This is one of my favorite places to visit when I'm in Maryland. I had a marvelous hike there on my last trip by Cascade Falls. It was beautiful! The waterfall isn't that big but it was still enjoyable to see. There are some rough spots to navigate if you're expecting an easy hike. But overall, it is definitely worth the trip! read more

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My friend and I really enjoyed coming here for a good afternoon hike. The signs were clear and the hike with the waterfall was really nice. There were restrooms by the parking lot and the park wasn't too crowded. We had a great time exploring this part of Patapsco! read more

Patapsco Valley State Park - Hilton Area - Waterfall - Hiking Near Me - Catonsville, Maryland

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This is a well-maintained state park that is suitable for folks of all ages. Great for relaxing walks with your pets and family, swimming, biking and solo trips. Although quite crowded during weekends, the trails are quiet for the most part. My husband & I took the Soapstone trail to the beautiful Cascade falls and it didn't disappoint. The path was clean & easily accessible. Although rocky at a few places and had a creek crossing, our 3-mile hike went by quickly. After the hike, we couldn't miss visiting the popular attraction - the Swinging Bridge. It did scare me a bit while walking on it lol but for the view and the cool breeze blowing, I'd definitely visit it again. Parking: $3 per vehicle Amenities: Picnic tables, kids playground, barbecue grill, swimming, camping etc read more

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We had a nice walk at this State Park. Good trails were around the area. But if you're looking for a BIG waterfall, be ready to be disappointed BIG time! We went maybe 0.25-0.50 miles and saw a crowd of people with professional DSLR cameras, tripods and whatnot for a tiny, maybe 3-feet fountain. LOL! If you're a fan of really BIG waterfalls, go somewhere else. The main trail wasn't that long, so we had to spontaneously plan to walk around elsewhere, made it a good enough hike to get some exercise in for the day. Wouldn't say it was that scenic as some pond we encountered was all full of mossy and swamp things. The only good things were taking some nice pictures near the beach area, the bridge and hanging out with our friends during the whole time we visited the park. read more

Ah, what a beautiful trail! I came here to get some much needed exercise with my best friend, Ashley. It was a beautiful day and we had a lot of fun. First things first, I am not really sure where the "designated parking" is and/or if there is even designated parking. There were TONS of cars lined up on the sides of the roads (a lot in the grass too). I was uncomfortable parking there but eventually found what appeared to be a strip of parking. I was only "sitting" there waiting for Ashley since my cell service was poor and I had no idea where I was/she was. Out of no where, 2 guys in a lifted truck drove up, screaming at me telling me to "get the f off their drive way" while calling me a "dumb b" and other words lol. Honestly, my window was rolled up so I payed them no mind as I was sitting in the car with my engine on. Eventually I said, well I'm not parked since my car is still on and I'm moving anyways. They continued to express their angst and profanity whilst talking amongst each other and others who passed by about how this was a drive way and they were sick and tired of people parking there. Nonetheless, I mention that as this seems to happen often by their extreme anger so plan ahead with parking. I did eventually find parking in an actual neighborhood where I then walked by to meet my friend. The trail itself has a lot of waterfalls, rivers and beautiful views. It was a little confusing as there are apparently 2 different trails in which the color of the spray painted "x" on the trees would indicate which was to go (orange or blue). Ashley and I got lost many, many times trying to find our "way back" lol. It seemed as if we were venturing new area each time we thought we were going the right way haha! I kept checking the trail app to see if that would help but it didn't. We didn't mind as we love nature and the day was beautiful! One last thing, if you're like me and have a small bladder, make sure you use the restroom before you start and/or locate the nearest porter-potty lol. We did eventually find a bathroom (it was closed) with some VERY unclean porter-potty's next to them by the bridge. I assume this was due to the pandemic and as a precautionary measure but I will say, I would have rather peed outside than inside that john haha. This is a great trail though and I would say depending on your level of activity is "easy to moderate". There was a lot of uneven, rocky, parts of the trail but we didn't mind! read more

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This is a very nice location. The paths are clean. With each turn it seems that there are lots of new adventures waiting to be discovered. read more

This is a nice trail! Since COVID my friends & I have spent a lot of time getting together outside! We've been on more hikes in the past 6 months than the past 2 years combined. Let me start this review by saying THE PARKING SITUATION SUCKS!! That is, unless you know how to get to the real parking lot. I saw it, but your GPS will direct you to some driveway off Landing Rd that is NOT your destination. You'll have to park on the side of the road and sneak into the woods to the trail. SO, my goal is to find the actual parking lot. The trail itself is SERENE! The trails are well defined with blue markings. You'll come across hikers, joggers & bikers. The waterfall(s) are nice and the water is clear! 3 miles (both the Cascade Falls Trail & the Cascade Loop) took us 1:45. I'll be back! read more

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Great hiking and scenery, and I felt very safe! The park in general has something for everyone and animal friendly.

