Patapsco Valley State Park (Ellicott City, Md)

Patapsco Valley State Park offers a wide variety of trails for mountain bikers with an estimated 35 miles of trails open to bikes. You can ride smooth and twisty or open rocky sections. Stream crossings, log rides and some nice root sections are intermingled in some well-used fast singletrack and wider trails. Quite a lot of the trails on the Park n Ride (north) side of the park from the Patapsco River are steep with a high degree of technical challenge, especially in the Hilton Area above Bloedes Dam. Most of the Trail on the Landing Road (south) side of the river is rolling with some climbs that are steep by anyoneÕs standards. Notable exceptions are the north side of the Cascade Trail with some short, steep up and down horseshoe trails (up the ridge, along the ridge, back down to the Cascade trail). Many of the logs in Patapsco are well ramped and some are optional with obvious alternatives. There are numerous stream crossings, some deep but few that are challenging.

Trail Navigation: It's relatively easy to get lost in the network of trails in the different park areas, despite the increase of large signs and consistent and excellent blazing. Pick up a map at the parkÕs main entrance off of Route 1 or order one from http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/trailguides.html. The maps are recent and made of water and tear resistant paper. If you plan on attacking the park without a map, use the following reference points while you ride: swinging bridge, Landing Road, Park n Ride, railroad tracks, Belmont, pipes, paved trail, 2 sets of facilities, pavilions, Hilton Area parking lot, water tower, repelling wall, UBMC and the steep fire road climb. Trying to find all of these will lead you to most of the trails in the park.

Directions to Main Entrance (fee area)

From I-95 take exit for Rolling Road 166/I195 BWI towards BWI. Exit Rte 1 South then right onto South St then a quick left into the park. (Exit 3) toward Elkridge to South St. Turn right. Park entrance is on the left.

Directions to Park n Ride

From I 95, take the I 195/Rolling Road/166 exit towards Rolling Road. There will be a Park n Ride immediately in front of you. Park, then ride. The trailhead is across the street to the left of the guardrail.

Directions to Rockburn Branch/Landing Road side

Route 1 to Montgomery Rd (left if heading north, right if heading south). Right on Landing Road at the church, Rockburn Branch Park (Howard County) is on your left. Park at the top of the hill. Trailheads are on Landing Road in either direction: left to the top of Cascade trail, right to an ÔunmaintainedÕ entrance.

Additional Information

* http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclan...scovalley.html