Gunpowder Falls State Park Sweet Air Area - Baldwin, MD
Gunpowder Falls State Park Sweet Air Area: A Dog-Friendly Hiking Destination in Baldwin, Maryland
Discover the scenic beauty and miles of pet-friendly trails at Gunpowder Falls State Park Sweet Air Area, a favorite dog park in Baldwin, Maryland. This expansive park is perfect for dog owners seeking adventure and outdoor exercise, with well-marked loops and plenty of opportunities for exploration alongside your furry friend. Trails accommodate both hikers and equestrians, and you’ll likely see local wildlife along your route.
While this park doesn’t offer a designated off-leash dog enclosure, the diverse trails are ideal for leashed dog walks, featuring options to extend or shorten your hike depending on your needs. Expect some muddy areas, especially near creeks (which sometimes require crossing), and keep in mind that ticks have been noted by visitors—so be sure to check your dog after your visit. With its hilly landscapes, creek crossings, and serene wooded paths, Gunpowder Falls stands out as one of the best dog-friendly hiking destinations near Baltimore County.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? Yes, there are miles of well-marked hiking trails throughout the park, with scenic loops and nature views.
- Is there a swimming area or pond for dogs? While there is a main creek to cross during certain trails, there is no designated dog swimming area; creek crossings are part of the hike.
- Is parking available? Yes, there is parking available at the park’s main entrance on Dalton Bevard Rd.
- Is the park muddy after it rains? Yes, some trails can be muddy even a few days after rainfall, especially near the creeks.
- Are ticks or other pests common in the area? Yes, visitors have reported finding ticks on their dogs after hiking, so please check your pet after your visit.
Reviews
Finally made it up to this area of Gunpowder Falls and it didn’t disappoint. Great trails, just beautiful!
Great place to go for a hike, but there are always lots of ticks on our dog when we get home. The trails are well marked and most trails loop around so that you can make your hike shorter or longer going in the same direction. Different turns that show you a shorter way back to the parking area. Be prepared for some hills on most trails and also some mud when you get closer to the creek.
Lots of miles of great trails but the only way to get to those on the other side of the creek is by walking through the creek. They have bridges over smaller creeks but not on the main creek.
This review is a two-parter, the first paragraph is my experience on the trail and the second is advice for newcomers.
I walked the boundary trail and had a blast! In the beginning its very spacious because the trails are for horses too. I witnessed a bountiful amount of animal sightings which was awesome (two deer stared at me at two instances and I managed to snap a photo of one). You do have to cross the river twice though (I didn’t take an image of the second crossing). At the end, for the second river crossing I took a round-about way across the river by making a pile of rocks and jumping to a small island. Then I climbed a fallen tree to the other side avoiding the second walkthrough (if you walk North 800 ft then NW 682 ft you may see my small rock pile). Towards the very end of my trek the trails were muddy even though it hadn’t rained for a couple days. Overall, the one trail had so much scenery jam packed into it that it blew all my inconveniences from my mind (muddy boots & soggy pants). The length of the trail is 4.9 miles, but I made it 7 with my off trail exploration. It took me 5 hours to complete (12:40 PM – 5:30 PM). Happy hiking!
If you are a beginner into hiking make sure to be sensible and do your research about a trail, I.E. Time of day and weather etc. My suggestion is to go to the sites ‘AllTrails’ or ‘Hiking Project’ because they will have users give updates about the trail you want to go on. they are also super helpful because you can screen snip the map with the trail(s) you want to take. I also suggest getting the app ‘mapmyfitness’ if you haven’t already because it helps you follow your line on your physical map with GPS. This helped me a lot because if I ever got confused I could reference my phone and take the right path. Thank you for reading my rambling if you did, overall you will not be disappointed with this trail however you will be exhausted if you decide to do the full loop.
Nice park but not great trail keeping. Water had overtaken most of the areas to cross on the blue trail