The trail's southern endpoint takes you to the outskirts of Annapolis and all that the historic state capital, situated on the Chesapeake Bay, has to offer. Want to go even further? The trail is part of the massive East Coast Greenway. Upon reaching the trail’s end at Glen Burnie, riders wanting to extend their afternoon can hit the John Overstreet Connector to the BWI Trail loop for an additional 12.5 miles around Baltimore-Washington International Airport. In between astronomy lessons, the trail traverses some relatively mild elevation changes and winds through several suburban parks and neighborhoods. Distances between the planets are true to scale, making it fun to hop between them like a bike-ped-powered USS Enterprise.
Trail users can exercise their mind as well as their body, thanks to a host of historical markers, the newly refurbished Earleigh Heights Ranger Station (originally built in 1889!), and the Planet Walk, a linear museum about our solar system. Baltimore and Annapolis (B&A) Trail Maryland's B&A Trail | Photo by Jen Kalebaīuilt on the remnants of the Annapolis and Baltimore Short Line built in 1880, the 13-mile B&A Trail is now trafficked by walkers and cyclists instead of freight-filled steam trains. Share your story or view a collection of trail moments stories. Learn more about our Trail Moments campaign at and #TrailMoments on social media.
The park also hosts a few notable festivals: the annual Charm City Bluegrass & Folk Festival, AFRAM (a celebration of African American life, music and culture) and PRIDE. The trail passes through Druid Hill Park, which features several fun diversions for families, including the Baltimore Zoo and the Botanic Gardens at Rawlings Conservatory. (Luckily, that makes for an easy, quick return to the trailhead!) Most of the route is a dedicated walking and bicycling path, but there are a few spots where people must navigate bike lanes.Ī segment of the developing 35-mile Baltimore Greenway Trails Network, the Jones Falls Trail connects with the Gwynns Falls Trail and is also part of the 3,000-mile East Coast Greenway, a growing network of multiuse trails across 15 states and the District of Columbia. It can be a challenging journey-specifically for those on bike-if you’re starting at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor from there it’s a mostly uphill climb for nearly 10 miles before reaching the Mount Washington Light Rail Station. Running mostly along the length of its namesake Jones Falls in Baltimore City, this scenic trail passes through both urban centers and idyllic natural escapes. Jones Falls Trail Maryland's Jones Falls Trail | Courtesy of Paola Tejada Lalinde Here are just 10 of our favorite pathways. The Free State offers a host of trail offerings for nearly every user, and its mild winters allow those riders and hikers to make the most of them year-round. If you’ve been on Maryland’s trails, then you know there’s much more to the state than just crabs, Old Bay and Baltimore Orioles baseball. Special acknowledgments: Jim Brown, RTC director of trail development Ethan Abbott, Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition project manager Maryland's Jones Falls Trail | Photo by Side A Photography