There's a resident Bald Eagle in the park now and I've seen him five times this spring. Saw him flying upstream with a fish in his talons today. Woodpeckers, blue jays, and nuthatches were there today. read more

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Great hiking trails, scenic swaying bridge, streams, and waterfalls. I had a very enjoyable Saturday morning/afternoon and I'll be back.

Need a park to walk with great scenery bugs, water, innocent wild life? this is a great dot to come walk. just under a mile and a half, this gives you just enough walking experience to break a small sweat. coming back to check out the views again. read more

Patapsco State Park - Avalon Area - Scenery... history... - Parks Near Me - Halethorpe, Maryland

Beautiful trails with shade and sun and a picturesque waterfall, but be forewarned about the following: We waited 30 minutes to enter the park, a long line of cars was already queued up when we arrived at opening first thing. There's a $3 per person entry fee (they do accept cards, though). Despite trails being marked "No Bikes," bikers utilize paths and speed, not granting those on foot the right of way. Blazes are faded, and the trail map isn't great/could be improved. We ran into a few other groups experiencing similar disorientation in trying to follow the map. read more

Patapsco State Park - Avalon Area - Parks Near Me - Halethorpe, Maryland

This is hands down my favorite local place to visit for a quick hike. There are so many things to do off the beaten path. There's peaks, valleys, tunnels, caves, a waterfall & if you're lucky, you'll even see a train ride by. A few days ago, I got to take my youngest child, my son Roman to see the waterfall, go for a dip as well as a 3-4 mile hike. I love this place as much now as I've ever have. It was crowded, a lot of families were there for the camp sites and grills. I want to visit once more before the summer is over. read more

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Beautiful state park. We went here this morning. It's amazing how the park was so big. And plenty of parking if you get there early. It can get really busy in the park like 1:30 pm onwards. The parking was full. There were so many trails to choose from. We chose the cascade falls trail it was good, easy enough. Just be careful with the slippery rocks by the falls. I love the hanging bridge part. Theres also plenty of picnic areas which i love because we always brings snacks and it's great they have that even bbq grills too. Amazing park! Would definitely recommend. Since it's November we paid only $2.00 per vehicle with the ranger in the entrance but i am not sure how much it is on peak seasons. read more

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Be prepared, there is a small honor system entry fee of $2 that's collected at the entrance. A cold December afternoon, prevented crowds, and not the most scenic views. We arrived unaware of what the hikes promised and wish we would have known that there are several ways to get to the Swinging Bridge. We learned the following on our adventure in search of the Swinging Bridge and Cascade Falls: 1. You can drive directly to the Swinging Bridge. Follow the sign and make the left turn up River Road. You won't see any other signs on the 1.5 mile drive. There are approximately 8 parking spots available when you arrive at the bridge, along with a restroom. You'll also see a trail marked with a sign for Cascade Falls. The falls are about a 10 minute hike from this point. 2. You can also park at the Avalon playground, which by the way has clean restrooms. From this point, you can walk up the paved road, which again is about 1.5 miles. A shorter and direct path that you'll share with cars. To avoid a longer hike on a trail and to get just a bit of exercise, this may be your best bet. You can reach the river from this walk, but we quickly realized that you can't walk along the river to the bridge. 3. The entrance to the Ridge Trail is also found across from the playground. This trail will take you to the bridge and falls as well. We took the Ridge Trail on the way back. Definitely a bit of a hike that will have you cross a very small stream, hike in mud, and trek over tree trunks and rocks. Although the trees are marked with orange along the way, we definitely felt a bit lost at times. A few markers are also placed throughout the trail, but none telling you how long the trail is. After looking it up, it states that the trail is 3 miles long. The Valley View trail is also available and after researching it, we discovered that this trail may have better views in the winter and is a bit shorter. There are so many more trails and I can only imagine how gorgeous this park is in the spring. Due to the lack of signage, this park definitely becomes an adventure. Lastly, Cascade Falls isn't the most beautiful fall or even biggest fall that you'll see, but it was nice to take a moment to enjoy my surroundings. We had the peaceful spot to ourselves and it was awesome. read more

