| Blue Ribbon - Robert E. Lee Park (Baltimore | | | | Ridge an active mining commun-ity in the 19th |
| County)With its rough-around-the-edges look, | | | | century: water, timber, iron and marble.#7 - |
| Robert E. Lee radiates plenty of canine | | | | Gunpowder Falls State Park - Bel Air |
| charm. It feels as if dogs are welcome here | | | | (Baltimore County)From the parking lot on US |
| and the 456-acre park has evolved into a | | | | 1 there are hours of hiking on both sides of |
| prime destination for dog walkers of all | | | | the Gunpowder Falls in either direction. The |
| sorts. Looking for a quick walk and a swim? | | | | highlight for canine hikers here is the |
| Lake Roland can't be beat for deep water dog | | | | Sweathouse Branch Wildlands Area that |
| paddling. After a half-day's outing with your | | | | provides some of the best loop trails in the |
| dog on the hiking trails? Cross the light | | | | Gunpowder Falls state park system. The |
| rail line and the trail system explodes into | | | | healthy hill climbs and wide trails give a |
| a maze of hard-packed dirt passageways | | | | big feel to this 5.1-mile walk as it meanders |
| through the woods. Just need to let the dog | | | | through differing forest types. Continue just |
| romp with some buddies? Robert E. Lee Park | | | | past the end of the Sweathouse Trail to the |
| may as well be Rover E. Lee Park. You'll find | | | | Long Green Run and you'll find one of the |
| more dogs per hour here than any park in the | | | | best canine swimming holes in Greater |
| Baltimore area.#2 - Gunpowder Falls State | | | | Baltimore. Racing water is funnelled into a |
| Park - Hereford (Baltimore County)At Hereford | | | | deep pool by a whale-shaped rock that serves |
| the canine hiker can find any length or type | | | | as a natural diving board for playful dogs.#8 |
| of hike to set tails wagging. Long | | | | - Patapsco Valley State Park (Carroll, Howard |
| out-and-back walks through a rugged gorge | | | | and Baltimore counties)Dogs are banned in |
| (this is Baltimore?) can be combined with | | | | most areas of Maryland's first state park, |
| many side trails that scamper up the valley | | | | established in 1907. But there is plenty of |
| slopes. You'll find plenty of great canine | | | | lemonade to be squeezed from those lemons |
| swimming holes in the river, fed by outflows | | | | served up by the state of Maryland. Dogs are |
| from the Prettyboy Dam. You can even take the | | | | welcomed in undeveloped areas such as |
| dog right to the base of the dam on a narrow | | | | Feezer's Lane where a short hike leads to the |
| trail drenched in mountain laurel.#3 - | | | | base of Liberty Dam; Henryton Road which |
| Susquehanna State Park (Harford County)The | | | | sports a wild and wooly streamside adventure; |
| first European to set eyes on the Susquehanna | | | | access to the tamed Patapsco River at |
| River was English explorer John Smith. He was | | | | historic Daniels; and breathtaking views of |
| suitably impressed. "Heaven and earth," he | | | | the river valley from Buzzard's Rock off |
| wrote, "seemed never to have agreed better to | | | | Hilltop Road.#9 - Savage Park (Howard |
| frame a place for man's commodious and | | | | County)Three unconnected areas surrounding |
| delightful habitation." Dog owners might | | | | the confluence of the Middle Patuxent and |
| readily concur. At Susquehanna State Park you | | | | Little Patuxent rivers conspire to form |
| can test trails in the hills that will leave | | | | Savage Park. The Wincopin Neck Trails are the |
| man and dog panting or stroll along the shady | | | | prime destination for the canine hiker where |
| Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal towpath, as | | | | most of the walking is level except where the |
| level and pleasant an excursion as you can | | | | paths plunge to the edge of the rivers. |
| take with your dog.#4 - Downs Memorial Park | | | | Across the water, the Savage Historic Mill |
| (Anne Arundel County)Looking for a | | | | Trail is a wide, level wooded path that |
| dog-friendly park? At Downs Memorial Park | | | | traces the boulder-pocked stream below the |
| there is a "pet parking" stall outside the | | | | confluence for 3/4 mile. Pools in the falls |
| information center. A dog drinking bowl is | | | | are the prettiest canine swimming holes in |
| chained to a human water fountain. The | | | | Greater Baltimore.#10 - Soldiers Delight |
| walking is fine too. Some five miles of easy | | | | Natural Environmental Area (Baltimore |
| hiking through woodlands of oak and maple and | | | | County)Soldier's Delight is the ideal |
| holly and gum. Best of all is Dog Beach, an | | | | change-up from the tall trees and rushing |
| isolated, scruffy 40-yard stretch of sand | | | | streams found at most Baltimore area parks. |
| where you can let the dog off leash for | | | | Keep your eyes open as you wander through |
| canine aquatics in the Chesapeake Bay. The | | | | Soldier's Delight's 2700 acres. The lack of |
| wave action is just right for dogs and there | | | | nutrients in the soil of these "barrens" |
| is enough sand for digging. Need we say | | | | produce a prairie-like environment loaded |
| more?#5 - Gunpowder Falls State Park - Sweet | | | | with rare insects, rocks and more than three |
| Air (Baltimore/Harford County)Sweet Air | | | | dozen endangered plant species. The |
| offers more than 12 miles of well-marked | | | | distinctive green-tinted serpentine stone |
| rambles on four main trails and several | | | | sticks up through the thin soil, however, |
| connector branches. Unlike other sections of | | | | and, while easy on the eye, can be tough on |
| Gunpowder Falls State Park, the water is not | | | | the paw.I am the author of over 20 books, |
| the star at Sweet Air. Rather the attraction | | | | including 8 on hiking with your dog, |
| is a pastiche of open fields (still under | | | | including the |
| cultivation) and wooded landscapes on either | | | | |
| side of the river. Don't forget to check out | | | | widely praised The Canine Hiker's Bible. As |
| the farm ponds on the property for some | | | | publisher of Cruden Bay Books, we |
| canine refreshment.#6 - Oregon Ridge Park | | | | |
| (Baltimore County)Save for the demanding | | | | produce the innovative A Bark In The Park |
| rocky slopes of the S. James Camp-bell Trail, | | | | series of canine hiking books found at |
| the hiking on Oregon Ridge's six miles of | | | | |
| trails is almost uniformly wide and soft to | | | | During the warm months I lead canine hikes |
| the paw. The folks at Oregon Ridge are | | | | as |
| accommodating to dog owners - if you forget | | | | |
| the leash they will loan you one. There are | | | | tour leader for tours, leading packs of dogs |
| many trail options in this 1000-acre park and | | | | and humans on |
| don't be afraid to learn something here. An | | | | |
| interpretive trail leads to exhibits on the | | | | day and overnight trips. |
| bountiful natural resources that made Oregon | | | | |