodbourne Creamery at Rock Hill Orchard
28600 Ridge Rd., Mt. Airy, MD 21771 | 301-831-7427
Woodbourne Creamery is the closest creamery to DC and the only one located in Montgomery County.
Let’s just say, the ice cream does not disappoint (unless that is, you wish that you bought a bigger size!).
Woodbourne uses their own milk from grass-fed Guernsey cows and their own seasonal ingredients when possible. There are basic year round flavors including:
- Vanilla
- Black raspberry
- Dark chocolate
- Orange dreamsicle
- Strawberry
- Ginger
- Toasted Coconut Chip
- and several others
They also offer seasonal flavors during prime season of the ingredients such as pumpkin ice cream (yum!) during the Fall, as well as, Maryland’s best peach ice cream and rock the red velvet.
We also visited in the Fall to enjoy their Fall festivities including the hayride to the pumpkin patch. You can also watch the cows being milked by robotic milkers or pet the calves.
We did not pick apples but for those interested, apple picking starts in late August and pumpkin picking begins in late September.
Hours: Wednesday – Sunday from 11am to 5pm
Frederick County
#2 South Mountain Creamery
8305 Bolivar Road, Middletown, MD 21769 | 301-371-8565
Being the next closest creamery to the metro area, The South Mountain Creamery is quite popular in the area area due to their milk and food home deliveries.
At this farm, you can watch the cows being milked from the picnic tables outside of the store or even take a self-guided or guided farm tours. You can learn more about what to expect at the farm here.
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday – 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
#3 Rocky Point Creamery
4323 Tuscarora Road, Tuscarora, MD 21790 | 301-874-5810
Rocky Point Creamery has over 80 (yes, you heard that right!) flavors of homemade ice cream they make from their 180 Holstein dairy cows.
They also have milk, brown eggs, cheese, beef and they even have a blooming summer sunflower field in July and August.
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 11:30am to 8:30pm
#4 Happy Cow Creamery
8728 Dollyhyde Rd, Union Bridge, MD 21791 | 301-829-9996
Visiting Happy Cow Creamery is such a treat! It feels like stepping back in time to a true mom-and-pop shop where you can get fresh dairy products, produce, and different canned items.
The cows here are well taken care of, and you can taste the difference in their delicious products.
The kids loved riding around the farm on a tractor, seeing the cows, and learning how the farm works. They especially enjoyed discovering why the cows are so happy!
Hours: Thursdays: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Fridays & Saturdays: 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Sundays: 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
#5 Moo Cow Creamery @ Walnut Ridge Farm
3935 Bussard Rd, Middletown, MD 21769 | 240-549-9183
This one is a true gem! This family-run business offers delicious cheeses that my family can’t get enough of. They also have excellent gift boxes and baskets, perfect for any occasion.
If your family loves cheese as much as mine does, Moo Cow Creamery is the place to shop. The small, homey feel makes every visit special, and it’s great to know you’re supporting a local business.
Hours: Monday to Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Baltimore County
#6 Prigel Family Creamery
4852 Long Green Road, Glen Arm, MD 21057 | 410-510-7488
Prigel Family Creamery prides themselves on their creamy, delicious, homemade ice cream and ice cream bars. Some of their delicious flavors are:
- Sweet cream
- Chocolate chip
- Chocolate peanut butter
- Black cherry
- Caramel pretzel
- Bobby’s black mud
They also have a cookie dough sundae, ice cream sandwiches, milkshakes, sundaes, soda floats, waffles and more.
Local tip: Prigel Family Creamery is the closest farm on the trail to Annapolis where there are lots more fun things to do.
They also have a second location in Belvedere Square at 529 E. Belvedere Square Market, Baltimore, MD 21212.
Hours: Monday – Saturday 12 – 8pm (Farm Location)
Monday – Saturday: 12pm – 8pm (Belvedere Square)
Every Saturday 8am – 12:30pm (Farmers Market)
Harford County
#7 Broom’s Bloom Dairy
1700 S. Fountain Green Road (MD 543), Bel Air, MD 21015 | 410-399-COWS (2697)
Broom’s Bloom has been named Harford County’s Best Ice Cream 10 years in a row and even Tripadvisor named them 5th in the nation on the list of top 10 ice cream shops in the United States. So needless to say, this is one delicious creamery!
