My friend and I really enjoyed coming here for a good afternoon hike. The signs were clear and the…read morehike 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!

This is a well-maintained state park that is suitable for folks of all ages. Great for relaxing…read morewalks 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

The Trolley Trail is one of my favorite local hiking and/or walking trails. I mentioned both hiking…read moreand walking because you can go off the walking path and into deeper forest trails. There are also a few streams that are not roped off and you can go off the walking path down to the water. This trail has a lot of wildlife, including snakes, bunnies, ducks and deer, therefore, it is best that you keep your pets on a leash. There is one spot of the trail that is underneath a bridge and a lot of the dogs and cats get spooked due to the loud shaking noises. I frequent this trail a lot with my cat, Rune and we have never had an issue. It is very quiet and most of the people coming and going are incredibly respectful. The trail is easy to get to, and there is a lot of free parking, especially if you come early! At the beginning of the trail there is a café which is the perfect spot to grab a coffee, tea or a breakfast sandwich to enjoy on your walk!

This is my favorite trail in Ellicott City. It's fairly easy, not too long and, surrounded by…read morebeauty. It's close to where I live so I often come here for a quick jog or hike. The difficulty level is very low; the trail is wide and most of it is paved. It's about three miles and there are markers every 1/2 mile. The view along the trail is absolutely beautiful during, it doesn't matter what time of the year you go. There's a stream which you easily can go down to. As for parking, there's a huge parking lot right at the start of the trail and since this trail isn't busy, it stays pretty empty. If you don't want a difficult hike and just want a relaxing walk, this is a great trail for that. Plus, it's great for kids and pets.

I came to Patapsco after planning a hike here for my run/walk/hike club. We chose the Cascade Falls…read moreloop trail as it seemed easy for beginner hikers which were a lot of members of my group and like it would not require any extra supplies. We came on a Sunday morning, parking was $2 as our shuttle was an in state vehicle ($4 for out of state!) and when we arrived around 9:30, there was already a decent amount of people at the trailhead parking lot, but we were able to easily park. There is a bathroom located nearby that is clean and has running water. I do think it is relatively well maintained and looked after, though there was 1 stall missing toilet paper. The hike itself was lovely, with fall foliage still around in sight. We did not come across any big wildlife like deer but given the amount of people this made sense. We did use bug spray on our shoes and bottoms of our leggings / ankle area to prevent any ticks. The trail itself was beautiful, there are 2 water crossing areas where you could get by on rocks but I have waterproof hiking shoes and just walked straight through. I would recommend this trail to beginners!

My 8 year old daughter and I walked down to the water using the Union Dam Trail. Shallow water for…read morewading and a nice view of the bridge. The walk back up is a chore but not too bad.

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.

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

Need a park to walk with great scenery bugs, water, innocent wild life? this is a great dot to come…read morewalk. 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.

Chaperoned my Kids to the park as an incentive, nick was pretty cool handling the group. Although…read morethe weather was cloudy over cast and wet, the venue was worth the trip.

My son and I were visiting Baltimore and we came here for the day. We had a blast! Kai was great…read moreand super patient with us. I'd recommend it for any adventure seekers.

This is the beat spot to take your hot girl wast in Howard County / Baltimore area. Adding more…read morephotos to the review

What a lovely free green space in Ellicott City! I am angry with myself for completely ignoring the…read morebeautiful parks near me in MD! 20-25 minutes away from where I live, Centennial Park has a variety of trails, fishing, spots to picnic, etc. The land is lush and green. Unfortunately the day I visited I did not take any pictures of the beauty around me, but I am determined to return again. Highly recommend.

Playground was recently renovated. So much fun for the kids. Things were available for all the age…read moreranges and abilities. Also plenty of seating for the adults to relax on a nice sunny day! I highly recommend taking the kids and checking it out!

This is a great park for dog walking, sports activities and family hangouts. It is a vast park…read moredivided into two sections. One area is dedicated to wooded trails and flying disc activities, while the other features sports courts and extended trails. Walking along the snow-covered trails offered a unique, serene experience, with the peacefulness of the setting enhanced by sunlight gently filtering through the woods. There are parking areas located at various part of the park, convenient.

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!

We had an amazing time tubing with Harpers Ferry Adventure Center, an experience we won't forget…read moreanytime soon! From start to finish, everything was smooth and well-organized. The river was relaxing, the views were gorgeous, and the whole day just felt easy and fun. A huge shoutout to Spider, our guide, who truly went above and beyond. Not only did he keep the energy high with great vibes and a friendly attitude, but he also made sure everyone was safe and accounted for throughout the float. We noticed him picking up trash along the way. So awesome to see someone taking care of the river and setting a great example. He really cared about both the people and the environment. If you're thinking about doing a tubing trip in Harpers Ferry, this is the place to go--and if you're lucky enough to get Spider as your guide, you're in for a great time!

Regular tuber, first time zip liner! And it was amazing. Cost was such a great balance to the…read morelength and intensity to this fun excursion. 3 hours on the course with great bridges, crossings, zip lines, and a free jump. Our guide Liam and his partner (terrible name memory!) were awesome and made our trip that ended in rain still feel safe without spoiling the fun! Highly recommend for families or a date day like we did