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I had the pleasure of taking multiple hikes here, during November mornings when it's cold and not very hospitable. The suspension bridge is amazing! The ruins of the flour factory is even more amazing! The ridge trail is worth the hike! The wildlife are hiding from the cold. It costs $2 to get in on the honor system. Bring your cash and take your proof of purchase. Don't let the weather stop you. I'm from Florida and I can hike when it's 25 degrees. So can you! Life is good! read more

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Good state park very clean, you will be charged three dollars per person in your party. If picnicking, bring your own trash bags as there are no longer public trash cans. Pavilions w electric outlets are available with a permit, alcohol license, all that. Yes they do come around and check so just be on the up and up. There is a creek running through the park, some old fashion playgrounds and hiking trails as well. A lot of the structure for the bridges looks very old and is attractive stone masonry. read more

Patapsco State Park - Avalon Area - Da RULES - Parks Near Me - Halethorpe, Maryland

What a beautiful hidden gem! Lots of trails, lovely water, dog friendly, playgrounds for the kiddos, I could go on and on. This may be one of my favorite state parks so far. It's clean and beautiful. You can go tubing, paddle boarding, etc. Lovely little waterfalls and creeks. If you love nature, come here! read more

I just love this area because there's much to do! I like hiking the thin dirt trail (about 1.4 miles) that leads to the Swinging Bridge and is walled in by brush, streams, stone, and trees. You look around and see the waterway with rippling water, maybe a fisherman or two, a kayaker here and there and, on a hot days, families playing in the more populated, more accessible areas of the water.The trail makes me feel like I'm alone on a rain forest trek (I have a creative imagination) and then along comes a friendly mountain biker and I am glad to see a smiling face and hear "On your right" so I can dodge the wheels lol lol lol j/k. Cascades Trail is more challenging and let's out on a waterfall and large rocks/boulders that one can quickly breach with just a little boost of courage (or maybe a tad more but I've seen smiling 12-yr old girls and a gray-haired lady hiker happily breach those boulders). I've seen eagles, heron, mallards of course, vultures, etc. The fishermen catch what's been placed in the water - trout and bluefish I think Try the Swinging Bridge but taking a leashed high spirited Jack Russell-beagle mix across with you makes it a little scary which I know from repeated personal experience. All in all, love this area of Patapsco Valley Park. Use your GPS to find the Avalon area bc PVP has so many different geographic sections throughout Maryland! You'll love Avalon and probably all of them! Next stop: Daniels Area of Patapsco!!! I've heard good things! read more

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not crowded on weekday forest with mushroom and streams don't know how it would be with bikes on trails----we saw only tidemarks read more

I went with as a group of 4 people and we were struggling to find where the parking//lot was. We ended up parking on the side of the road//shoulder since other people parked there. The entrance was kind of hidden. We had to walk past a 'hard har required' area and then at the end of the path it says 'Enter'. I did a 6 mile hike and was able to turn around to cut it short at certain points of the hike. This hike was mainly flat and some slanted hills. Youll be walking through dirt, rocks & tree roots with pants hitting your ankles/legs. I suggest that you wear long pants or shorts/capris with tall socks so no ticks can get to you. There are loke 2 small streams of river so you might end up walking in water. We went after it rained so the dirt was muddy. read more

Patapsco State Park - Avalon Area - by the solar panel area - Parks Near Me - Halethorpe, Maryland

My friends and I hiked the Morning Trail, which we enjoyed. It's a bit slippery in some places due to the soft dirt and smooth rocks -- I would recommend wearing hiking boots. The Cascade Falls were a nice sight to see, but a bit underwhelming as it was smaller than I expected. I'd probably come again since it was a nice hike with decent elevation! read more

