RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Maryland >> Baltimore County >> Oak Forest Park >> Tidbits & TriviaIndex...

Outdoor Activities ...

As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).

When in Oak Forest Park, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Oak Forest Park and the surrounding area.

  • Weather ...
  • Astronomy & Satellites ...
    • Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
    • To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for Oak Forest Park:
    • 39.262051, -76.747750
    • Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
    • The Heavens-Above Website, centered on Oak Forest Park
  • Waymarking ...
    • Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
    • Waymark.com

Curious and Interesting Names Near Oak Forest Park ...

As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.

  • Asylum ‑ Historic
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Asylum have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asylum
    • Asylum is located in Baltimore County
  • Bonnie Brae
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Bonnie Brae have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonnie Brae
    • Bonnie Brae is located in Howard County
  • Chapelview
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Chapelview have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapelview
    • Chapelview is located in Howard County
  • Chestnut Farms
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Chestnut Farms have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestnut Farms
    • Chestnut Farms is located in Howard County
  • Chestnut Hill
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Chestnut Hill have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestnut Hill
    • Chestnut Hill is located in Howard County
  • Elkridge
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Elkridge have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkridge
    • Elkridge is located in Howard County
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Elkridge <2>
  • Elkridge Heights
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Elkridge Heights have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkridge Heights
    • Elkridge Heights is located in Howard County
  • Fair Brook
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Fair Brook have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fair Brook
    • Fair Brook is located in Baltimore County
  • Frederick Village
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Frederick Village have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frederick Village
    • Frederick Village is located in Baltimore County
  • Gray
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Gray have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gray
    • Gray is located in Howard County
  • Grays Level
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Grays Level have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grays Level
    • Grays Level is located in Baltimore County
  • Harristown
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Harristown have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harristown
    • Harristown is located in Baltimore County
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Hilltop
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hilltop have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilltop
      • Hilltop is located in Howard County
    • Hunting Ridge
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hunting Ridge have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunting Ridge
      • Hunting Ridge is located in Baltimore City
    • Ivy Hill
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Ivy Hill have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivy Hill
      • Ivy Hill is located in Howard County
    • Lawyers Hill
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawyers Hill
      • Lawyers Hill is located in Howard County
    • Orange Grove ‑ Historic
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Orange Grove have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orange Grove
      • Orange Grove is located in Baltimore County
    • Paradise
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Paradise have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise
      • Paradise is located in Baltimore County
    • Pleasant View
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Pleasant View have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant View
      • Pleasant View is located in Howard County
    • Quail Ridge
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Quail Ridge have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quail Ridge
      • Quail Ridge is located in Howard County
    • Relay
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Relay have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Relay
      • Relay is located in Baltimore County
    • Rockburn Commons
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Rockburn Commons have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockburn Commons
      • Rockburn Commons is located in Howard County
    • Rolling Heights
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Rolling Heights have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rolling Heights
      • Rolling Heights is located in Baltimore County
    • Thistle
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Thistle have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thistle
      • Thistle is located in Baltimore County
    • Timber Point
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Timber Point have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timber Point
      • Timber Point is located in Baltimore County
    • Timber Run
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Timber Run have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timber Run
      • Timber Run is located in Howard County
    • Timberview
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Timberview have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timberview
      • Timberview is located in Howard County
    • Toll House
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Toll House have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toll House
      • Toll House is located in Howard County
    • Violetville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Violetville
      • Violetville is located in Baltimore City
    • Wheatfield Way
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Wheatfield Way have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatfield Way
      • Wheatfield Way is located in Howard County

How Far From Oak Forest Park to ...

We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers & Almanacs that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Oak Forest Park to various places of note, such as the White House.

With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance<3> beginning in Oak Forest Park and extending to:

  • Towson, which is the Seat of Baltimore County, lies 12 miles [19.3 km]<3> to the northeast. If you could walk a straight line from Oak Forest Park to Towson, with an average speed<4> of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour, it would take five to six hours to make the trip. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take nearly four hours.
  • Annapolis, which is the State Capital of Maryland, lies 23 miles [37 km] to the southeast (SE). The buggy would take most of a day and walking would take just about two full days.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 29 miles [46.7 km] to the south southwest (SSW). The buggy would take just over a day and walking would take just about two full days.
  • The shortest distance<5> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 5,870 miles [9,446.8 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<6>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,576 miles [10,583 km] and it lies to the east northeast (ENE).<7>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,452 miles [7,164.8 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<8>

Footnotes ...

<1>The location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required.
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Oak Forest Park) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Oak Forest Park. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 39.2621, Longitude: -76.7477       In this case, the coordinates for Oak Forest Park have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<4>While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day.
<5>The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Oak Forest Park to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 307.695 degrees.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 303.274 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 304.45 degrees.