ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail launched its 2025 season on May 22, 2025, at Misty Meadows Farm Creamery in Washington County, promoting the state’s dairy industry with 14 on-farm creameries. Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks introduced a new digital check-in system via the Let’s Rallie app, enhancing the trail experience with QR code scans at each stop. The trail, running through September 1, offers prizes, including the 2025 Ice Cream Trailblazer award for completing all locations.
The trail spans over 145 miles, from Frederick County to the Eastern Shore, featuring creameries like Prigel Family Creamery in Baltimore County, South Mountain Creamery in Frederick County, and Chesapeake Bay Farms in Worcester County. Participants can track visits using the free Let’s Rallie app, available on Apple and Android, or by emailing photos to icecream.trail1@maryland.gov. “With 14 stops this year, I am going to need a bigger freezer!” said Atticks. “These types of trails are more than just fun, they also allow dairy farms to be more profitable by giving farmers an option to build markets for their value-added products.”
New prizes include rewards for the first app check-in, the first to visit five creameries, and the first to check in at a creamery and its paired hiking trail. The grand prize, the 2025 Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trailblazer, includes a $50 gift certificate to a creamery of choice, a copy of “Tales of the Dairy Godmother: Chuck’s Ice Cream Wish,” and a Trailblazer trophy. Completing all 14 stops via app or email enters participants into the drawing. A partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources encourages hiking at nearby state trails, with check-ins via the app offering a chance to win an annual State Parks pass for completing all hikes and creamery visits.
“Whether you want to explore the mountains of western Maryland or the coastal plains of the Eastern Shore, we’ve done the work to help you find a hike near these wonderful creameries,” said Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz. “One of the best ways to motivate your kids–or your friends–to join you on a hike is to let them know about the ice cream you’ll enjoy afterwards.” Social media engagement is encouraged, with participants urged to tag Maryland’s Best (@mdsbest, @mdsbestag) and creameries on platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
The trail highlights Maryland’s 300 dairy farms, which produced over 101 million gallons of milk in 2022, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Creameries such as Keyes Creamery in Harford County and Woodbourne Creamery in Montgomery County offer farm-fresh ice cream, showcasing local flavors and agricultural heritage. The initiative, now in its 13th year, supports dairy farmers by driving tourism to rural areas, as noted on the Maryland’s Best website. The 2025 trail includes new stops like Glamourview Creamery and Miller Farms, expanding its reach.
Since its inception in 2012, inspired by Rocky Point Creamery’s Chuck Frye, the trail has grown from 10 to 14 creameries, reflecting consumer demand for farm-to-cone experiences. Participants can explore creameries like Broom’s Bloom Dairy in Harford County or Lockbriar Farms in Kent County, each offering unique flavors and farm activities. The digital app addresses past feedback about tracking visits, making the trail more accessible for families and tourists.