Patapsco State Park - Avalon Area - Parks Near Me - Halethorpe, Maryland

I love this place. Avalon sugar area is perfect for trail biking, Hiking, running . Best part about this park is its easy accessibility. This park is about 15 mins drive from my place and there a 2$ parking fee or you can park for FREE on the lot across the Catonsville park and ride area on route 166 which leads directly to soapstone trail. First I will write about the hiking experience I had. We parked in the orange grove area and started hiking on orange trail. The trail was little muddy because of the rain the previous day but it was still doable. The trail is fairly easy only frustrating part was after half way through, the sign of the trail were all over the place and it was bit confusing but other than that it was enjoyable trail ended with a splendid view of cascade falls. The place was not too crowded so we sat there listening the soothing sounds of waterfall. We did orange trail twice and blue trail in about 3 and 1/2 hour. For biking, I always do Soapstone trail followed by vineyard and back by bull. I highly recommend this loop especially for beginners like me who are aiming for mountain biking in near future, its a good practice ground with Lodz of slopes. You will see plenty of artifact and bridges along the way and expect to see deer on the way.the trails leads to the edge where u can look down at the flowing river and across is the old railway line. I love seating here and devoting on my lunch sandwich. The trails are well maintained, Very easily accessible from the cities nearby and expect enjoyable and soothing experience with nature ! read more

Patapsco State Park - Avalon Area - Cascade falls! - Parks Near Me - Halethorpe, Maryland

I brought my toddler here on a Wednesday in mid July. It was surprisingly crowded but the park is so big you can easily socially distance. Just an FYI during our visit port -a- potties were available but no true restrooms. We ate a picnic lunch across from the swinging bridge. The swinging bridge is a great experience-make sure you walk over it a few times! We spent most of our day in the river. The water seems very clean and is clear. The bottom is rocky so I'd recommend shoes/sandals. There is no beach in this part, but you can put your towel and stuff on bank. People brought chairs, inner tubes to float,etc. We were in a very shallow part, perfect for newly branded toddlers;however , I heard others say there were deeper areas too a bit further down. Bring your sunscreen and plan to spend a few hours. We took the brief hike to the falls (1/4 mile roughly from swinging bridge), but my son was unimpressed so we left quickly. The park admission fee is minimal, and I hear they do close when they reach capacity. I highly recommend the trip here even if you're coming from NOVA! It's about 45-60 minutes away but well worth it! read more

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This park has so much to offer. It's been closed a lot lately, but once they finish making repairs on a part of it it'll be a real jewel. Located less than 10 minutes from Highway 95. read more

I love this park and I get a season pass every year. Unfortunately, they are not great at enforcing leash laws. So if you bring dogs carry a stick or mace because I always run into people walking unleashed dogs. read more

I thoroughly enjoy going to this park after work for a nice workout. When I started working in the area, I had no clue that this place existed until we had a company picnic. Patapsco State park is a getaway of getaways! There is much history in this area and the trails go on for miles at a time. The park is always neat and clean, Ive never visited and saw the park unkept. I love the fact that you can bring your pet to the park to walk; they have designated areas for pet clean up most everyone abides within the rules but every now and then you may see some pet mess that someone decided to leave behind but for the most things are kosher. The one thing that I love about this place (which may be a negative for some folks) is that when I go deeper into the park, my phone service doesn't work, so I am away from all of the cares of life for a short period of time with no outside distractions. With that I am able to walk the park and think and ponder without having to check my phone a million times. ( a person likes me needs to be forced away from my phone). The park is a great place for families to get together for a cookout, a nice walk or bringing your kids and your favorite pet for a swim. read more

Patapsco State Park - Avalon Area - Parks Near Me - Halethorpe, Maryland

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Awesome! Just awesome! First time visiting the park and I Can't wait to go back and explore other parts of it. We did 6miles in total. It was clean, the river was clean as well read more

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A hidden gem!! Trails that have waterfalls and others with challenging inclines! There is even a long paved trail which is great for anyone!

This particular trail is well maintained! When we came, the parking was sufficient. We had limited time and were able to reach the water quickly. This is a popular trail for so owners too. The dogs were leashed and very friendly. There was also a bathroom nearby. No trash cans though. Please remember 'Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints'. read more

