This guide to 60 of the best hikes in the Baltimore area leads you to scenic overlooks, wildlife hot spots, and historical settings.

Allison Sturm is a writer living in Baltimore County, Maryland. Her love for travel and the outdoors has taken her on hikes all over the world, including Italy, Spain, Ireland, and Saba, where she spent her honeymoon hiking up a volcano with her husband, Steven. She loves exploring all of the wonderful recreational options in and around Baltimore, and looks forward to instilling a spirit of adventure in their baby boy, who joined the family in fall (a month after finishing this third edition!).

Evan Balkan teaches writing and literature at the Community College of Baltimore County. His fiction and nonfiction, mostly in the areas of travel and outdoor recreation, have appeared in numerous publications throughout the United States, as well as in Canada, England, and Australia. He holds degrees from Towson, George Mason, and Johns Hopkins universities, and he lives in Maryland with wife, Shelly, and daughters, Amelia and Molly.

Overview Map

Map Legend

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Preface

60 Hikes by Category

Introduction

CITY OF BALTIMORE

• Baltimore Waterfront Promenade


• Cylburn Arboretum


• Gwynns Falls Park


• Gwynns Falls Trail from Leon Day Park to Cherry Hill Park


• Herring Run Park and Lake Montebello


• Jones Falls Trail: Druid Hill Park


• Leakin Park


• Patterson Park


• Stony Run Trail

NORTHEASTERN SUBURBS

• Elk Neck State Park


• Gunpowder Falls State Park: Jerusalem Village Trail with Jericho Covered Bridge Trail


• Gunpowder Falls State Park: Pleasantville-Bottom Loop


• Gunpowder Falls State Park: Sweathouse Branch Wildlands


• Gunpowder Falls State Park: Sweet Air Area


• Rocks State Park


• Rocks State Park: Falling Branch Area


• Susquehanna State Park: River Trails


• Susquehanna State Park: Woodland-Farm Trails

NORTHERN SUBURBS

• Cromwell Valley Park


• Gunpowder Falls State Park (Hereford Area): Gunpowder North-South Circuit


• Lake Roland


• Lake Roland: Serpentine-Bare Hills


• Loch Raven Reservoir: Deadman's Cove Trail


• Loch Raven Reservoir: Glen Ellen-Seminary Road


• Loch Raven Reservoir: Merryman Point


• Loch Raven Reservoir: Northwest Area Trails


• Oregon Ridge Park


• Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail

NORTHWESTERN SUBURBS

• Hashawha Environmental Appreciation Area at Bear Branch Nature Center


• Liberty Reservoir: Liberty West-Morgan Run


• Liberty Reservoir: Middle Run Trail


• Morgan Run Natural Environmental Area


• Prettyboy Reservoir: CCC Trail


• Prettyboy Reservoir: Gunpowder Falls


• Prettyboy Reservoir: Hemlock Trail


• Soldiers Delight Natural Environmental Area

WESTERN SUBURBS

• Banneker Historical Park and Trolly Line #9 Trail


• Patapsco Valley State Park: Alberton and Daniels Area


• Patapsco Valley State Park: Daniels Area Old Main Line Trail


• Patapsco Valley State Park: Hollofield Area


• Patapsco Valley State Park: McKeldin Area


• Patapsco Valley State Park: Mill Race Trail


• Patapsco Valley State Park (Undeveloped Area): Sykesville-Marriottsville


• Piney Run Park

SOUTHWESTERN SUBURBS

• Centennial Park


• Lake Kittamaqundi


• Middle Patuxent Environmental Area


• Patapsco Valley State Park: Glen Artney Area


• Patapsco Valley State Park: Hilton Area


• Patapsco Valley State Park: Orange Grove and Avalon Areas

SOUTHERN SUBURBS

• Baltimore and Annapolis (B&A) Trail


• Beverly-Triton Beach Park


• BWI Trail


• Downs Park


• Kinder Farm Park


• North Point State Park


• Patuxent Branch Trail


• Quiet Waters Park


• Savage Park


• Wincopin Trails

Appendix A: Outdoors Stores

Appendix B: Map Stores

Appendix C: Hiking Clubs

Index

About the Author