Patapsco Valley State Park Named “Best Hike” in Baltimore Magazine

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ANNAPOLIS- Patapsco Valley State Park was recently named “Best Hike” by Baltimore magazine for 2006. The park was recognized in the magazine’s annual “Best of Baltimore” special edition currently available on newsstands.

“It is great to be recognized for “Best Hike,” said Patapsco Valley State Park Manager, Gary Burnett. “The trail crew and staff at the park work hard to provide safe and enjoyable trails for all of our visitors.”

Patapsco Valley State Park has over 16,000 acres of State land extending across four counties. The park welcomes an estimated 1,000,000 visitors per year. Patapsco has over 177 miles of trails for hiking and biking, and equestrian use has become a popular activity in the park.

“We are very proud of all of our trails,” added Burnett. “The “Best Hike” is part of a circuit hike down the Union Dam Trail, downstream along the river then back up the River Ridge trail to the park road. The circuit is a somewhat strenuous hike that rewards people with great views along the Patapsco River Valley.”

The trail crew and staff conduct trail maintenance days throughout the year to get volunteers to help keep our trails the best. The next scheduled maintenance days are August 21 and September 30 (National Public Lands Day). If you would like to volunteer, please contact the volunteer coordinator at 410-465-3287.

For more information about the park, please visit http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/central/patapscovalley.html

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August 17, 2006

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 18,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov