Gunpowder Falls State Park

Gunpowder Falls State Park
Maryland State Park
Park headquarters at Jerusalem Mill Village
Country United States
State Maryland
Counties Baltimore, Harford
Elevation 43 ft (13 m) [1]
Coordinates 39°21′45″N 76°20′33″W / 39.36250°N 76.34250°W / 39.36250; -76.34250Coordinates: 39°21′45″N 76°20′33″W / 39.36250°N 76.34250°W / 39.36250; -76.34250 [1]
Area 14,823 acres (5,999 ha) [2]
 - Wildlands (4 parcels) 3,872 acres (1,567 ha) [2]
Established 1959 [3]
Management Maryland Department of Natural Resources
IUCN category V - Protected Landscape/Seascape
Location in Maryland
Website: Gunpowder Falls State Park

Gunpowder Falls State Park is a public recreation area comprising six non-contiguous areas covering 18,000 acres (7,300 ha) in northeastern Baltimore County and western Harford County, Maryland. The state park is primarily made up of the stream valleys of the Big and Little Gunpowder Falls and the Gunpowder River; its natural features range from tidal marshes to rugged interior slopes.[3] The park has over 120 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing plus facilities for picnicking, tubing, canoeing and kayaking, tide-water fishing and crabbing, fly fishing,[4] and hunting, among other activities. It is managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.[5]

Park sections

Hereford Area
The 3,620-acre (1,460 ha) Hereford Area is a state-designated wildlands area located below the Prettyboy Reservoir. Recreational opportunities include 20 miles (32 km) of hiking and horseback riding trails, kayaking and canoeing, trout fishing, and youth group camping.[6] The Mill Pond Cottage provides accommodations.[7]
Sweet Air Area
The Sweet Air Area has 18 miles (29 km) of multi-use trails along the Little Gunpowder Falls on the border between Baltimore and Harford counties.[8]
Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail
The converted rail trail extends 19.7 miles (31.7 km) north from Ashland (near Cockeysville) to the Pennsylvania state line. The Sparks Bank Nature Center is located along the trail in Sparks, Maryland, and has interpretive displays and family activities on summer weekends.[9]
Central Area
The Central Area borders the Big and Little Gunpowder Falls. It includes the historic Jerusalem Mill Village and the site of the 19th-century Joppa Iron Works. Recreational features include multi-use trails, fishing, river paddling, and youth group camping.[10]
Hammerman Area
The Hammerman Area offers a 1,500-foot (460 m) swimming beach, picnicking areas, trails, fishing opportunities, and an archery range.[11]
Dundee Creek Marina
The Dundee Creek Marina is located near the mouth of the Gunpowder River. Marina services include fuel pumps, wet and dry slip leases, boat rentals, and store.[12]

Park areas are accessible at various exits off Interstate 83, Interstate 695, and Interstate 95.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 "Gunpowder State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. 1 2 "Fiscal Year 2016 DNR Owned Lands Acreage" (PDF). Maryland Department of Natural Resources. July 29, 2016. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Gunpowder Guide" (PDF). Maryland Department of Natural Resources. 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Gunpowder River Fly Fishing". Great Feathers. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
  5. 1 2 "Gunpowder Falls State Park". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Gunpowder Falls State Park: Hereford Area". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Mill Pond Cottage". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Gunpowder Falls State Park: Sweet Air Area". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Gunpowder Falls State Park: Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Gunpowder Falls State Park: Central Area". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Gunpowder Falls State Park: Hammerman Area". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Gunpowder Falls State Park: Dundee Creek Marina". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
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