Where? Grist Mill Trail, Patapsco Valley State Park Avalon Area, Catonsville, Maryland, USA
How much? The usual Maryland State Park fee, ranges from $3 to $7, depending on day of the week and if you are a resident.
Open/Closes: I couldn’t find anything specific to this park, but I’m sure it closes at sunset and I believe it opens between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM. You can find more details about the park here.
Pets: There’s nothing explicit about pets on this park’s page, but this is the Pet’s policy for Maryland State Parks in general.
At a Glance
I’ve been to this trail and area of the park multiple times. I’ve complete bike rides and hikes with my family. Please read through my insta posts to learn the details:
More details of Our Experience
To access the trail by parking legally you would have to enter Patapsco Valley State Park through the Avalon/Glen Artney/Orange Grove Area. This is located in Howard County. Click on the map to get directions on Google Maps.
You can also access the trail from Ilchester Road but, even if you’ll most likely see cars parked on the side of the road, it’s not legal to park there. You will likely get a ticket or your car towed.
If you want to start the trail from the beginning, once you enter Patapsco, you’ll continue to the right where the signs are pointing out Avalon Area. Once you reach that, you’ll take a left where the signs are pointing to Glen Artney Area. Before you reach the dead end and take a right that goes under the railroad bridge, you’ll see a small parking area to your left. Park there. That’s the closest parking.
That parking is right next to Lost Lake. The lake is closed due to flood damage but you can appreciate it from afar. It’s very pretty and theres a serene quietness there. Continue walking past the lake, and you’ll the sign saying Grist Mill Trail. You won’t miss it since it’s the only trail there and it’s completely concrete paved.
I hope you have a great time visiting this beautiful place. Being in contact with nature is proven to make you feel better and happier. Let me know if you go how it goes and remember that the easiest way to stay posted and in touch is to follow me on insta, where I also share videos of the places in my stories/highlights!
LuzWanderer 
[…] magnitude and extent that the construction of this place took. The view reminded me of the end of Grist Mill Trail in Patapsco Valley State Park, where you see the Patapsco river on one side and the forest on the other. In this case, the […]
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