Sykesville/River Road
Patapsco Valley State Park
River Road, Sykesville Maryland 21784
Amenities: None. Sykesville, across the river, has a visitor center with facilities, as well as several restaurants.
Handicapped Access: There is roadside birding at the river from the small parking lot at the stream 0. 6 miles south of the MD 32 bridge and several shoulder pullouts. A generally level dirt trail leads up a stream valley. The scrubland grassy trails are generally level to moderate slopes with occasional muddy areas.
Special Attractions: Easy access to the Patapsco River, plus a Cliff Swallow colony under the MD 32 bridge. Scrubland habitat with species unusual for the PVSP.
Size: The Sykesville/River Road section of the 14,000-acre Patapsco Valley State Park (PVSP) gives access to two areas: a mile long section of River Road along the Patapsco River and a several hundred acre upland scrub
section.
Habitat: Floodplain and mature deciduous forest adjacent to the Patapsco River. Farther up River Road former farmland is now overgrown with shrubs and grasses creating a successional scrubland habitat.
Compilers: Scott Berglund and Felicia Lovelett