Great trails just an ear shot out of Baltimore and Howard County. Busy, dog friendly, wide trails, still recovering from flooding with various areas that have fallen trees, trails which require some balance and/or good shoes to navigate (unless you don't mind getting wet and muddy). (Feb 2017) The only two criticism I have is they go by a honor system for entry - there was a line of cars behind us as we paid and no one else did. It also took a good 3-5 min to put the money in the envelope, into the slip, then grab the hanging tag. I hope they find a less cumbersome system. Second biggest issue we had was that the blazing on the trails was confusing, probably made worse by the lack of coordination with the maps of the trails they have on their website. Red vs. orange? 4-6 different entry points into blue? If you explore trails other than the well trekked trail to the Falls, it's easy to get lost. Navigation was very tricky either the lack of signs on the trails, multiple entry points (w/o signs for directionality) to each colored trail, color system - e.g. Red doesn't even show up on their map. Tips: go left at the fork and keep driving until you think you're going the wrong way and you see a lot straight ahead -- that's the parking for the falls. $2 for entry read more

Honestly, I came to know of Patapsco State Park through the podcast Serial. The podcast talks about two parks: Patapsco and Leakin Park. Patapsco is where Jay and Adnan go to smoke weed allegedly on the day of the murder, and Leakin Park is the park where Jay's ex-girlfriend was found and apparently according to the podcast you can't walk more than a few feet in that park without tripping on a body. I was curious about the setting and places from that podcast, and for safety's sake (apparently Leakin Park is safe because the murders are not committed there, the bodies are just dumped there), I decided to visit Patapsco, which ironically was used for the Blair Witch Project. On my first visit to Patapsco park, I thought why yes this is a very scenic park for high schoolers to partake of some ragga dagga, but it's not secluded at all (tons of hikers/bikers/families everywhere and it costs money to get in and closes at sunset. It's kind of a lot of work for a stoner, but what do I know. My first visit was not my last visit though. I love this park on warm winter days, when other trails are too muddy or flooded, I came here cause there is a good distance of gravelly path to walk on. It's more of an exploration, enjoy the scenery kind of park vs. strenuous hiking for me. It's a bit more crowded than I prefer, but the combination of hiking and biking trails is a big plus for this park. The Avalon area is the easiest area to park and hike at. A noteable scenic trail form this area is the cascade falls trails (see: http://dnr2.maryland.gov/publiclands/Documents/Patapsco_Avalonmap.pdf) , which has little waterfalls along the way and some stream jumping. Additionally, this area has long rope suspension bridge and a large dam, Bloede Dam, which is soon to be removed so get there while you can! The dam is a great fishing spot apparently and gorgeous to look at up close.In summer the river is open for swimming expect for within 300 feet of the dam, which makes perfect sense. Also, just in case, you're looking to make good on your New Years Resolution, Patapsco State park holds an ultra marathon 50k in October:http://patapsco50k.com/race-info/. You can get up at 5am, wear a headlamp, run through trails and mud. I won't be doing that but you can. read more

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I was out looking for a quiet place to read one day and happened upon so much more! Finding the park was really easy and they do the "entry fee" on an honor system. I paid but I can only imagine the amount of cars that just roll through, especially since the day I went the box was overflowing and I had to force my money in.. Once in the park there are so many different areas to park and hiking/biking trails. I checked out a couple different trails before I decided on one. I ended up walking a bit before I found a nice spot near the water where I could catch up on my book. I can't wait to go back and fully hike one of the trails since they all seemed so scenic. read more

Patapsco State Park - Avalon Area - Parks Near Me - Halethorpe, Maryland

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Great park! Entrance fee per person on the weekends. Nestled near Baltimore, this place is not too crowded like some other parks. The trails are well kept and marked. A lot of bikers at this park. So be aware and share the road and trail. Many trails available and picnic areas, so you could spend the whole day here. Bring a snack or two!! Tried out the cascade falls trail. Not a hard trail. Easy inclines and lots to see. Woods. Glens. Streams. Mini falls. You will have to get over streams. Either by rock jumping or fording the stream. Really not a challenge. A few bridges here and there. Just need to be aware and be careful. A great time was had at this park and will be back again! read more

Patapsco State Park - Avalon Area - Cascade falls - Parks Near Me - Halethorpe, Maryland

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$2 entrance fee. Beautiful state park! We don't really have anything like this back in Southern California. The forest was green and lush. The path was well kept but slightly steep heading down to the river so be careful. We saw tons of tadpoles and walked along the railroad tracks for a bit. Unfortunately our hike was cut short when it started to rain. The rain was awesome but we were slightly concerned about the steep climb back up being too slippery read more

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I love this park, it's so beautiful. It's the best place for meditation and the sound water is amazing.

