Best Parks and Scenic Running Paths in Baltimore
Take advantage of Baltimore's vast green spaces to get outside and stretch your legs.
One of the best ways to enjoy Baltimore is by foot—whether running on one of our scenic waterfront paths, or enjoying the more than 4,000 acres of parkland in the city. During your stay in Charm City, check out these popular parks for scenic and challenging workouts. Or if you just want to take a leisurely stroll, that works too.
If you want a view of the waterfront
Federal Hill Park
With show-stopping views of the Inner Harbor, the multi-level Federal Hill is the perfect challenge for sprints. Bring the kids who are sure to enjoy the playground at the very top.
Federal Hill Park has the best view of Baltimore’s skyline.
Canton Waterfront Park
Sitting directly on the Baltimore Harbor, Canton Waterfront Park is an eight-acre space to have a picnic, practice meditation or take a few quick laps. It’s also home to popular events like WTMD First Thursday concerts.
Enjoy the fresh air and beautiful views at Canton Waterfront Park.
Fort McHenry
Perched on a peninsula in Locust Point, the .9 mile paved winding walkway around historic Fort McHenry offers spectacular views of the Harbor. The grounds surrounding the fort are free to explore, but you’ll want to go in to learn more about the its history and enjoy the museum.
Inner Harbor Promenade
Winding around Baltimore’s Inner Harbor from Locust Point to historic Fell’s Point is an almost 7-mile paved promenade. It’s the perfect place to take in scenic views of the waterfront and the charming neighborhoods that surround it, whether out for a casual stroll or a run.
Rash Field
If you’re staying downtown, Rash Field is an ideal spot for an express workout. There are sand volleyball courts available for a quick game, plus a skatepark, nature park and a playground with wooden climbing towers.
Opened in 2021, Rash Field contains three parks, a cafe and shaded overlook of the Harbor.
If you want more than just a park
Carroll Park
Just west of Pigtown and Camden Yards, 117-acre Carroll Park offers a welcome stretch of green just right for a run, or take advantage of the baseball fields, basketball courts, skate park or 9-hole golf course. Carroll Park is also the site of the historic Mount Clare Museum House.
Druid Hill Park
The popular mile-long loop at the base of Druid Hill Park wraps around the drinking water reservoir, and offers sweeping views of the city below. The park is also home to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore and the Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens.
Take in the views from the reservoir.
Patterson Park
This historic park bordering Highlandtown, an artsy neighborhood on Baltimore’s east side, offers a variety of picturesque pathways to knock out a couple of miles. Be sure to pass by the historic and ornate Patterson Park Observatory, or enjoy one of Patterson Park‘s many amenities: tennis courts, a swimming pool, an indoor ice skating rink, playgrounds and a dog park.
The ornate Patterson Park observatory located in Patterson Park in Highlandtown.
Wyman Park Dell
Hidden between the Remington and Charles Village neighborhoods, this scenic, 16-acre wooded hollow offers paved walkways and grassy expanses just right for warm-ups and cool-downs. Be sure to stop by the nearby Baltimore Museum of Art.
If you want to see some nature
Jones Falls Trail
This ten-mile hiking and biking trail follows its namesake Jones Falls waterway, which winds through the woods, past Cylburn Arboretum and Druid Hill Park and down to the Inner Harbor. It’s so lush and hidden away, you won’t feel like you’re in the city at all.
Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park
Composed of 1200 acres of woods, streams and trails, Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park is one of the largest urban woodland areas in the country. It’s also home to the Carrie Murray Nature Center where you can learn about native species and their habitats.
Loch Raven Reservoir
For those who don’t mind traveling a little farther to the north, Loch Raven Reservoir, which provides the drinking water for Baltimore City, offers miles of woodsy trails for running, hiking and spotting wildlife. On most weekends throughout the year, a stretch of road through the watershed is closed to vehicle traffic and open to pedestrians.
Loch Raven Reservoir
Cylburn Arboretum
Tucked along the Jones Falls waterway, this 200-acre urban oasis boasts a variety of plantlife and terrains for nature lovers to explore. Unlike other area parks, Cylburn is devoid of courts and recreational facilities, making it the perfect place to peacefully connect with your surroundings. Explore the three miles of woodland trails, wander through the gardens or beat the heat inside the historic Cylburn mansion.
At 200 acres, there’s so much for you and your dog to explore at Cylburn!
If you have kids
West Shore Park
Try a refreshing romp on the splash pad at the Walter Sondheim Fountain followed by a picnic in the shade. Situated between the Maryland Science Center and the Baltimore Visitor Center, the water is on from May through September from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the weekends.
The Walter Sondheim Fountain is the perfect place to splash around during the warmer months.
Pierce’s Park
Located near the Pier 5 Hotel, Pierce’s Park is much more than a playground. It’s an imaginative space of discovery, where children can interact with locally created sculptures intended for climbing, a living willow tunnel and even a musical fence.