If that’s not enought, there is also the view of the beautiful countryside, games, lots of space for the kids to run around and of course, delicious farm fresh ice cream, that make this farm more than worth a visit.
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 11 A.M. – 6 P.M. Friday and Saturday, 11 A.M. – 6 P.M. Sunday, 12 P.M. – 6 P.M. Closed Every Monday.
#8 Keyes Creamery
349 Hopewell Road Havre de Grace, MD 21078 | 443-619-4975
Keyes Creamery is another great option for some premium farm ice cream.
They milk their cows twice a day and then pasteurize small batches of milk from the dairy before turning it into ice cream mix.
The flavors are hand mixed right at their creamery so you will be eating fresh, custom batches.
The regular flavors you come to expect are always available, as well as flavors like:
- Chocolate Coconut Almond
- Black Cherry Chip
- Cow’s Feet
- Buttery Salted Caramel
- And many others
In the summer you’ll find additional flavors like Strawberry cheesecake, banana pecan chip, bubble gum, salted caramel brownie and several others.
Hours: Daily 12pm to 8pm. Monday Closed.
Washington County
#9 Misty Meadows Farm Creamery
14325 Misty Meadow Road, Smithsburg, MD 21783 | 301-824-2112
Misty Meadows Farm Creamery is a seriously fun farm to visit.
Of course you’ll head their for the farm fresh ice cream but they also have animals like sheep, cows, mini horses and more you can meet.
Plus there are activities like pedal tractors, a little play area and more. They also have seasonal activities like a corn maze and pumpkin patch in the fall.
But let’s get back to the ice cream!
Here they have their standard (including unique flavors), seasonal flavors and they also have sorbets for anyone who needs a dairy free option.
Plus, you’ll find a couple of sugar free options and gluten free, peanut free and tree nut free ice cream.
Some fun flavors you’ll find are:
- Dizzy cow
- Orange pineapple
- Granny’s crumbs
- Lemon cookie
- White chocolate raspberry
- and more
Hours: Saturdays from 11am to 5pm, Rest Days 1pm to 5pm. Closed Mondays and Wednesdays.
Check out our review of Misty Meadows Farm Creamery for full details.
#10 Deliteful Dairy
16320 Long Delite Lane Williamsport, MD 21795 | 301-223-0032
Visit Deliteful Dairy, say hello to the happy cows and enjoy some of the most delicious ice cream you’ve every had!
They also have other delicious food like free-range eggs, cheeses, handcrafted roll butters, farm-raised and grass-fed beef, pork and more
You’ll also find them at the Leesburg Farmer’s Market.
Hours: Monday – Friday from 10am to 6pm and Saturdays from 9am to 6pm. Sundays Closed.
Worcester County
#11 Chesapeake Bay Farms, Inc.
8905 Logtown Road, Berlin, MD 21811 | Phone: 410-629-1997
This is the lower shores only dairy farm and here you’ll find ice cream made from scratch.
100% of the milk from cow’s at Chesapeake Bay Farms is used to make ice cream, cheese and butter right on the farm.
Hours: Daily 12pm to 7pm (Except Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday)
They also have a second location at 4111 Whitesburg Road, Pocomoke, MD 21851.
Kent County
#12 Lockbriar Farms
10051 Woorton Rd, Chestertown, MD 21620 | 410-778-9112
Lockbriar Farms is a gem on the Maryland Ice Cream Trail. They offer a “pick your own berries” experience, which is perfect for a fun family outing. Since starting their first batch of ice cream in 2011, Lockbriar has been recognized as one of 13 local farms awarded for expanding their value-added production.
The Ice Cream Barn operates daily during the summer and into fall, providing visitors with wonderful, fresh-made ice creams. Their signature homemade ice cream tastes just like Grandma’s and is very affordable, making it a hit with both kids and adults!
For more details, please visit the Lockbriar Farms website.
Maryland Ice Cream Trail Map
Good to Know Before You Go
- Double check the dairy farm’s website for operating hours as times can change depending upon the season.
- Since many of these farms sell products besides ice cream, consider bringing a cooler to bring home extra ice cream or any other perishable items that are available.
- The ice cream trail passport has been a promotion for the past few summers. If you happen to miss it this year, consider adding it to you to-do list for next summer.