Came here for some hiking with my gf, sister, and sister's boyfriend. The park as a whole has miles upon miles of hiking and horseback trails. The particular area we went to had 15 miles of trails, some harder than others. We hiked the Cascade Trail (2.2 miles) And we passed over and around Cascade Falls, which was very cool. There were a few other hikers that were mostly friendly. The people at the front gate of the park were also friendly and let us all in at the state fee (even though only one of us was from in-state), so that was neat. It's a little bit of a drive to the trailhead parking area once you get in the park, but the main entrance is literally two minutes off the interstate. The location is convenient, it's minimal cost, and the hiking is not difficult but still a good workout. Definitely recommend this area. read more

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Niceeee! The park is very nice and clean and families are always out and about....I'm at the end where the Guinness Brewery is located.

This is one of my favorite parks to hike every weekend this summer. If you're a person who loves to hike, wants a bit of adventure, without the far travel this is the park. Patapsco has a little bit of everything for everyone, there are flat trails, and there are inclined trails with a lot of gravel. Regardless of your hiking ability you won't be disappointed by the new discoveries each visit. You'd think you completed a trail until the next time you visit and find something else. read more

The destination address might be very confusing. There are many entrances and different areas in this park. We went to the Ellicott city address , and only after reaching there, we found that the Cascade falls trails is 45 minutes ride from here. Then we drove to Avalon area. Parking was full and we werent allowed. It was a Saturday and we arrived there at 11. Then we drove another 15 minutes to Hilton area. Luckily there was parking available. Took Forest Glen trail from here. It was beautiful, not too crowded. There are no maps given . Take a photo of the map at the entrance,. If you don't want to get lost in the woods. Hike till swinging bridge, cross the patapsco river and enter the Avalon area. It was crowded from here. Hike up to the Cascade falls. Take the trail on your left , follow blue trail marks. It takes you to the small Cascade falls. Not much water and the river is also pretty much dry. Hike around the falls and loop takes you back to the Avalon area parking lot. A total of 1 and half hour hike for us. It was kind of difficult to find our way back, since there are multiple confusing trails and not many hikers to help you find the way. GPS is a must. Have a great hike! read more

Patapsco State Park - Avalon Area - Patapsco river - Parks Near Me - Halethorpe, Maryland

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We hiked 8 miles here last weekend (8.5 miles total if you include walking from the parking lot to the trail head.) We planned on hiking the Avalon Loop, which is not an official trail but rather a combination of trails. It was confusing to navigate onto the different trails - there aren't any signs, just trees with colored marks on their trunks. As a result, we ended up hiking a few miles extra by accident (not that I'm complaining! I love more exercise.) I'd also recommend wearing water-proof shoes, if you're not the best at jumping on rocks across many streams. There was also a lot of mud on some parts of the trail. read more

Let me start off with 10/10. This is a great place for free outdoor activities. There are extremely a lot of things to do there. Fishing, canoeing, swimming, waterfall jumping (illegal though, don't say I didn't warn you). I did all those activities except canoeing, I'm not that white lol(even though I'm using yelp). But spent like 5 hours of water fun, other people of all ages playing there. But you may run into teenage boys and girls smoking some illegal substances (my guess is marijuana). But that's not the parks fault so I'm not removing that star. I have nothing negative to say, so they get a 5/5. read more

Patapsco State Park - Avalon Area - Parks Near Me - Halethorpe, Maryland

Awesome place to go for a good evening hike. Me and my family love this place and is a good retreat from day to day life especially in these challenging times. read more

