The Unique, Man-Made Bridge At This Northeastern State Park Is An Absolute Must-Visit

The woods of Patapsco Valley State Park feel very far from civilization — in a good way. Trees gather all around, and the only sounds are the calls of songbirds and the murmur of the Patapsco River. You will likely pass other hikers on the paved multi-use trail because this is a favorite sanctuary for Maryland residents; but from where you're standing, the forest might as well extend forever. Then you see it: Up ahead, spanning the slow-moving waters, is a narrow footbridge. The bridge is composed of wood and steel cables, and it looks like something out of a jungle adventure movie.

Yet this is nothing like the wilderness you imagine. You're only a half-hour drive from downtown Baltimore, and you're only 70 minutes from the heart of Washington, D.C. Suburban developments surround the Patapsco Valley State Park on all sides. It's only while you're here, in the middle of the woods, standing on this shaky bridge, that you feel subsumed in nature. Akin to this everglades-like Maryland park, Patapsco is an unlikely escape.

The Patapsco Swinging Bridge was completed in 2006 and was designed to extend the 2.5-mile Grist Mill Trail. This route is paved and mostly level, making it accessible to almost anyone who wants to get outside, and although the bridge may look precarious, it isn't very high and jiggles only slightly as you walk over. Patapsco Valley State Park covers more than 16,000 acres, so it's important to know that the bridge's location is known as Orange Grove. When you reach the middle of the bridge, you can survey the river and watch for wildlife along its banks.

The path and bridge are open year-round, and the river is popular with anglers, where small mouth bass and rainbow trout are common. The smooth asphalt of Grist Mill Trail is perfect for cycling, although you should plan to dismount and push your bike across the bridge. You could easily add it to a list of most underrated state parks on the East Coast.

Maryland may the ninth smallest state in the U.S., but the Patapsco Valley State Park is surprisingly vast: It stretches 32 miles along the Patapsco River and incorporates more than 200 miles of hiking trails, of which the Grist Mill Trail is a tiny sliver. This region was once an important corridor for early American industry, but disastrous floods — one as recent as 2018 — long plagued mill workers. Ever since its founding 1907, the property has been better served as a preserve, and local wildlife includes rebounding populations of bald eagles.

Notable landmarks include the Thomas Viaduct, a formidable stone railroad bridge that dates back to 1835, and Cascade Falls, an Edenic little waterfall that visitors can splash in. Motorists can pick from six different parking areas, and you're just a 10-minute drive from the beautiful historic village of Ellicott City. If you're on the lookout for cute communities and scenic hikes in the area, consider a trip to this charming East Coast town.