A Bark In The Park: The 10 Best Places To Hike With Your Dog Around Baltimore, Maryland

Blue Ribbon - Robert E. Lee Park (Baltimoreoptions in this 1000-acre park and don't be afraid
County)With its rough-around-the-edges look,to learn something here. An interpretive trail leads
Robert E. Lee radiates plenty of canine charm. Itto exhibits on the bountiful natural resources that
feels as if dogs are welcome here and themade Oregon Ridge an active mining commun-ity
456-acre park has evolved into a primein the 19th century: water, timber, iron and
destination for dog walkers of all sorts. Lookingmarble.#7 - Gunpowder Falls State Park - Bel Air
for a quick walk and a swim? Lake Roland can't(Baltimore County)From the parking lot on US 1
be beat for deep water dog paddling. After athere are hours of hiking on both sides of the
half-day's outing with your dog on the hiking trails?Gunpowder Falls in either direction. The highlight
Cross the light rail line and the trail systemfor canine hikers here is the Sweathouse Branch
explodes into a maze of hard-packed dirtWildlands Area that provides some of the best
passageways through the woods. Just need to letloop trails in the Gunpowder Falls state park
the dog romp with some buddies? Robert E. Leesystem. The healthy hill climbs and wide trails give
Park may as well be Rover E. Lee Park. You'll finda big feel to this 5.1-mile walk as it meanders
more dogs per hour here than any park in thethrough differing forest types. Continue just past
Baltimore area.#2 - Gunpowder Falls State Park -the end of the Sweathouse Trail to the Long
Hereford (Baltimore County)At Hereford theGreen Run and you'll find one of the best canine
canine hiker can find any length or type of hike toswimming holes in Greater Baltimore. Racing water
set tails wagging. Long out-and-back walksis funnelled into a deep pool by a whale-shaped
through a rugged gorge (this is Baltimore?) can berock that serves as a natural diving board for
combined with many side trails that scamper upplayful dogs.#8 - Patapsco Valley State Park
the valley slopes. You'll find plenty of great canine(Carroll, Howard and Baltimore counties)Dogs are
swimming holes in the river, fed by outflows frombanned in most areas of Maryland's first state
the Prettyboy Dam. You can even take the dogpark, established in 1907. But there is plenty of
right to the base of the dam on a narrow traillemonade to be squeezed from those lemons
drenched in mountain laurel.#3 - Susquehannaserved up by the state of Maryland. Dogs are
State Park (Harford County)The first European towelcomed in undeveloped areas such as Feezer's
set eyes on the Susquehanna River was EnglishLane where a short hike leads to the base of
explorer John Smith. He was suitably impressed.Liberty Dam; Henryton Road which sports a wild
"Heaven and earth," he wrote, "seemed never toand wooly streamside adventure; access to the
have agreed better to frame a place for man'stamed Patapsco River at historic Daniels; and
commodious and delightful habitation." Dog ownersbreathtaking views of the river valley from
might readily concur. At Susquehanna State ParkBuzzard's Rock off Hilltop Road.#9 - Savage Park
you can test trails in the hills that will leave man(Howard County)Three unconnected areas
and dog panting or stroll along the shadysurrounding the confluence of the Middle Patuxent
Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal towpath, asand Little Patuxent rivers conspire to form
level and pleasant an excursion as you can takeSavage Park. The Wincopin Neck Trails are the
with your dog.#4 - Downs Memorial Park (Anneprime destination for the canine hiker where most
Arundel County)Looking for a dog-friendly park?of the walking is level except where the paths
At Downs Memorial Park there is a "pet parking"plunge to the edge of the rivers. Across the
stall outside the information center. A dog drinkingwater, the Savage Historic Mill Trail is a wide, level
bowl is chained to a human water fountain. Thewooded path that traces the boulder-pocked
walking is fine too. Some five miles of easy hikingstream below the confluence for 3/4 mile. Pools in
through woodlands of oak and maple and hollythe falls are the prettiest canine swimming holes in
and gum. Best of all is Dog Beach, an isolated,Greater Baltimore.#10 - Soldiers Delight Natural
scruffy 40-yard stretch of sand where you canEnvironmental Area (Baltimore County)Soldier's
let the dog off leash for canine aquatics in theDelight is the ideal change-up from the tall trees
Chesapeake Bay. The wave action is just rightand rushing streams found at most Baltimore
for dogs and there is enough sand for digging.area parks. Keep your eyes open as you wander
Need we say more?#5 - Gunpowder Falls Statethrough Soldier's Delight's 2700 acres. The lack of
Park - Sweet Air (Baltimore/Harfordnutrients in the soil of these "barrens" produce a
County)Sweet Air offers more than 12 miles ofprairie-like environment loaded with rare insects,
well-marked rambles on four main trails androcks and more than three dozen endangered
several connector branches. Unlike other sectionsplant species. The distinctive green-tinted
of Gunpowder Falls State Park, the water is notserpentine stone sticks up through the thin soil,
the star at Sweet Air. Rather the attraction is ahowever, and, while easy on the eye, can be
pastiche of open fields (still under cultivation) andtough on the paw.I am the author of over 20
wooded landscapes on either side of the river.books, including 8 on hiking with your dog, including
Don't forget to check out the farm ponds on thethe
property for some canine refreshment.#6 -widely praised The Canine Hiker's Bible. As
Oregon Ridge Park (Baltimore County)Save forpublisher of Cruden Bay Books, we
the demanding rocky slopes of the S. Jamesproduce the innovative A Bark In The Park
Camp-bell Trail, the hiking on Oregon Ridge's sixseries of canine hiking books found at
miles of trails is almost uniformly wide and soft toDuring the warm months I lead canine hikes as
the paw. The folks at Oregon Ridge aretour leader for tours, leading packs of dogs and
accommodating to dog owners - if you forget thehumans on
leash they will loan you one. There are many trailday and overnight trips.