I've been coming to this state park since before I could walk. I raised my three children at this park. I remember when they had a boardwalk and a game room. I've been coming for years and they have still maintained this park from 2001 when my oldest was born until now in 2025. The grounds are always maintained, plenty of parking, and grills. The pavilions have outlets and plenty of space. I can appreciated this park being maintained throughout the years. The park rangers are knowledgeable , helpful and nice. read more

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I am OBSESSED with the Hammerman Area at Gunpowder Falls. I purchased an annual state park pass, mainly so I could come here and to Patapsco more regularly. The Hammerman area has a small beach, with sand and grass options. The water was a great temperature both times we went, and the water is not at all gross like I was expecting. You can go in without any water shoes. There is a building with showers, changing rooms, bathroom, water fountains, vending machines. It is close enough to walk to from the picnic table area that has grills and a large pit for hot coals. One huge downside was that I did not notice any trash cans in the area nearby. I want to go back to try some of the trails nearby. read more

Came here for a get together, and it was so beautiful! You can reserve portions of the park. We had area to play soccer, corn hole and football. The picnic area had plenty of benches to sit and eat. There was catered food and there was even enough room to have the food laid out. There was a restroom near by as well that were clean! When we were walking we noticed there is also a beach in this area! That was so nice to find out! The water isn't clear but it's still a beach with sand lol. Apparently Haney allow you to rent kayaks as well here. The entrance was $5 I believe and make sure to have cash as I don't believe they took card. This is a dog friendly and hike friendly location. My dogs had a great time exploring with me. All in all I will be back and enjoy doing some hiking soon! read more

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I've taken a few different trails in Gunpowder Falls State Park but haven't found any Falls. I have no idea why the call it Gunpowder Falls if there are no actual falls, but it's still a great park to visit. I found a couple of the trails on AllTrails. You should be able to find a trail without a lot of people if you want to find a secluded area to get away or let your dog roam. There's plenty of places to fish or cool down and enjoy the views. There's an area with public bathrooms, grills, pavilions and picnic tables. There's a dock and an area for swimming as well. I found a company that was giving sailing lessons where you at be able to rent a boat during season but they were closed when I was there, so bring your own or check their website for more info. read more

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Huge park! $3 to enter but you do have to pay $3 to re-enter if you leave. Very reasonably priced. There are 3 playgrounds and plenty of pavilions. It has a beach but also is a park so be mindful to bring bug spray because there are lots of bugs (due to trees, grass etc). Also keep in mind there aren't a ton of eating options nearby, mainly a Royal Farms, a Chinese Food place & a restaurant with limited hours so to avoid the re-entry fee I would say pack or bring your own food. Nice play to swim, with picnic tables located near the beach. Great place for a walk, an event, to BBQ or to just see the beach. The water isn't clear or anything but there's plenty of sand. I would recommend taking a visit. read more

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A WONDERFUL place to relax. Go early if possible. Plenty of parking but if you it close to the beach, early is best. Great hiking also read more

Love the Torrey C Brown Trail. Some of the highlights are the Monkton Station, a former train station from the Northern Central Railway. On the weekends in the summer it's a free museum open to the public. There's also a nearby cafe. Further north near Parkton there's waterfalls in the creek and the gnome house, a small mountain someone put on their property and covered with gnomes. The Sparks Bank Nature Center is rarely open. Much of the rest of the trail is deep wooded broken up by small communities. read more

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Very nice park with a nice open area to play with your children, or to sit by the water and relax. I brought two beach chairs and although it was a somewhat chilly day out, it was sunny and the beach was fairly clean with some shells on the shore and although I wouldn't swim in the water, I would go knee deep and that's it. read more

