Haystack Mountain, a ridge west of Cumberland in Maryland’s Ridge and Valley Appalachians, forms the southern wall of the Cumberland Narrows opposite Wills Mountain. Beyond its geography, it was an important obstacle on early westward travel. An American Indian trail known as Nemacolin's Path crossed the mountain through the gap now used by Interstate 68, and General Braddock later followed that route during the French and Indian War before it became part of the National Road. For thousands of travelers moving west by wagon, its steep grades and dangerous descent made it one of the hardest stretches of the journey. Later, the National Highway, now U.S. Route 40, bypassed it through the Narrows.

Bowling Green, Maryland · USA