B & A Trail
51 W Earleigh Heights Rd, Severna Park, MD 21146
8:00 am-8:30 pm, Daily
$
bike-trails, run
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Whether biking or stroller jogging, the B&A Trail is a great family outing for some fresh air fun.
The B&A Trail stretches from Boulters Way in Annapolis to Dorsey Road in Glen Burnie and follows the route of the Annapolis and Baltimore Short Line, which started running freight and passenger service in 1880.
Today, the trail runs through a variety of suburban areas that have cropped up since the late 19th century. For families with children, accessing the trail in Severna Park is a great choice. There is an official parking lot at The Earleigh Heights Ranger Station but on our visit, we chose to park at the Severna Park Community Center and head north on the trail.
The trail is a moderate width, around 4-5 feet, with a smooth, asphalt surface. The trail is definitely popular and we found that there were quite a few bikers taking advantage of it on a beautiful Saturday morning. While there can be spots where road crossings abound, drivers are very courteous and always stopped when pedestrians or bikers needed to cross.
Our group consisted of a confident 8-year-old bike rider and a less confident 5-year-old cyclist. We found that the path was easily navigable by an older child that could easily start and stop her bike. However, navigating the crosswalks and avoiding the other bikers was more difficult for our less experienced riders. None-the-less, both girls had a good time.
Our route from the community center quickly led us to Severna Park Elementary School where we were able to take advantage of a great playground (available only on weekends or after school hours). Across from the school is an adorable collection of businesses including a coffee shop, froyo spot, pizza joint, and crepe restaurant. Bikers and hikers can even take advantage of some tables and chairs along the trail to enjoy their food and drinks.
If you’re planning on a longer ride, park at the Earleigh Heights Ranger Station and head south for about 2 miles to get to the elementary school and restaurants. If you’re in for a shorter ride, I recommend the north-bound route that we took on our trip.