Trails at Honeygo Run Regional Park
I did a little suburban running in Perry Hall the other day and stumbled upon some trails at Baltimore County’s Honeygo Run Regional Park. Based on my run, I’ve written a review of the trails.
Honeygo Run Regional Park is best known for its sports fields or the massive dog park, but just beyond the cut grass lies several dozen acres of woods, traversed by a network of one to two meter wide hiking and biking trails. The trails are fairly well marked (except for the backwoods marsh section) and are not too challenging. There are about three miles of dirt trails, and a half mile asphalt paved loop around the fields. There is also a footbridge over Honeygo Boulevard to another field area that connects to Kuhl Avenue. Refer to the following map of the trails when reading about each.
The Green Trail
The Green Trail is a mostly flat section that begins near Honeygo Boulevard and wraps around through the woods to the Red Trail. It runs approximately .3 miles.
The Red Trail
The Red Trail is a longer and slightly more technical dirt trail that takes a long looping path through the woods. The full loop is about a mile. Red has several rooty sections where footing can be difficult, and passes along the Honeygo Run riverbank, fording a few small streams. The trail includes junctions the Blue Trail, the Green Trail, and access to the Big Rocks and Marsh sections.
Topography on the Red Trail is slightly more hilly than Green, but not by much. There are a few climbs near the troll bridge above, but they are short ones. Stop and enjoy the scenery on the Red Trail at the scenic overlook near Big Rocks.
The Blue Trail
The Blue Trail is the shortest trail at Honeygo, at .1 miles, providing a short connection path between the two sides of the Red Trail loop, for those not looking to avoid the lower sections of the Red Trail.
Big Rocks
Be sure to take the short detour along the Red Trail to the Big Rocks viewpoint. There is a short trail with yellow blazes leading from the sign above to the Big Rocks formation. The rock wall here is spectacular to see!
The Marsh
The Marsh is an area crisscrossed by single track trails that cross Honeygo Run as they wind through marshy grasses and ferns. There are no blazes in The Marsh, so pay attention to the paths as they meander about.
The Marsh contains two of the most challenging climbs in the park out of the Honeygo Run valley, that lead to the Silver Lake Drive area. Heading in the generally downstream direction, the first climb is fairly easy to spot, and rises sharply up a pebbly path to a cross path at the top. To the right lies a connection to the American Legion Post 130, and two the left is a rugged trail that eventually leads to a grass track that connects to Silver Spring Road.
The second climb is a bit more difficult to see, but begins at around the same spot as the first. This climb heads approximately perpendicular to the stream along a dirt and grass single track trail that will take the user through a pine grove, over fallen trees, through a stream and eventually up to Silver Lake Road. There are a bunch of logs across the trailhead as if to prevent access.
Silver Spring Loop
There is an unofficial but nonetheless interesting trail and road loop in the Marsh area that takes you out of the park and onto some streets. Heading from the Marsh area, turn right at the top of the hill towards Post 130. Go through the parking lot and down Silver Lakes Drive to Silver Spring Road. Head towards the noise barrier. Stop.
Instead of stopping at the wall, head left up a dirt and gravel access road along the I-95 right up way.
Interesting side note: you’re now standing above the “The Big Inch”, a 10' diameter untreated water conduit that goes from the Conowingo Dam to Lake Montebello, when levels at City reservoirs drop.
Heading along the access road, you’ll pass some homes and a day care facility. There’s an old couch to mark your way. Pass through some brush and head left towards a fence. There’s a large fallen tree that had crushed the fence, affording an opportunity to cross. The trail rejoins the Marsh path back near Post 130.
Enjoy the trails!
Map Update
After seeing this, the folks at Baltimore County Rec & Parks sent me a copy of the official park trail map.
