Masemore Water Trail - Parkton, MD
Masemore Water Trail Dog-Friendly Recreation in Parkton, Maryland
Discover the dog-friendly hiking and outdoor adventure at Masemore Water Trail in Parkton, Maryland. This pet-friendly trail, located along the scenic Gunpowder River, offers visitors beautiful natural surroundings featuring cold-water streams, rocky landscapes, abundant wildlife, and access to the iconic Pretty Boy Dam. Masemore Water Trail is a favorite among local hikers, anglers, and nature lovers looking for a place to enjoy a peaceful escape with their dogs.
The park is popular for its extensive trails suitable for hiking with your dog, wading, and even swimming in the river’s cold, refreshing waters during summer. Ample wildlife, including deer, herons, and butterflies, can be spotted along the way, making each visit unique. While the parking lot can fill up quickly, especially on weekends, street parking is also available nearby. If you’re searching for the best dog park experience or pet-friendly trails in northern Maryland, Masemore Water Trail is not to be missed!
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? Yes, the park has several hiking trails suitable for you and your dog.
- Is there a swimming area or pond for dogs? Yes, dogs can swim in the river along the trail, especially near the large rocks and falls.
- Where is the best place to park? There is a parking lot at the park, but it can get crowded; roadside parking is an alternative.
- How busy does the park get on weekends? The park can get quite busy on weekends, particularly with anglers and hikers.
Reviews
I had a great time hiking there. Lots of trails to hike and wildlife to see. Make sure you hydrant, bring water with you this time of year.
Great hike.
It’s a bit rocky, so be sure you can handle that. Especially if wet.
You end up at the Pretty Boy dam.
This review is mainly for fishermen. This is probably the most popular (and crowded) place to access the Gunpowder River. The lot can get full if you don’t get there early but you can always park on the side of the road just across the bridge.
Wading upstream from the here is pretty good water. Not really pocket water, but plenty of riffles and chutes and some decent flats and undercut banks. I usually don’t fish the deeper flats you’ll see the last few hundred yards before the bridge at Falls Rd. Just not enough structure and unless you see fish actively rising, its mostly unproductive.
Also lots of good water wading downstream toward the flats near the Bunker Hill access.
was super hot today so i tried out another stream to swim! went at 4 and walked almost a mile down the trail to the falls rd bridge and swam on these huge beautiful rocks. The water was soooo ice cold but i enjoyed myself ^_^ a good line of parking spaces and a pretty bridge to walk across, lots of flowers and creatures; deers, frogs, herons, butterflies, and spiders.
Water temp is consistently cold which is nice in summer. The trail for hikers is a bit over grown (maybe due to covid) and waters seem to be a bit over fished by anglers.