This is really kind of unfair, because we only went to the Hammerman Area (beach). To get there, you drive through a bit of the park, which is beautiful, but I can't rate an entire park based on one bit. That said, it's easy to get to and a very pleasant drive. Only $5 per carload on weekends, so that's nice. There are several pavilions for groups that can be rented. There's a water sports concession that rents out kayaks and paddleboards. The beach is ... well, it's a river/bay kind of place. So there are no waves except the wakes of boats which speed by a little too close. The water isn't as clean as actual ocean water because there are no waves. There are a lot of nice lawn areas with a few trees for shade, but none close to the water. So if you have a pop-up or beach umbrella, I highly recommend bringing it. Also, bathrooms are few and far between except for numerous porta potties in the largest (farthest) parking lot. It was a little crowded when we were there on 8/28, so it took a bit to find parking. Then a short hike to the actual water. I found a large shrub that cast a decent shadow, so I sat there with all the stuff while DD & DGD took the plunge. I was probably 300-400 yards from water's edge. They came back refreshed but soon decided the heat and humidity made it time to leave. It was an hour drive for us, but since there aren't any ocean beaches any closer, it served its purpose for the last day before school started. read more

Really great trails for a nice hiking workout. It can get a little muddy after rainy weather but the waterfall views are worth it. Just be sure you wear shoes you dont mind ruining and pay attention to the mile markers so you wont get turned around. read more

Gunpowder Falls State Park - Parks Near Me - Middle River, Maryland

Squeezed in another adventure while the kid's in school. I visited Gunpowder State Park for hiking and lounging by hammerman beach. *$3 entry fee for the park via the honor system envelope box. Bring exact cash* Dogwood Nature Trail : - This was a short and sweet 1 mile hike in the woods. Great for beginners who would like to transition from flat/paved surfaces to flat-ish wooded/natural surfaces. It was a super quiet and isolated trail but beware of bees! I'm new to hiking and completed this in about 25min with hiking sandals and a large backpack. I did see 1-2 small benches along the trail for anyone who needs a sit down break. They also have these cool QR code's throughout the trail. Scan it with your phone camera and it'll take you a a website that provides education about that specific area of the trail such as wetlands, marshes, frogs etc. Neat! The trail is well marked but it did get confusing at the end near the bathrooms. Luckily it leads you right to the parking lot. Hammerman Beach : - After my hike, I drove over to the beach to cool off and relax by the water before the school day ended. This small beach was mostly empty except a few families with small children and 1 cute elderly couple. I saw a boat pass , kayakers , and a huge duck squad . There were plenty of picnic tables available and grassy areas to lay down a blanket. Parking was readily available, however, this could be attributed to the fact that it was a cloudy school day (probably more people during the weekends/sunny days). Swimming is at your own risk though the swimming area is roped off. Eastern Watersport is also located next to the beach. They offer kayak, paddle board, and jet ski rentals. The water clarity was ok for a Maryland beach. I've seen better water quality but I've definitely seen worst. read more

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Today we went to hammerman beach in gunpowder. It was fun. They have grills for people to use and some oriole brought their own. You can bring your pets but they cannot be on the sand and there were lots of kids and families there. People were in the beach swimming however the water was freezing since it's the beginning of the season. Because of the holiday it was 5 dollars to get in today. On weekdays it's 3. Definitely recommend going early because once it reaches capacity they shut it down read more

Spent sometime in an area called Hillbilly beach. Beautiful area on a beautiful day. Hiking on some trails. Walking trails. Spotty parting depending on where you start. read more

Gunpowder Falls State Park - Raft down the river - Parks Near Me - Middle River, Maryland

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It seems like a nice park to come to near the water for some afternoon fun with family or friends. This park has different areas to do activities. There's a lot that can be done with the area, some areas seemed a overused and unclean. I think better maintenance requirements for some patrons will keep the park fun for all. There is a small fee upon entry. read more

I went to Gunpowder Falls with my mom and son and I was pleasantly surprised! I haven't been to this beach since I was a kid! It has definitely changed for the better. We went during the week so the parking was great and it wasn't too crowded. Also it's $3 per person to enter which isn't too bad. The grounds and beach were well kept, I didn't see any trash on the beach or the picnic area. I like that were tables, benches, and grills in the picnic area. This beach is very low key and relaxing which is what I needed! There were vigilant lifeguards everywhere which was really great. I really can't say anything negative about the place! I will definitely be back with my family, it will just be more of us! So yes, check out this hidden jewel in Baltimore. read more

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Very peaceful and beautiful and nice place to spend your time with your family and friends, l go there every time I get a chance awesome

