Parking is a bit slim. Dont park in the grass. Automatic $50 ticket…read more Overall great place to bring family. Very shallow and calm water since it's Bayside. Beach is roomy. Nice view of the Bay Bridge.

Visited on a Sunday, nice parking area with modern restrooms that were open. Plenty of maintained…read moretrails with different views of the water, woods, marsh areas. Only really issue was trail signage, did not have a map (should have took a picture at entrance) so trail signage was not the greatist. The Map Legend at entrance did not have a legend that we saw so distance was a guess. Overall, nice park, be back in the Summer.

We arrived on Thursday morning and this particular center is only open on the weekend so we…read morecouldn't get a stamp for our book. It's strange because normally these are not open on the weekend so it was refreshing that this one is even if we did miss it. No worries we will send an email in for our stamp. This island is very large, and full of life. Jeff says You can smell the crabs lololol I thought more like a worm farm. Seen wild turkeys, birds, water and ducks. Unfortunately not the greatest weather but we will still take it. #88 in the books

Excellent spot for birding…read more It's not as visited as other places so taking photos/videos of wildlife is easy. I came into contact with perhaps 3 other human beings. It's winter now, of course, but that's when you can see more birds because they're wintering here. I was able to observe for the first time many tundra swans, with their distinctive black bills; what a treat. Also, terns, yellowlegs, sandpipers, herons, egrets, snipes, plovers, gulls and a large number of ducks, including a hooded merganser which I hadn't seen before -- so striking. Enjoyed Tubby Cove and Box Point. Took walks on a variety of trails. The refuge is 2,285 acres and that makes this place nice and quiet. The local history is interesting too, well, at least I think so. Eastern Neck is just my speed.

A very easy-access section of the Patapsco Valley State Park- you can drive right into the middle…read more I'd rank it as perfect for introducing people to a "natural" state park without the distractions of overly developed amenities. Great trails, enough elevation change for solid workouts, some sections with lovely old trees. There's a long stretch of a beautiful stream (Saw Mill Branch) and some areas that give you that lovely isolated feeling of being in the woods. There's campgrounds (way better than "backyard camping") and driving in from the gate on Hilton Ave puts you in a good spot to immediately start hiking. There's also trails leading in from a number of the surrounding neighborhoods. The paved path by the river is pedestrian and disabled friendly. A historic rail route runs parallel to the river and train spotters can get some unique views as well as see the famous Ilchester Tunnel. PVSP is one of my favorite things about living in central MD, and each section has some unique things. Explore them all - but this (Hilton) area is particularly accessible for beginners who want the full experience.

This is one of my favorite places to visit when I'm in Maryland. I had a marvelous hike there on my…read morelast 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!

Awesome trails that are well marked and we'll maintained. Don't get confused with Annapolis Rock…read morebeing down near Annapolis, MD and don't get confused over the Washington Monument that's out here too - we're in Myersville haha. Seriously my current favorite stretch of trails in the state of Maryland, you have the option of going to either vista(we did both when we were out there and added a few miles on another trail) and both views are awesome. Be prepared for some good elevation climb, I clocked our highest gain of being 1800 feet - felt hard core. Just doing either one of the trails will be a good trek and not overwhelming for any novice hiker. Doing both might be a bit much for those not well versed in walking for really long periods of time. Dog friendly, but please leash your creatures. All it takes is one friendly unleashed dog to run up to a not friendly leashed dog and then everyone's trail experience is ruined. We finished just shy of 15 miles for our day, and felt great! Annapolis Rock is the steeper climb albeit shorter at around 2.2 miles out then 2.2 miles back(4.4 mile hike). Washington Monument is an easier trail though it's a bit longer and around 3.5 miles out then 3.5 back. Highly recommend, super easy to find with the parking strip right off the road!

I'm so glad to finally be able to write a review on this place. It was so hard to find for me. But…read moreit was totally worth the trouble. It was an amazing hike. The right amount of hard work and great view The actual address for the trail head to Annapolis Rock from Maryland is 11142-11150 Baltimore National Pike Myersville MD 21773

The good: Parking was spacious, free and had shaded spots…read more It was a short walk from the parking lot to the beach. The path was lined with tanbark. It's a small beach with a short shore and there is shallow water. I saw herons and folks using metal detectors. The sandy area had cool shells and some interesting bugs. I liked that there was a clean bathroom between the parking lot and the beach. There were picnic tables on the sand where we enjoyed snacks. They were shaded so it was nice. The bad: There are lots of jelly fish that can definitely sting so you basically cannot get into the water. No tents are allowed. The interesting: I saw lots of dogs here running around in the water. It looks very dog-friendly despite other reviews saying there are signs that don't allow dogs.

