Columbia is known for all the nature trails, lakes, villages etc. This particular trail is my "to…read morego" since it's very close in proximity. I usually do my walks, bike rides with my dad and daughter, jogs and you might see me with a jumprope. Just a good trail for some fresh air and to get my steps in! It can be a bit crowded at time but the people do practice social distancing / wear mask.

This is one of our favorite trails to go one for sure. I think the greatest thing about living in…read moreHoward Co. is all the different trails available. I have walked this trail both ways and up to the Wincopin Trails and Its always enjoyable. It is heavily trafficked if you go the bike path way, I recommend going towards Wincopin Trails if you rather be more secluded.

Came here with a friend on a beautiful fall day! Had a lovely walk. Plenty of people were on the…read moretrail. If you have mobility issues like me, where you can do some walking, there are some places that are uphill, but there are plenty of places of sit. I felt perfectly safe and plenty of other women were on the trail too. Parking is limited as it's a small lot, but people come and go so you should be able to find a spot or wait a little for one to open up. You may also be able to park at the storage place like 2 mins next door and walk down. Overall I would highly recommend and I loved it!

Absolutely love this trail. It has multiple offshoots, wide paths, and benches placed around with…read moreplacards with information about the flora and fauna you are walking through. Walking trails are a nice length and you can do a pretty substantial loop and get a couple miles in.

A county-managed natural preserve right in the middle of the county. It's over 1000 acres and has…read moreseveral miles of trails. The official parking location right off Trotter Road looks more like a national park facility than one of our humble county ones- lots of spaces, landscaping, informational signage, and bathrooms. There's an educational nature trail (grab the brochure on your way onto the trail), a good place to bring a family you're teaching to love the natural world. Lots of lovely old poplar trees. The north end of the park has "deep woods" vibes since unlike other local parks, there's no mountain bikers, no horses, no picnicers, and the river is a good walk away. Plus a large buffer zone extended north from there. Until a jet on final approach to BWI roars overhead to break the spell. There's riverfront access along the Connector trail. Respect the signage regarding closed areas. Most of the trails seemed suitable for runners. Note the trails around the Meadow on the map is mowed into the fields, which makes for a different experience underfoot (not my favorite personally). The parking lot is gated with signage saying it closes at sunset. However, the gate is powered and gave the impression it's the kind that won't lock you in- but best to check with the county to verify that. The trails here weren't my favorite (PVSP trails are more interesting to hike), but having such a substantial greenspace and nature preserve right in the middle of the county is great, and having it quiet and natural is even better. We in central Maryland are lucky to have so many of these kinds of spots.

My bf and I LOVE hiking here. The trails are mostly fairly easy/moderate and there are several…read morepaths you can take. As with most hiking places, be careful after it rains since it can get very muddy in some places. I also really appreciate that right next to the parking lot are clean bathrooms with running water and water fountains. The trails are fairly well marked and there are also maps available. There were also pamphlets of a list of all the different species of birds that live in area which was a pleasant surprise! My favorite part is the meadow area with really tall grass. But there were a couple of bird houses and once we saw many swallows (I think?) flying in the area and perching on the bird houses. Parts of the trail also go alongside the stream (I think the middle Patuxent river) and it's a very serene area and walk. We have already came here to hike a handful of times and plan to come back in the near future for more relaxing hikes!

Easy parking for trail access (closes at dusk, but no gate and it's lit up). There's also access…read morefrom a few other spots. This is a 1-2 mile drive from Savage Mill. Trails are very well maintained and marked - almost too well (less of a wild feel). Only the very start is paved, don't despair, it gets more interesting. Decent circuit trail routes, can be added together for more mileage. I did a variation following the water which made my completed route 3.14 miles. Various bits of history tucked away in the young woodland- read up about the quarries and railroads if you're into local history. That's what those massive granite abutments (with no bridge to match) are all about. Lots of riverbank access. Decent number of toads on and near the trail at dusk. Road noise from I-95 on the western side but overall surprisingly peaceful escape from suburbia. This sort of open space is a major perk of living in Maryland.

Very nice trail to hike, run, or mountain bike. My daughter and I hiked, and although it was a warm…read moreday, the canopy of the forest provided shade and comfort. We traveled down along the stream and at one point we took advantage of this beautiful backdrop and got some great pics. Beware, on this trail there are a lot of tree roots and rocks peeking from the ground and waiting to trip you. I know this because we tripped on more then one occasion:) The route is a loop and there are red and blue markings throughout the trail. At one point we were a little turned around, but the red markings and the "P" with and arrow directed us back to the parking lot. We truly enjoyed our hike and if you do the entire trail it's about 3.5 miles. Also, expect some elevation at points, but all in all I would say it's an easy to moderate trail to walk depending on your fitness level.

