Tip Sheet Thursday: Family hikes
Here's a list of places some of our readers like to take their families on hikes. Special thanks to Christine, who not only suggested the topic but sent me a long list of spots.
Obviously this is not an exhaustive list, and I'm hoping parents who have actually hiked these trails will post reviews of which are the best and which weren't so successful for a particular age group.
(Photo of Cylburn Arboretum by Sun photographer Kim Hairston)
Eden Mill Nature Center - Pylesville. It's a hike (sorry, bad pun) for some, but this Harford County nature center looks promising, with downloadable trail maps on its Web site. The site says an open house is scheduled there from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 7, rain or shine, so that might be a good time to check it out.
Oregon Ridge Park, Cockeysville. This got several favorable mentions from readers. Laura says the hike around the lake is easy enough for kids under 5. You can also check out a report on the hiking there from Kid Baltimore. There's also a good playground there.
Gunpowder Falls State Park. This 18,000-acre park in Baltimore and Harford counties has many trails, including the Torrey C. Brown rail trail (aka the NCR trail, perfect for walking or biking.)
Cromwell Valley Park, Baltimore County. This 380-acre park has a number of nature trails less than a mile long, according to its web site.
Cylburn Arboretum, Baltimore City. Wildflower varieties are marked along the 2 1/2 miles of trails, according to the Web site.
Soldier's Delight, Owings Mills. According to the web site, you might be able to spot songbird nesting boxes along the trails.
Marshy Point Nature Center, . The ice cream social this evening would be a nice opportunity to get to know this nature center on the bay. And if the weather is too nasty for hiking, there's a family movie night the first Friday of each month, says the web site.
Trolley Trail No. 9 between Catonsville and Ellicott City. This trail, just over a mile, begins at the end of Edmondson Avenue and winds through Oella to downtown Ellicott City. A side trail takes you to the Banneker Historical Park and Museum.
What's your favorite?
Comments
One of the neat things to add to any hike is to see if there are any letterboxes (http://www.atlasquest.com/) along the way. I know there is one on the Number 9 Trolley trail , as I've found it myself. Letterboxing is a wonderful hobby for both adults and kids alike - low-tech treasure hunting that costs very little and develops following direction skills.
Posted by: Michelle | May 23, 2008 5:44 AM