I spent a great morning at Gunpowder Falls State Park (Hammerman Area) yesterday. It was less than a thirty minute drive from Towson/North Baltimore, and it had enough to keep me busy for hours! There's a small fee to enter the park ($3 for MD residents and $5 for out of state visitors), but the park has a lot to offer. I tried to do a hike in the morning when I arrived; I was looking for the White Trail, which I never found. I did find a VERY short walk/hike - the Muskrat Trail - which wasn't much, but it did allow me to stretch my legs after the short drive. (I think to get to the longer hikes you have to take an immediate right when you enter the park, but the signage wasn't clear or very helpful - if you're looking for the trails, I'd ask the person who takes your fee for entrance at the park where to go!) After the short hike, I wandered over to the Hammerman Area's real draw - Hammerman Beach. It's a short stretch of beach - and there were lots of people with umbrellas, tents, blankets... People were swimming, grilling, building sand castles,...just enjoying the beach! There are lots of picnic tables along the beach - I sat for a while in the shade and enjoyed my book. After that, I wandered down the beach to the Eastern Watersports rental tent! They offer kayaks (single and tandem), paddleboards, and more. For $25, I rented a single kayak for an hour and enjoyed exploring some more of the Hammerman beach shoreline and the bay. Some of the bathrooms are closed due to COVID, but there were bathrooms available near the beach (with showers, too). This park has a lot to offer, and I'd be happy to explore it further or explore some of the other areas of the park (Central Area, Hereford Area, Sweet Air Area, Dundee Creek Marina)! read more

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Very nice, well maintained park. I needed to get out for some hiking after been locked in for 2 months and Gunpowder was nearby. I hiked several of their wooded trails and al were well manicured and very nice. Some spots were mushy but it had rained the day before so that was expected. The beach area was packed but the rest of the park was quiet with few people. Loved it. Will be back. read more

Gunpowder Falls State Park - Pond Nature Trail - Parks Near Me - Middle River, Maryland

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Came here to the Hammerman Beach area on 7.3.2020. Really well-maintained and nice beach area! It almost felt like being in a mini version of Ocean City, but not having to drive 3 hours to get there lol. They have ample parking, nice clean bathrooms where you can apparently shower as well, picnic tables, grills etc. The water is murky but not dirty. We really liked it! read more

Came to hike Wildlands trail but we didn't know the area well enough and ended up on Lost Pond and Sawmill. Great hike though. The maps of the area are not great but the trail signs are good. Plenty of parking. Watch your ankles as some of the trails are rocky. read more

Gunpowder Falls State Park has six park areas which explains why it has multiple listings on Yelp. Despite the multiple Yelp listings I am surprised more people haven't review this natural gem. As some background, Gunpowder Falls is the largest state park in Maryland with 15,000-acre state park with endless great hiking trails.Just to explain the lay out of the six park areas, some areas are for swimming, some for kayaking and fishing and some for hiking. These areas are all outlined here: http://dnr2.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/central/gunpowder.aspx. It is so expansive, you can't really walk from one area to another and have to park in the area you intend to go to. I am specifically reviewing the Central Area and Hereford area (because Waze took me here), which is ideal for a day hike, if you're running short on time, but craving lots of natural beauty and shade this is the hike to do. Especially the wildlands area that has a swimming hole at the end of a 4.5-5 mile hike. The paths are are loops that follow the river to the falls and then go up into the forest. The paths are heavily wood and the hike is not strenuous in the least, although there are a few stream crossings, but it provides a ton of access to water and wildlife. On a short hike here, I spotted a ton of frogs (they are on the path and will jump as you approach), of course where frogs are there are snakes (just a baby brown northern water snake), a wild turkey (a little aggro) and the ultimate sight was a bald eagle that kept following me from tree to tree and I almost thought it was after my dog or me. You can end the hike with a dip in a watering hole (more than five feet deep), apparently this section is popular among locals and it's called "Hillbilly/Hobo Beach". It's definitely appropriately named. There was one romantico couple practicing the lift scene from Dirty Dancing here. Not gonna lie, was kinda hoping a water snake would creep up on them and he'd drop her, just for the video opportunity. How to get there: Either type in Gunpowder Falls State Park in Waze end up at a horse center and then turn around and go right down Belair and find a small lot on your right or take I-695 to Exit 32, MD-1 North (Belair Road) Go 5.5 miles look for parking lot straight ahead after crossing Gunpowder River. This hike is also conveniently located close to my favorite bbq restaurants, Andy Nelsons and Big Bad Wolf, just sayin'. read more