Since moving to Baltimore, this has been one of my go-to trails for easy access. I park at the…read moreThomas Dixon Observatory or at one of the gas stations closer to 97 (to get extra mileage). I like this trail because it's a loop. I generally ride on roads with large shoulder space, but I'm still mapping that out. So, this trail has proved useful. I'd say it's about 20-30% shaded, so take that into consideration on hot days! I'm not a fan of the rough spots (where the asphalt forms bumps, probably from the tree roots), but it's mostly a smooth ride. Just today, while on the trail, I realized that it connects to the B&A Trail, which will give you another 14 miles and travels out to Arnold! Wow. I think I'll try that one day. You'll find people biking, walking & running. So, if you're on a bike, be careful around those turns. Pass on the left and announce yourself. Have fun.

Have been riding this trail for many years always enjoyable until lately. It's being overrun by e…read morebikes which create a hazard to slower moving less mass bikes. Signs indicate no motorized vehicles.

What a breathtaking scenic view you get while walking this trail. The trail is maintained really…read morewell, I didn't see any trash, and there is spacious walking space between you, bikes, runners, and other walkers. You also get some great views of birds and the water. The trail is so long, it just keeps going on and on. Where I parked was a little small, and I could see the parking lot getting too full if you don't get to the park early enough. Regardless, this was a relaxing trail to walk on and I will 100% take it again soon.

Torrey Brown Trail (Ashland, MD to Mason Dixon Line [PA])…read more We ride segments of this trail with some regularity. This trip on Labor Day was from Whitehall to Mason Dixon Line (approx.9 miles, 18+ out & back). We were going to park at Monkton Station and have a longer ride, but holiday brought out everyone, and their brother, sister, cousin, college friends, camp counselors, army buddies, ...etc! So we navigated to the Whitehall stop. One feature of this trail is the many trailheads as options. The ride out climbs (4% max) to the PA line, it does, especially at the end feel a bit taxing, in a good way. We were on our Cannondale Topstone gravel bikes (37mm tires). The surface is consistent well packed limestone/ fine gravel. The ride back towards Whitehall is mostly a coasting excercise. The "crowd" offered all level of rider, walker, dog walker, jogger, stroller ladies, etc. so it wasn't as serene as this segment can usually be. For the most part, except on the busiest days at Torrey Brown (across 20+ mile stretch) can be quite private away from the trailheads. Good day, nice weather, great ride.

This is such a peaceful area located at Patapsco Valley State Park. The park itself is gorgeous…read morewith a basketball court, picnic tables, and a few hiking trails. This particular area has a small parking lot right next to the trail. It has about 25-30 steps to walk down the steps to get to this gorgeous area! Please note: you are not able to swim in the water but it's so peaceful just being surrounded by it.

Stunningly beautiful trails, water views, well maintained. Love coming here. Only major negative…read moreissue is increasing numbers of dogs off leash. I saw 3 in my last visit. Only 2 owners leashed their dogs when I requested upon encounter. On site ranger was sympathetic, they try their best by offering leashes at the entrance. But enforcement is the only way to address issue imo. Otherwise this place becomes too attractive to people who don't want to comply, ruining it for the rest of us.... I am frustrated to pay for admission or a seasonal pass (which IS very much enforced in this season) if I have to wonder about strange dogs approaching me off leash.... Another park ranger told me carrying pepper spray is legal in Md state parks to protect yourself and he recommends this for his fiance and sister

This park is huge! My partner & I were here for tennis lessons. There were several tennis courts,…read morebut of course, pickle ball was also in full swing. I think that's a bone of contention with our tennis instructor and they take up the tennis courts. The tennis court was very well maintained and we had a wonderful lesson. But they also had several other sports going on. I saw a Lacross game going on. They had a nice set up for food, snacks, etc. I also saw some baseball games going on, people bicycling and running. The parking lot was packed! It was hard for us to find a spot to park and had to wait for somebody to leave. I don't know if there's another parking lot on another side or not. There are plenty of bathrooms. As we drove in there was a library and I believe some sort of rec center. There's a lot to do here!

Local park offers fields and courts for all sports. Nice trail for walking and running. Park office…read morehas done great job to keep the park clean and well maintained.