Gray's Mill Trail

Gray's Mill Trail is a natural-surface connector inside Patapsco Valley State Park, linking the Ellicott City area with Catonsville’s side of the park. It was created to close a major gap in the trail system connectivity through the OEC area.

Expect a short out-and-back style route experience: about 2 miles one-way. The surface is dirt path, shared with foot traffic, horses, and bikes (no motorized vehicles).

The route runs as a “short hiking specific member route” inside the park’s larger trail network, with a small set of connected route members that allow you to stitch it into longer days or keep it as a standalone hike.

Elevation changes are part of the design—built to include sustained climbs and punchier efforts rather than a flat traverse. The trail’s purpose as a connector also means you’ll feel like you’re moving between two different halves of PVSP rather than looping inside one small compartment.

It has been in use as an informal connection for years, but it gained official trail status after a period of closure around River Road following the catastrophic floods of 2018. Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park and park partners surveyed the alignment and made sustainable improvements to open it as an official trail.

Amenities are limited to what’s specifically installed on the Gray’s Mill Trail itself: a kiosk and a bike fix-it station are at the trail. There is no through-trail parking tied to this connection; it sits adjacent to private property, so stay on the trail and don’t use the horse-farm meadows or access road.

Bring a dog on leash if you’re traveling with one, and plan on natural-surface conditions: the trail is intended to be passable without vehicles, and it’s set up for a bikeable dirt line with reroutes where needed to manage mud and drainage.

More information: Official website, Our Trail System - Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park