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Nice hike. Beautiful butterflies. A lovely watering hole. No real falls that we could find. Looks like it would be fun to float down the river. read more

My Google navigatress brought me to a different entrance but yelp has three different pages for this park so I just picked the most reviewed page. Where google brought me: 2711-2791 Dalton Bevard Rd, Baldwin, MD 21013 Anyways this park is coooool. Pretty big park I spent 2 hours jogging around in the cold and didnt get to see as much of it as I wanted. The trails are nicely marked and there's plenty of room for bikers, runners and horsies;) read more

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Nothing beats getting out into nature. One thing I love is exploring the best spots right next door. The #GunpowderFallsStatePark never disappoints. Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience. I love it here and will definitely come back to walk the different trails. read more

Gunpowder Falls State Park - Parks Near Me - Middle River, Maryland

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The first time I came here years ago, we floated and drank for hours. Just went back the other day, took my stand up paddleboard and these days I don't drink so I had a much more enjoyable time on the water. read more

Beautiful park! Easy to spend hours and hours! A great place to get away from the madding crowd! Hardly any traffic. Beautiful views. Easy to ride around the entire park within an hour and a half. Maybe too much to see for one day. Go there during sunset golden hour, and it will be stunning. read more

I really enjoyed myself at this beach. My family went yesterday and it was very low key. ( we went around 5 pm). They have picnic tables and grills next to the beach area. Driving through, I noticed an area for fishing and boating as well. def going back ! read more

Gunpowder Falls State Park - The water - Parks Near Me - Middle River, Maryland

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This review will focus on the Hammerman Beach area of Gunpowder Falls. This has quickly become our favorite spot as a family! While I grew up in the area and went countless times as a kid, it's been a while. The beach area has a reasonable snack bar with a decent selection (though nothing healthy), the bathrooms have showers, and my kids enjoy the sand and water. There are lifeguards between Memorial and Labor Day. There are a few playgrounds, the favorite being the "tire playground" located in the center of the park. It's a wise investment to buy a 75 dollar park pass. This gives you full access to all MD state parks for you and a carload. Admission can be pricey, especially on weekends. Dogs welcome, just not on the sand (so sit in the grass at the edge). Drawbacks? Bathrooms can be disgusting. No trash cans, you have to bring your own bag in and take your own trash out. This is a pain for this mom of 2. Would be so much easier to just throw trash in a can! (And is a blow during your first trip when you don't know and don't have a bag!) Finally, can be crazy crowded with field trips on weekdays and churches (I am a Christian church goer so don't take this personal) on weekends. Overall though? Awesome sauce place located close to Baltimore! read more

Gunpowder Falls State Park - Parks Near Me - Middle River, Maryland

Love the paths for my dog! The water is clean and perfect for a lab who is obsessed with water. Lovely area for a nature walk.

Beautifully kept. Feels good to have my feet in the sand. I'm definitely bringing my kids here to picnic, play on the playgrounds, and go swimming. read more

Gunpowder Falls State Park - Parks Near Me - Middle River, Maryland

So we happened to be in the area and we decided to check out this park. We found the entrance to the Central Area. We started the hike in and we saw sarge family hanging out and grilling in what we thought was probably the best spot on this trail to watch the River while still logistically feasible for grilling. Further into the trail that's when it got gross. Large trash bags full of trash were left there. It looked like it had been there for about a month. It smelled and didn't help with the scenery. This probably the biggest reason why I'm not a fan of this trail. About half a mile into the trail..that's when the trail started to get cleaner. This where we hung out and enjoyed the river. This is what I we were looking for. Unfortunately..you had to walk past the mini dump to get there. read more

This is one of my favorite local parks but we usually avoid it in the summer months because it has a beach and swimming area so it tends to be very crowded but in the off season it is one of our favorite places to walk our Golden. There are lots of picnic areas and hiking trails or if you prefer you can simply walk the paved loop which is about a mile and a half. We often let our dog swim in the beach area nearest the sail board rentals then take him hiking so he can drive off before getting back in the car. The entry fees tend to vary, in the summer months they charge by person rather than the $3 per car fee they have in the fall and make sure you bring exact change because they have envelopes at the entrance using the honor system when the booth is unmanned. Always lots of great flora and fauna so the hiking never gets boring and I get to see lots of deer, foxes, etc. The only unfortunate downside of this great waterfront park is all the goose poop but that's to be expected. read more

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Looking for a place to cool off during the summer - come on down, there's swimming, hiking and other fun stuff!!!

