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!

Hidden gem in Monkton, MD with 22 acres of more than 100 larger than life topiaries. It has 15…read morethemed gardens like the yellow garden, iris garden and yellow garden. It has a manor house filled with memorabilia. Nature walk with a mile long path throughout the property. Butterfly house can also be found in this property. Ladew topiary garden is a non profit, seasonal property with amazing staffs. They're friendly and very helpful as well as being polite. It has gift shop, cafe and picnic tables. Special mention to Shirley, cafe staff for loving , warmly, hospitable service provided to us specially to my mom who turned 93 years old and a garden lover. Place is well kept and properly maintained. Restroom at the cafe is clean and tidy.

Ladew Topiary is worth the trip! There are 28 sites on the property. Call ahead to make sure you…read morehave the correct times for the Butterfly House. They close when temperatures are extremely hot. The butterfly tour was about 30 minutes, and they carried over a dozen butterflies indigenous to the area. In addition to this, I saw butterflies in their cocoon stage that looked like peas in a pod on tree branches. The guide was engaging and knowledgeable. My favorite sites were the Tivoli Tea House & Garden, decked in pink mixed with popular Blue Willow, Chinoiserie design; a little clubhouse with a bar, fireplace, and gathering table tucked in the woods. Harvey Ladew brought guests out to this location for cards, cocktails, and his alone time. The Yellow Garden has a koi pond, beautiful yellow plants and flowers in bloom with a pagoda style gazebo to sit in nature. A horse stable elevated and repurposed into a cafe with soups, sandwiches, salads, and snacks with an outdoor terrace. I enjoyed a grilled cheese with tomato soup. There's lots of walking with no hills, places to sit from garden to garden. I recommend a bright sunny day when the flowers are in full peak to see the property at it's very best. Free maps are available to make sure you don't miss anything. Great way to spend the day!

This is a cute area to walk, read a book or relax. On most occasions, the area is clean and the…read moretrail is expansive. It's kid friendly as well. Parking is tight in the evening and unfortunately, you may come across poop from the ducks and gnats that are a byproduct of the water. Generally, its well-maintained and beautiful area to get extra steps.

very nice walking/running options. Its paved but still scenic with a lot of trees and foliage…read morearound the gated quarry. There is a good set of stairs as well to work out on. nice and quiet not on a main road so you can really zone out. Adding to my rotation of walks

I love hiking here! There are 3 different trails you can try, ranging from 1 mile to over 4,…read moredepending how adventurous you're feeling. The scenery and terrain changes drastically throughout the property which makes it really fun and enjoyable. Lots of beautiful trees, flowers, and wildlife. I love stopping by the aviary to see the predatory birds. Great place for solo hikers and families alike!

Not exactly the safest hike since I went down closer to bridge trekking through rocks LOTS before…read moregetting to platform then took steep steps up only to find trail closed Oops!

Definitely a hidden spot, but not quite a gem. The place needs upkeep. Steep downhill walk, you…read moredefinitely need shoes with traction; one wrong move and you could impale yourself in one of the rebars sticking out along the trail. The viewing platform is old and needs reinforcement. The site is pretty especially with the autumn colors, but desperately needs work. There are two viewing spots: one on the deck right near the falls, and one concrete path spanning the creek and you can view the whole falls.

This trail inside Papatsco Valley State Park is a little over a mile long. The trail loops through…read morebeautiful trees, hills, and a stream. During early fall season, fall foliage is magnificent. The trail is marked by blue paint on trunks of trees. Difficult level of this trail is easy. Definitely will return to do more exploration in the future.

Trail is well maintained and clearly marked. Perfect loop setup for easy navigation. Great moderate…read morelevel trail (some elevation change, rocky areas, but no actual climbing needed), perfect for most active adults, older kids, and relatively fit, leashed dogs. We found this was one of the lesser-used trails, so it was safe for maskless adventuring.

I lived in Chase before this park existed. Yet, somehow, before Tuesday, I had only ever visited it…read moretwice - once for an indoor flea market (which sucked), and once for a friend's softball game. I have no real excuse other than depression and an overall lack of adventurous spirit. It's a very nice park, heavy on the sportsball fields. My boyfriend and I went to see if there was anywhere in the park where we could sit near the water and have lunch - unfortunately there is not, which is a bummer because the park DOES sidle up against a small river, but there's no way to see it with all the marsh grasses and such. There are some "viewing platforms" along the Nature Trail, and I suppose at one point they extended further into the water, but drought conditions have put a stop to that. The Nature Trail is pretty great. The path is hard packed, which meant that my chair didn't get stuck - no mud, no sand, hardly any tree roots. We explored the entire length. Didn't see much wildlife (a toad, a crane, and a squirrel), but discovered three different types of mushrooms. Lots of Pokestops, if that's your thing (TeamJerky!). The playground is my favorite thing at the park. It's wheelchair accessible!!! Sure I can't do any climbing, but the fact that I could even access the thing is so wonderful - so I did. Yes, I am a 46-year-old woman and I played on the playground. Didn't have a lot of chances to do that while I was growing up. I'll take the chances now, as they are presented. There's also a small free library house, where you can pick out a new (to you) book. It would be nice if you added one in return. We enjoyed ourselves. Would recommend.

Great place to enjoy the outdoors! Location includes:…read more- 1 Mile walking path (marked every 1/10 of a mile) - Small walking trail through the woods (3/4 mile) - Lots of sports fields (Baseball, Soccer & Football) - Several pavilions - Pet friendly (pet waste stations available) - Large playground - Plenty of parking