I'm visiting the area and was looking for a nice hike. I found it! Not too challenging. There were kids and dogs out here. The were a few places you had to cross a small stream but it wasn't bad. A couple spots were a little muddy but not terrible. Probably wouldn't try it right after a rain. There is a spot after the falls where you can cross a road and go across a hanging bridge. You can feel it swaying slightly but it is sturdy. You can then walk further among the path there if you would like to add some more distance and walk along the river. You can also go down to the river and swim. Fun trek! read more

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I took the pup to Patapsco Valley State Park for the first time. I initially went to the Avalon area but learned upon arrival that it was closed due to being at capacity. The park rangers were extremely friendly and provided me a card that had the addresses of the different entrances on it. I was super thankful for that since I was not overly familiar with the area. I went to the Hilton area in Catonsville and was able to get it. It was $3.00 a person. Upon entering I parked in one of the lots and started walking. I took a trail that didn't look heavily travelled so the pup loved it. Eventually, we made our way to the water near the bridge and he was happy to take a dip and cool off. There were a ton of people enjoying the hot day in the water with their family and friends. Although we didn't stay at the park long, I definitely will be back again soon! My only complaint is I walked forever and couldn't find a garbage can yet there were signs everywhere stating to clean up. read more

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Getting into the park and parking was a huge debacle but after that it was really pretty. There are a ton of trails nearby and all very scenic. The rangers are also really nice, they were able to make sure all of our party got in when the park was nearing capacity and helped us find each other when we were all directed to different places to park. I will say get there early as it gets busy and they limit entrance due to parking and the pandemic. read more

I visited here a few weeks ago with my bf and decided to do the cascade falls trail. We definitely got a good workout from our hike, as there are several hills/rocks, etc. Since hiking is a bit new to me, there were a few times I would panic having to go across a "fallen tree" as a bridge to the other side. Other than that, the trail was fairly easy-moderate. Parking was difficult to find, the location itself was very difficult to find, I wouldn't even be able to describe how we found it, we got lost a few times on our drive there. Several cars were parked on the side street and we parallel parked right alongside and pretty much followed the crowd into the woods till we found the trail. The trail we took was about a mile long and ended with a nice small waterfall with rocks were you can sit. Due to covid 19, if you are immunocompromised or older, I would not come here, there were several hikers and many times we could not keep a 6 ft distance between them, especially near the waterfall. Other than that, you'll see a lot of dog friends. FYI, there are a few slippery, muddy spots so make sure you wear comfy shoes that you don't mind getting dirty. read more

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The water fall was beyond amazing! Such a beautiful sight. Do not be afraid to ask for directions, took a while to locate cause we did not know which direction to take. Then we started asking people for the right route read more

Patapsco Valley State Park - Hilton Area - Hiking Near Me - Catonsville, Maryland

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I love water adventures of any type. We took a short drive to Cascade Falls Trail from Washington, D.C., on a warm day and enjoyed the scenic experience. The waterfall was approximately a 2 mile hike from where we parked on Landing Rd. Start early, beware of varying terrain and have fun :) read more

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I actually stayed in the cabin for a 2-day virtual training. I used my phone as a hotspot, which worked fine. The cabin was clean and cozy. I didn't need the a/c or heater, but it's a plus to have that option. Bathhouse was by far the cleanest and best maintained I've seen in 30+ years of camping. Seriously. If you're looking for a campground close to everything but still quiet and woodsy, I'd definitely recommend you check this out. read more

Great trails for jogging, riding bikes and long scenic walks. If you are a dog lover everyone brings their pets. This location is just south of Catonsville Community College. If you do bring a bike you will need a mountain or trail one as there are rocks and other obstacles read more

Patapsco Valley State Park - Hilton Area - Hiking Near Me - Catonsville, Maryland

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Went out on an early Sunday morning hike with my 170 lb Akita and the Women Who Love Adventure group. We had a blast. Great trails for a variety of fitness levels and we saw many dogs out. Some dog owners put their dogs waste on the ground at the bottom of the sign which I found weird. There were no trash cans along the trail but there were some around the bathroom facilities. Other than that, the trails themselves were fun, challenging and there was great scenery. Will definitely be going back again. read more

Patapsco Valley State Park - Hilton Area - 170 lb Akita and the Women Who Love Adventure group on a early Sunday morning hike! - Hiking Near Me - Catonsville, Maryland

Didn't know there was so much natural beauty so close to the city! Right off of frederick road, convenient, safe and a lot of fun! Gonna make it a regular thing for my hubby and i on the weekends :) The parking is $3/pp but walking in its free read more

Beautiful park, I think is not fear to pay 3 dollars per person to access the park during weekend , weekdays is 3 per car not per person . We pay too much taxes to keep public areas running. You need to arrive early if you wanna get a parking spot , They need to build more parking space. read more

My friend and I have been searching for some nearby hiking trails recently. This is the perfect spot. It is a very remote area, and even when there were other groups around, it felt like we were the only ones there. It was only $2 to get in, and we spent a little over three hours here. We only had the time to explore the Suspension Bridge and Cascade Trail, although I saw two to three more trails in the area. The Cascade Trail will take you back through different levels of a waterfall that are easy to hike to see. I would highly recommend stopping here! read more

Patapsco Valley State Park - Hilton Area - Hiking Near Me - Catonsville, Maryland

Great for getting a peace of mind =] love being able to walk along the water. Depending on if you take a loop or not, it can be pretty hard (root hill) read more