Jones Falls Trail

The Jones Falls Trail is a 9.1-mile paved trail for hikers and bikers. The southernmost trail head begins at the inner harbor, and heads north paralleling I-83 (The Jones Falls Expressway), through Druid Hill Park, around the Maryland Zoo, through Woodberry, Cold Spring Park, then landing at the northernmost point at the Cylburn Arboretum. We ran a portion of the trail from the Maryland Zoo to the Cylburn Arboretum, which spanned more than 7 miles there-and-back.

The trail took us to some scenic neighborhoods which we loved exploring. One of the most picturesque areas along the trail was the Clipper Mill. Also, who knew Druid Hill Park has Frisbee Golf? We saw lots of people playing there.

Cylburn Arboretum

The Cylburn Arboretum was built in 1888 as a summer home for Jesse Tyson and his mother, who was recently widowed. Jesse's father was a chemist who built the Baltimore Chrome Works, the first chemical plant for chromium in the U.S. The Tyson Company had a monopoly for producing and exporting chromite which is where the Tyson's got their wealth. Now, you can explore the grounds, the mansion, and the trails behind it.

Directions

We parked (for free) at the Maryland Zoo, and asked the parking staff where we could find the trail. Then, follow the green spray painted markings on the sidewalks; I found that to be easier than looking for the signs. We also followed Google Maps; when you zoom in, the trail is a skinny green line.