Quick note for potential beach goers: Only single-pole beach umbrellas are allowed on the beach. We…read morekind of learned the hard way that beach tents are not allowed. Originally, we were interested in Matapeake Beach because of the dog beach. However for our first visit (of hopefully many visits), we decided to leave the dog at home because it was super hot. But, I think in the future, we will take the dog if we can arrive to the beach around 8 am. The second reason we were interested in this beach: It is fairly close to Silver Spring, MD. With a departure of 9am, we arrived at the beach around 10 am on a summer weekday. For the most part, we did not experience too much traffic (on a weekday) in both directions Silver Spring-Matapeake-Silver Spring. Also, I think there were 1-2 tolls in each directions. Overall, I thought the beach/park was very clean and well-maintained. I'll note that there are not very many amenities (if any) on or near the beach the beach (e.g., food vendors), which necessarily was not a bad thing for me. Although parking is limited, it is free (a very pleasant surprise) as of June 2025. I'm not 100% sure, but I think there were like 50 (or less) parking spaces. Since we visited on a weekday, we did not have any trouble finding a spot in the parking lot. However, I can imagine that parking my be a bit of a nightmare on weekends and holidays. Also, the access to the beach was free (another pleasant surprise). The folks at the beach were pretty friendly and respectful of their surroundings -- for instance, I did not hear super loud music (just the soundtrack of waves, a few dogs barking, and a few kids playing); see people acting a plum fool; notice substantial litter (or other not so fun things) on the beach. Even though we were disappointed that we had to take down our beach tent, the park ranger was super nice about it. The water was a pretty smooth with little to no waves so it is nice for little humans and dogs. I think I had to walk about 0.25 miles to get to a point where the water was waist level to me, but that was a VERY minor inconvenience. Overall, I think this is a great beach for a quick day (or half a day) trip.

One of my favorite parks in the state…read more Tons of beautiful trails, kayaks for rent, a dog beach, dog park, amphitheater, exercise equipment, butterfly garden, playground, there's something for everyone. There is an entry fee for non AA county residents of $8 and for residents it's maybe $5, cash or card. Lots of parking at all different places. Recommend coming early on nice days to avoid crowds. I have been many times to do many things and we always enjoy coming back!

Glad that we visited this wonderful spot near Annapolis, as it was comforting and beautiful, a…read morepopular place to enjoy outdoor beauty and the Chesapeake Bay! Numerous trails and options throughout, and the park is open from 7 AM until dusk. Among the options are a dog park, art galleries, playgrounds, kayak rentals, ice skating, and picnic areas. I did not get to the Visitors Center, as it closed at 4 PM. We visited the South River Overlook Trail, which was four-tenths of a mile in length, and had benches at the water to fully enjoy and appreciate the spectacular views. There are six other trails, ranging to as much as a mile and one-half in length. An $8 entry fee for automobiles, additional for larger vehicles, and they also offer lifetime senior passes.

One of the nicest parks that I have been to since living in Maryland. Great for a bike ride a walk…read moreor even a run. This park runs along the Chesapeake Bay which is pretty cool and the views are pretty nice. I also like that there are various points of exiting and entering the park in case you want to do a long run and or bike ride. This place also looks wonderful for a nice picnic with the family or a loved one would definitely recommend.

The dog beach is closed and is being redone. The bathrooms were closed the day I went. I've been…read moreonce before and got ticks on one of the walking paths. The flies and mosquitos can get pretty nasty while walking as well, so I wish they would spray with non-toxic sprays to help reduce them.

a magnificent state park offering endless opportunities for outdoor adventure! with scenic hiking…read moretrails, beautiful river views, kayak and canoe launches, and peaceful picnic areas, it is a perfect destination for nature lovers, families, and anyone looking to relax outdoors.

Divided into 6 parts, it's not possible to do it in one day or even one week. Each part is…read moredifferent, although there is overlap. It could take a lifetime to get to know this park well. It's pretty huge. In fact, it's Maryland's largest state park. I spent 4 days here camping recently and barely scratched the surface. There are lots of hiking trails for all levels. There are numerous bike trails that are flat and easy, including the famous Torrey C. Brown rail trail that goes for about 20 miles and crosses into Pennsylvania. And there's also a fair amount of mountain bike trails that range from moderate to difficult. There are places to swim and picnic too. All of it is family friendly. Essentially, the park is the land all along both sides of the Little Gunpowder Falls River. You'll just have to see it for yourself. I can recommend Jesse's Trail and Pleasantville area loop for mountain biking; Torrey C. Brown rail trail (an all-weather trail made of crushed stone that's flat and smooth) for both hiking and biking; and Hobo Beach for a dip in the water. Parking can be challenging, so the earlier in the day, the better.

Amazing hiking trails! Trails are pretty accessible for all levels…read more The trail maps need updating as there are some new trails.

It's closed for months to repair a sewage siphon in spring, which is ridiculous. There's a sewage…read morepipe that empties into the waterfall area, but people don't seem to care and they swim, even though you can smell the sewage. The whole place and even the forest is littered with hard lemonade and beer bottles, babies diapers, dog poop and all kinds of food wrappers.