LOCATION: Catonsville, Maryland
TRAIL DISTANCE: 4.7 Miles
TRAIL HEAD/ DIRECTIONS: Grist Mill Walking Bridge
TRAIL TYPE: Loop
TRAIL GRADE:  MODERATE (2)
TRAIL PARKING: 10 spots or less
KEY WORDS: Swinging Bridge, Waterfalls
TRAIL INFO
What’s to like about the trail:  Picturesque river vistas, mature forest, waterfalls and swinging bridges. 
Why go for a hike on this trail: Less than an hour from Washington D.C sits a hiking haven for the family filled with adventure.
Best time to go for a hike on this trail:  All four seasons.

Summary:   
  • Parking is found at a very inconspicuous trail head parking lot off llchester road (Just under the railroad bridge). It’s a 50 yard walk along the road to the trail head.
  • This trail summary combines multiple trails to provide not only a route but also provide your experience with a best of the best within the park
 
Your adventure begins in a grand way at one of the parks three swinging bridges! Upon crossing, continue on the Grist Mill trail, this by far is the easiest to navigate as it is a fairly wide gravel path suited for runners, walkers, and bicyclists. Enjoy peaceful views of the Patapsco River for .08 of a mile until you reach the Buzzards Rock trail (Yellow hash) , take a left to begin this section of trail. Buzzards Rock is a gentle ascent through an aged forest providing you abundant canopy. The trail is narrow with a general blend of compacted dirt and roots. The trail culminates at a bird’s perch view over the railroad tunnel (much more of a view during winter/ minus the forest foliage). Continuing on the Buzzards Rock for 0.6 mile (and passed a few parking lots) to an intersection with the Saw Mill trail (red hash). Make a left and continue your adventure on the Saw Mill trail. The beauty of this portion is the continuous gliding descent with splashes of creek views and interactions with the creek. The area stands out with its excellent arrangement of creek views and small cascading falls (great for a water break and photos). The Saw Mill portion is just under 1.1 miles until a return to the Grist Mill trail. The access to Grist mill trail is found via a small tunnel.  Make a left onto Grist Mill and go for 0.5 miles until the second swinging bridge at the Cascades area. Cross the Swinging bridge and arrive at the facility with bathroom and refreshments. The next leg of your adventure is the Cascades Trail (Blue Hash) which starts just behind the restrooms area, the trail head is well marked with a series of steps. The trail kicks off with a swift but manageable ascent for 0.3 miles until it arrives at a series of waterfalls. A stunning area to capture a moment, a photo, or a breath. The trail leads you within feet of the falls! From here cross the stream via the large boulders and resume the Cascades Trail on your right. Please note this area is light on the trail signs, and trail signs may not be frequent. The Cascades Trail resumes after the falls with a continuation of water sounds, water views and a lush assortment of tree and pine coverage. The trail opens nicely into a robust forest area, void of cars, humans and more centered on sounds of nature! Where the Cascades gets tricky is there are multiple points to turn right and return to the parking lot, be mindful to note that not all “trails” are trails but instead game trails. Your adventure on the Cascades will make a right at the second right, this comes after two water crossings and there is a clear trailhead marker indicating the Cascades continues. The trail begins a swift but short climb through the forest for 1.0 mile until an intersection with the Garrett Trail. Make a left onto the Garrett trail, this portion of your adventure is carried by large trees, slithering trails winding you back to the valley floor. It’s a peaceful saunter with limited obstacles. After 1.25 you will return to the valley floor on the River Road Trail, where you will make a left. The trail was a former fire road that is slowly drawing down to a trail, this means in parts it is wide, easy to navigate and strolls along the stream with multiple access points to engage the stream. However, in other parts it becomes a narrow, former shell of itself. After .07 miles veer right, the trail now descends 25 ft and the hobbles along next to the Patapsco River before a quick return up to the River Road Trail. This trail portion is root filled, narrow but engaging to the vista views of the river. The trail returns to llchester Road, make a right and stay on the side of the road for 100 feet to return to the initial swinging bridge and your starting point.

 

HIKE ON!
GEAR RECOMMENDATIONS
  • Things to Know
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  1. Be bear , snake and tick aware.
  2. Check park website before visiting for construction and trail rehabilitation information.
  3. The park’s trail system is not well marked and often confusing especially at Buzzards Rock, where I had more than a few people asking what trail they were on (this is because of poor signage).
  4. The park trail map is outdated, its not clean and clear and misses some trails that you will encounter
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