Baltimore Area Trail Runs
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OTHER GUNPOWDER FALLS STATE PARK AREAS
HEREFORD AREA: Take I-83 North to Mt. Carmel Rd East. Follow Mt Carmel to a
left on York Rd North. Just past Hereford High School, turn left on Bunker
Hill Rd and follow road downhill to parking area at dead end. This run is
definitely worth the drive. Hilly and off the beaten path, these trails have
a true wilderness feel. There are many options from this parking area. My
favorite is a hilly six mile loop. From the parking area, facing the
Gunpowder, go right onto the white blazed Gunpowder south trail. This trail
follows the falls and then climbs to a ridge before descending near the water
as trail crosses York Rd. Carefully cross York Rd. After crossing a small
stream make a right on the Panther Branch Trail. Follow this trail uphill
about ½ mile to an intersection with the Sandy Lane trail. Make a left on
this trail and descend towards the water. Make a right when trail hits the
Gunpowder South trail. Follow this trail along the falls for about ½ mile.
The trail crosses the Panther Branch stream. Make a left and then follow the
trail as it crosses back over the stream. Follow this trail uphill keeping
the stream on your left. After passing through an open field make sure you
make a right and you will begin to descent to the intersection of Sandy Lane
trail and Panther Branch trail. Make a left on the Panther Branch trail and
head back to the parking area, crossing York Rd and the following the
Gunpowder South trail up and then down for about one mile to the parking
area. This is a great run but since this is a large park area, you should
definitely take a map with you and be aware of where you are.
SWEET AIR AREA: Take Jarrettsville Pike north to Rt 145 ( Sweet Air Rd ).
Make a right on Sweet Air Rd and follow to a left on Green Rd. About 1 mile
on Green Rd to a left on Moores Rd. Less than ½ mile to a left on
Dalton-Brevard Rd and into parking lot. This is another hidden treasure. Off
of the beaten path, there are little crowds to fight. Your run has a little
of everything: wide trails, single track trails, open meadows, hills, flats
and water. From parking area you can cross road onto blue-blazed boundary
trail. After about ½ mile, the yellow-blazed pine loop trail is on your
right. For a short addition to your run, I suggest you take this trail as it
loops around and rejoins the boundary trail. Follow boundary trail as it goes
through open fields and some woods. Eventually the trail descends to the
Little Gunpowder Falls. This is a definite both feet soaked stream crossing.
However, trails on other side can be overgrown. Instead of crossing the
stream, you can make a left on the white blazed Little Gunpowder Trail. This
trail goes up and down and offers nice ridge views of the falls on your
right. At the intersection with the red trail, you could turn right on the
red trail and take that to a right on the yellow Barley Pond loop which runs
along an open meadow to a right at the Little Gunpowder Trail and on to the
parking lot. For a longer run, you could continue past the red trail on the
Little Gunpowder Trail and follow the trails as it bends right a couple times
on the way back to the parking lot.
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