We just had a lot of fun exploring the Hammerhead Area and making this video last week in November. This is a great place to explore. It has 4 pavilions, 1500 feet of sandy beach, lots of parking and grassy areas, hiking trails, boat ramps, and more! There was a $3 off season vehicle fee to enter the park. Check out the video, theres also links to their website in the description. https://youtu.be/gV1COQfInb4 read more

A friend of mine hosts an annual barbeque here and it is always a great spot to come on a nice summer day. There is plenty to offer - playgrounds, kayaking, stand up padding, a beach and plenty of space. This is a nice getaway not far from the city. read more

Great place for a family day out, nice clean beach area, life guards on the watch, a picnic area on the beach, so you can grill and watch your children. They offer a lot of playgrounds though out the park, with picnic tables and grills as well. A place for renting canoes & kayaks, but no boat rentals unfortunately ! There are trails for hiking as well. A nice fishing area in the nearby (Dundee area )a mile away. The location is great too, between Philadelphia & Northern Virginia. The only reason I'm not giving it a 5 stars is the bathrooms and the beech house were not clean . read more

A hidden gem!!! We went to the Hammerman Beach area on a summer Friday. What a great place for a quick daytrip! This is a great little beach with lifeguards and a bath house. The sand is incredibly soft (no rocks) and the water is clean. There is a snack bar and tables and grills for picnics. For only $3 per person (on a weekday), this is a bargain. read more

The Hammerman area at Gunpowder Falls State Park offers a beach area, a place to rent kayaks and catamarans and covered pavillions for rent. For special outdoor events, the pavillion called Chestnut #1 offers a nice view of the water and a large grassy area for outdoor games. The other pavillions cost the same but cannot really compare because they don't have particularly good views. read more

Despite what that mildly handsome rugged Clint Eastwood with the leaf blower tells you, don't start out on Jones Road trail. Better yet STEAR CLEAR of Jones Road altogether. First off there was an abandoned Pizza Hut just before the turn onto Jones Road off Pulaski. Jones road lead to a dusty deserted parking lot and trail leading into the woods. For some reason, the "Blair Witch Project" popped into my head (I hadn't thought about that movie in years). That was the first sign that there's something off about this place.. When we hit the bridge passing over gunpowder falls, and saw the mini barbeque and can of beans it reminded me of the scene from Denis the Menace with Christopher Lloyd. That should have been red flag #2 to turn around. Things took a turn for the worse when we came across a trail of multiple used poise pads which lead to countless trash from Subway. I didn't want to follow the end of the trash trail. One might find a homeless dude sleeping under those piles of trash.. Welp, that was our limit! We attempted to trek back but couldn't find the blue markers on the trees consistently. There was more graffiti than trail markers. On our way back we ran into a woodsy guy with a sifter and medal detector. Probably not the best time to mention that we don't know our way around the area.. We finally made it to Central Area (Belair Road). The welcoming hosta plants along the trail definitely puts a check on the plus side! As well as other fun amenities such as the fox's den and large rocks on the water perfect for a starbucks or gluten free "kind bar" pit stop. (gotta love the 'bucks). I would definitely visit this section of Gunpowder Falls again. Decided to take the scenic industrial route home via Key bridge. We finally got to see roads that we've been hearing so much about on the radio but never got to visit: Belair road, Joppa, and Pulaski Highway. Got to pass the 2 eggs at the "shit plant" in Dundalk. I've always wondered, how do they get all of the waste/poop in there, and then what do they do with it? Just store it in the eggs? Does it ever get backed up? read more

I never go here for the beach unless I'm desperate. The water is really dirty, no boogie boards or other water toys are allowed and the furthest you're allowed to swim out to barely comes past your waist. This park is better for jogging, cycling, strolling or canoeing/kayaking. Their "hiking" area is a joke as well. It's decent if you just want to take your kids out for a bit but definitely not if you're looking to swim. read more