Gwynns Falls Trail in fall.
A couple weeks ago we were talking about lakes and reservoirs near Baltimore and the summer delight of swimming holes. We realize, though, that some of you city dwellers may enjoy the great outdoors, but also have forsaken a car. So if you’re stuck in this concrete jungle and need to see some trees quick, we’ve got some for you.
For starters, we recommend Gwynns Falls Trail, running from the Beltway to the Inner Harbor. The trail itself is paved and runs fifteen miles through 2,000 acres of greenways. There are also about ten miles of different nature trails branching off from the main trail, so if you don’t like asphalt on your hikes you can still get a little dirty. The trail follows, for the most part, Gwynns Falls stream as it winds down to the middle branch of the Patapsco. And while hiking along waterways is always pretty cool in itself, what’s really cool is paddling in them. Two biweekly canoe and kayak trips offer just that, promising views of Baltimore’s skyline and other harbor.
Also on the Gwynns Falls Trail is the Carrie Murray Nature Center. Established by Orioles great Eddie Murray in the late 1980s and named for his mother, the Nature Center is geared toward getting youngsters to “explore the great outdoors in a fun and educational environment.” There’s an Insect Zoo and a rehabilitation facility for permanently injured birds of prey. What kid wouldn’t want to go there? This Father’s Day (Sunday) the Nature Center is sponsoring “Dad, Nature and Me,” a hike along the Gwynns Falls Trail with a trained naturalist. Preregistration is required, but it only costs a dollar.
Finally, we’d like to plug the Baltimore and Annapolis trail. Starting in Glen Burnie and working its way down to Annapolis the trail is super-accessible from the city: take the light rail to the Cromwell stop and the trailhead is right across the street. At fifteen and a half miles and paved, it makes a nice southbound counterpart to the Gwynns Falls Trail. There’s plenty of room to bike and hike and, as a bonus, a few places to fish. Take your tackle box and pole on the light rail; we’ve all seen stranger things on the train.
Where’s your favorite place to get outdoors in the city?
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In addition to the activities listed above, users of the Trail can go on weekly hikes and bike rides lead by experienced staff members and volunteers. You can also come to weekly gardening days, ride the miniature steam engines in Leakin Park, tour the historic mansion and more! Visit our website for full calendar listings. The Gwynns Falls Trail Council is here to assist users of the Trail in any way we can and we also seek members to continue to enhance the trail experience. ‘The Gwynns Falls ~ Baltimore Greenway to the Chesapeake Bay’ is a recently published book capturing the natural, social and cultural history of the area. This fall we will have a downloadable audio tour to assist you in experiencing every aspect as you take a walk or ride along the Gwynns Falls Trail.
Visit our website or email us for more information about any of the above!