Skip to content

Family-Friendly Hikes near Baltimore

We track 117 routes that match this search near Baltimore. They average 1.8 km, with the longest running to 6.1 km.

That is 66 percent of the 178 routes we map near Baltimore. They are shorter than the local average, 1.8 km against 5.2 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. They also climb less than the area average, 21 m (69 ft) against 61 m (200 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Family routes here are short, gently graded and interesting enough to keep younger legs moving. Every one is under seven kilometres with limited climbing. Most of these are on the gentler end, which makes the list a good starting point if you are new to the area.

Trails

View south along Interstate 83 (Jones Falls Expressway) just north of Old Pimlico Road in Pikesville, Baltimore County, Maryland
Easy

Orange Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
25 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • Waterfall
  • River
  • Mountain
View east along U.S. Route 40 (Baltimore National Pike) at Edmondson Avenue in Baltimore City, Maryland
Easy

Hunting Ridge Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
7 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
The Loch Raven Reservoir is a reservoir that provides drinking water for the City of Baltimore and most of Baltimore County, Maryland. Originally built in 1881 as a dam and water tunnel to channel water to Lake Montebello and Lake Clifton,
Easy

Meadow Trail (yellow)

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.4 km
/ 0.2 mi
Typical duration
5 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Screen shot of toolpaths.
Easy

Stream Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Typical duration
10 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Tacoma M1 mandolin angled
Easy

South River Overlook

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
7 min
  • River
  • Panoramic viewpoint
View south along Interstate 83 (Jones Falls Expressway) just north of Old Pimlico Road in Pikesville, Baltimore County, Maryland
Easy

White Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
32 m
Typical duration
10 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
500px provided description: A view of the Antioch church from Oregon Ridge. [#g12 ,#powershot g12 ,#Snow ,#Winter ,#Park ,#Cold ,#Church ,#Maryland ,#Antioch ,#Distance ,#Baltimore County ,#January ,#Hike ,#Dome ,#Oregon Ridge ,#2017 ,#Jaso
Easy

Baltimore Gneiss Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
24 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • Waymarked route
View south along Interstate 95 (J.F.K. Memorial Highway) at Exit 67 (Maryland State Route 43, White Marsh, Middle River) in White Marsh, Baltimore County, Maryland
Easy

Blue Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Typical duration
7 min
  • Waymarked route
Bluegrass pickin'.
Easy

Cabin Branch Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
29 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River State Park in Howard and Montgomery counties, Maryland.
Easy

Cemetery Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
3.2 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
33 m
Typical duration
43 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Farm Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
7 min
  • Waymarked route
View south along Interstate 270 (Washington National Pike) at Exit 16 (Maryland State Route 27/Father Hurley Boulevard, Damascus) in Germantown, Montgomery County, Maryland
Easy

Field Crest Spur

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
17 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River State Park in Howard and Montgomery counties, Maryland.
Easy

Flowing Free Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
53 m
Typical duration
34 min
  • Waymarked route
View south along Maryland State Route 980 (Stephanie Roper Highway Service Road) near Maryland State Route 4 (Stephanie Roper Highway) in Drury, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Easy

Glendening - Blue Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
4.7 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
59 min
  • Waymarked route
View south along Maryland State Route 980 (Stephanie Roper Highway Service Road) near Maryland State Route 4 (Stephanie Roper Highway) in Drury, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Easy

Glendening - Green Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
39 min
  • Waymarked route
View south along Maryland State Route 980 (Stephanie Roper Highway Service Road) near Maryland State Route 4 (Stephanie Roper Highway) in Drury, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Easy

Glendening - Orange Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
3.4 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
28 m
Typical duration
46 min
  • Waymarked route
View south along Interstate 83 (Jones Falls Expressway) just north of Old Pimlico Road in Pikesville, Baltimore County, Maryland
Easy

Green Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
16 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • Waymarked route
Bluegrass pickin'.
Easy

Hamilton Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
29 m
Typical duration
37 min
  • Waymarked route
Black Hill Regional Park
Easy

Hard Rock Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
66 m
Typical duration
42 min
  • Waymarked route
MTA Maryland Neoplan AN440lf #0281 on the #38 line.
Easy

Jastrow Levin Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
7 min
  • Waymarked route
Links being cut.
Easy

Norman Reeves Nature Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
22 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Otter Point Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Typical duration
11 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Pindell Bluff Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
23 min
  • Waymarked route
Woodend. listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Easy

Purple Blaze

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.8 mi
Typical duration
15 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Railroad Bed Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Typical duration
10 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Two Run Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
15 m
Typical duration
9 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Upper RR Bed Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
11 m
Typical duration
13 min
  • Waymarked route
Links being cut.
Easy

Wetland Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
13 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Yellow Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
32 min
  • Waymarked route
View south along Interstate 83 (Jones Falls Expressway) just north of Old Pimlico Road in Pikesville, Baltimore County, Maryland
Easy

Yellow Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
16 m
Typical duration
24 min
  • Waymarked route
Redington Lake at the Patuxent Research Refuge.
Easy

Cash lake Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Typical duration
30 min
  • Lake
First layer is slanted inward using a wire centered at origin.
Easy

Lake Elkhorn Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
38 min
  • Lake
Wilde Lake , Columbia , Maryland
Easy

Wilde Lake Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
29 min
  • Lake
View south along Interstate 95 (J.F.K. Memorial Highway) at Exit 67 (Maryland State Route 43, White Marsh, Middle River) in White Marsh, Baltimore County, Maryland
Easy

Green Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
17 m
Typical duration
9 min
  • Waymarked route
Tacoma M1 mandolin in case
Easy

Harness Creek Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Typical duration
6 min
  • River
orange mycena ( Mycena leaiana )
Easy

Beach Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
20 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
orange mycena ( Mycena leaiana )
Easy

Forest Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
8 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
View south along Interstate 83 (Jones Falls Expressway) just north of Old Pimlico Road in Pikesville, Baltimore County, Maryland
Easy

Blue Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Typical duration
16 min
  • Waymarked route
500px provided description: Fall color reflected in still water of an Indian Summer day. [#color ,#g12 ,#Fall ,#Canon ,#Leaves ,#Maryland ,#Baltimore ,#November ,#Reservoir ,#Refelction ,#Jason Knauer]
Easy

Shore Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
9 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Coastal
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Blue Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
5.2 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
77 m
Typical duration
1 hr 12 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-49 AM_edit
Easy

Blue Spur

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Typical duration
6 min
  • Waymarked route
Patuxent River Park Apr 11, 2017, 8-011_edit
Easy

Brown Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
20 m
Typical duration
15 min
  • Waymarked route

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Orange TrailMaryland0.8 km25 m12 minEasyApril to October
Pennsylvania Avenue Heritage TrailMaryland0.4 km14 m7 minEasyApril to October
Hunting Ridge TrailMaryland0.6 kmflat7 minEasyApril to October
Loch Raven Drive Trail (purple)Maryland0.5 km11 m7 minEasyApril to October
Meadow Trail (yellow)Maryland0.4 kmflat5 minEasyApril to October
Stream TrailMaryland0.8 kmflat10 minEasyApril to October
South River OverlookMaryland0.5 km7 m7 minEasyApril to October
Wellington Woods Trail (green)Maryland0.9 km34 m14 minEasyApril to October
White TrailMaryland0.6 km32 m10 minEasyApril to October
Old Franklintown Loop TrailMaryland1.9 km34 m26 minEasyApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Orange Trail, Pennsylvania Avenue Heritage Trail, Hunting Ridge Trail. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

Other shortlists covering the same area or the same kind of terrain.

People also search for