The Most Scenic Running Routes in Baltimore

The Inner Harbor waterfront is one of the prime running options in Baltimore. There are multiple routes that can be taken, ranging from the historic Fort McHenry, to the scenic neighborhoods on the harbor’s northern side. You can run the promenade and docks all the way and back for any distance between one to 15 miles, while taking in the sights of the bay.

If you are looking for a good hill workout, this is a great spot to go. The park has shaded lawns, the Baltimore Zoo, botanical gardens and conservatory, and a lot of ups and downs. Group runs are recommended as opposed to solo runs in the park.

This gorgeous residential neighborhood is listed as a US historic district and is a planned suburban community, and one of America’s first garden communities. The run through the neighborhood will take you past beautiful homes, park like mediums, and a lot of house envy!

About one-and-a-half miles from the Inner Harbor on the east side of the city lies Patterson Park. The loop around the park has some hills if you want a great workout, but there are also multiple trails within the park that you can combine. The perimeter run is about two miles, but you can vary the distances in addition to the trails for one to six miles. This is a great spot to test your endurance, as terrain varies from smooth paths to steep hills.

About 15 miles north of Baltimore, this old railroad trail (Northern Central Railway) has a path that goes all the way to Pennsylvania, running along the route of an abandoned railway corridor. It’s a fantastic option to do some high mileage runs, and is a shaded path of finely crushed gravel.

Oregon Ridge Park is about 20 miles north of Baltimore and even the drive to get there is scenic. The gorgeous park covers over 1,000 acres, and has a number of trails to run on. Some trails are rocky and steep, but the dense tree coverage provides welcome shade, making it a great running spot even in the summer.