After a few months of searching around Rockville and having no luck for hiking/swimming holes I found out about this place on AllTrails. I immediately looked at the reviews for this place here and I was surprised by the positive reviews. Let's begin with the pricing. April - October Weekdays: In-state $2 per a VEHICLE Out-of-state: $4 per a VEHICLE Buses: $10 per bus (a bus is a vehicle that holds more than 9 passengers) Weekends and Holidays: In-state: $3 per a PERSON Out-of-state: $5 per a PERSON (Buses are charged on a per-person basis on weekends and holidays.) Hours: 9AM - Sunset (not when it gets dark) They will have a sign posted with the time to leave the park. We got there at 8:30AM and we were in line to get into the park. I did read that if it gets overcrowded they do close the park and you can't get in. The park recommends you to get in before 10AM. Parking and where to go? I followed the advice of another Yelper. We went left and drove down the road and parked in the first parking area we seen. WHICH was NOT were we needed to park to go see Cascade Falls. We actually needed to continue down the road for about 2 miles and you will see the parking area to the left along with bathroom. There is a bridge you can cross to get to the other side, where there is a pavement for biking/walking/running. Pros: Pretty clean pavements, lots of trails and nice river to waddled through. Cons: Lack of directions. For example, going to Cascade Falls. When you walk up, go to the left. We went right and ended back on the street. Then we had to walk across the parking lot back up to get onto the right path for Cascade Falls. Trash left by other hikers/visitors. I hate to look and judge but a lot of the people there do not look like they care about the environment. Dirty baby diapers, trash bags filled with rotting meat, beer bottles and cans..etc. If you love the outdoors, do your share and keep it clean. They provide bags by the bathroom so there are NO excuses to why you can't keep your trash with you. Free map given by the staff was very vague and blurry. We had no idea which trail we were on and we skipped on a couple of the trails because we didn't want to get stranded in a new area. If you do decided to walk on the pavement side, be weary of the bikers. They do come fast and quietly. Other things you can see are wild birds. We spotted a hawk and a green heron by the river. It was a delight to see. Even better since we brought our binoculars with us. Also, when we did take the trail to Cascade Falls we were a little disappointed by the size. It's about 15 feet high I think. But the water was much cooler than the river and the spot had ample shade to relax. We didn't go past the fall on the tip of other hikers. They said it was way too hot and not worth the 1-2 hour hike. I would definitely go back to probably sit in the river and do some light walking around the park. read more

State parks truly are gems, each park having its own character. I absolutely adore Patapsco and had a great time getting lost on its trails. I went here specifically to go trail running and hiking, but I saw a lot of mountain bikers as well as some people hanging out in the river. A must-check out trail would be the Cascade Falls Trail, I liked how the path ran along the water. It was especially calming after a few hectic days in the city. The Grist Mill Trail is a nice large paved path that runs by the train tracks which is pretty cool. On a Sunday, it was only $3 entry fee, so it's definitely worth getting out of the city and checking out some of the trails! read more

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This park offers everything you can think of for outdoor activities, biking, hiking, fishing and family BBQ. The price is just worth the visit alone and I can't wait for them to finish the renovations. I am not a fisherman but appears that this is very popular as there were about 10 people lined up on the shores of the river. Saw a lot of bikers as well going through the rough terran and plenty of runners. As a visitor I would come back just for the hike and opportunity to take some pictures and maybe get in some fishing. A great family park no matter what activity you enjoy. read more

I just hiked at the park today for the first time. There were 4 of us in our group. We loved the scenery but the trails could be better marked at intersections. We started at the Avalon/Orange Grove parking lot. The first markings on the trees looked red and were sparcely located. At some of the intersections with other trails there were no signs. There are indeed some markings on intersections that identify the trail but signage with more directional instructions would be great for first timers especially. We wanted to loop around but found navigation difficult on our return. Luckily we ran into a long time resident and trail blazer who steered us in the right direction. We had printed a map of the trails but it is mostly good for general directions. We could have used our phones for guidance but were concerned about service in that area. read more

We went hiking in Patapsco State Park in Oct 2016 and truly enjoyed it! The hike was fun and challenging (there's a steep incline at certain parts of the hike) and only took about 10-20 minutes to get down to the river area. I really enjoyed how beautiful the river was in the afternoon and getting to walk along it for about 10-20 minutes. We also saw railroad tracks running through the park (not sure which trains run through there). Maryland has some awesome state parks and we really enjoyed spending an afternoon at Patapsco State Park! Definitely make sure to bring water and adequate hiking shoes. Even though the hike is short, there is a very steep incline. read more