Patapsco Valley State Park · MD
Ridge Trail
Forested ridge trail on the Howard County side, paralleling the river and park road with rolling climbs. Often hiked as an out-and-back or looped with Cascade Falls in the Orange Grove/Avalon area.
Live · updated
Today
Skip the mountain biking plan today.
Today's best: mountain biking
Conditions
Score by activity
Hiking
Skip the hiking plan today.
Trail running
Skip the trail running plan today.
Mountain biking
Skip the mountain biking plan today.
Dog walking
Thunderstorms in today's forecast — dogs panic and trails become dangerous.
Score breakdown
- · 82°F air — Within comfort range, outside ideal
- − Thunderstorms — Get off exposed ridges before they arrive
- ✓ Trail: prime — 0.14" of rain in the last 48 hours. Trail surface is dry and tacky — prime traction.
- − 79 min of daylight — You need at least 100 min with margin. Bring a headlamp or start tomorrow.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 6.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 748 ft
- Surface
- mixed
- Difficulty
- moderate
Trailhead
Coordinates
39.2345, -76.7447 — MD.
Park
Part of Patapsco Valley State Park (official site →).
Peak nymphal tick activity — check yourself within 2 hours of leaving the trail.
Frequently Asked
How long is Ridge Trail?
Ridge Trail is a 6.4-mile route with 748 feet of elevation gain — moderate — some sustained climbing or technical sections; expect to work for it but no specialized skills required. The trail facts panel on this page lists distance, surface, and access tags as they appear in OpenStreetMap.
What's the trail surface like at Ridge Trail?
Ridge Trail is mixed surface — sections of dirt, rock, and root that vary along the route. Today's mud rating, derived from recent precipitation and the surface type, is shown in the conditions panel above.
Who manages Ridge Trail, and where do closure alerts come from?
Ridge Trail is in Patapsco Valley State Park, which is managed by the managing agency. Closure and advisory data on this page comes from the agency. Always confirm against the park's own page before driving — emergency closures can post faster than scrapers refresh.