Patapsco Valley State Park
Yesterday, we went as a family to Patapsco Valley State Park (the Avalon entrance). It has been awhile since our last trip out there.
This area is within the southern end of Patapsco Valley State Park. The primary entrance is located off of South Street in Baltimore County. Three distinct areas are featured in this section of the park.
Avalon, once home of the Avalon Nail and Iron Works, has only a few remains of the bustling mill town that once dotted the shores of the Patapsco River. Today, this section of the park has large picnic shelters, playgrounds, and access to trails that travel through the river valley as well as up and out of the valley. The Avalon Visitor center is also found in this section of the park – open on weekends April – October this small visitor center is housed in one of the only remaining structures from the village that supported the Avalon Iron works. You travel through Avalon to reach the Orange Grove area.
Orange Grove is one of the most scenic areas of Patapsco, once the home of the village of Orange Grove, a mill town that supported the flour mill on the Baltimore County side of the river. A swinging bridge similar to the one that spanned the river in the 1800’s and early 1900’s crosses the river today connecting guests to the popular Grist Mill Trail.
Thomas Viaduct was completed in 1835 and is the world’s largest multiple arched stone railroad bridge with an arc.
Enric, ready to go out with Laura mountain biking on the trails.
Silas climbs on the playground as Aunt Jenny cheers him on.
Rubà also places on the playground.
Silas climbs a "mountain'
RubÃ, all cool in sunglasses.
The view by the river
Rubà walks in the water
The Swinging Bridge spans the Patapsco at Orange Grove, 1.6 miles northwest of Avalon following the Park Rd. in Howard County beyond shelters 104 and 105. Prior suspension foot bridges at this location enabled residents of the Orange Grove mill town to cross the river to Baltimore County to work in the five stories high Orange Grove Flour Mill of the C.A. Gambrill Manufacturing Company.
The ruins of this large mill site that extended from the railroad tracks to the Swinging Bridge abutment. Orange Grove was sold in white bags whose tops were string tied and whose labels proclaimed “Patapsco Superlative Flour."
One of the most happy moments was Enric picking us up at the swinging bridge with his truck. We piled bikes and strollers and ourselves into the back of the truck to get back to the parking lot. Now traveling in the back of a truck, and the joy it brings to a kid is not lost on me, but because of today’s safety rules, is no longer allowed. This was the peak of fun back in the days when I was younger and visiting my granddad in West Virginia, on the back of his truck, out to get some cherry pop.
Since we were inside the park with only a short distance to go, my kids finally got to enjoy the thrill of riding like that in the truck. Perfect end of our day.
From Laura’s photos:
Miquel amidst the strollers and bikes on the back of Enric's truck.
Three very happy girls on the back of the truck.
