Trolley Trail # 9 is a scenic 1.5 mile walk or ride in Oella.
Looking for that little venture out with the kids before schools starts? Need a new place to walk the dog or test out the bike? Consider the Trolley Trail from Baltimore to Ellicott City. It’s a popular and scenic one and one half mile walk or ride through the Patapsco River Valley. We’re very fortunate, in Ellicott City and Catonsville, that the historic Trolley Trail No.9 has been preserved for us in the form of a walking and cycling trail.
The paved trail begins at the end of Edmondson Avenue at Stone Wall Road Catonsville and ends in Oella near the Trolley Stop Restaurant and Frederick Road. The path way cuts through Patapsco State park and along the edge of Benjamin Banneker State Park making the route pleasantly shaded. On occasion deer, a various birds and other wildlife are visible. The nearby stream provides pleasant and relaxing background music for your hike or bike.
The path crosses Oella Ave near The Breadery (one of my favorite places but note it’s site is under construction). Stop in for one of their yummy oatmeal cookies or fill your bike basket with fresh bread. Also on Oella Ave is Trueth’s Meats butcher shop.
Near the end of Trolley Trail No. 9 the asphalt gives way to a boardwalk that passes through a canyon from granite for the electric street cars that once traveled this route. The walls rise up 100 hundred feet on both sides of the trail creating a majestic final leg of the journey.
Also near the end of the trail is the Old Mill Bakery Café (for more information on the Old Mill see my previous post here.) Just across the river is Historic Ellicott City.
If you are not up to the challenge of a 1.5 trek Streetcar Path No 8 runs between the 1600 block Frederick Road and Edmonson Ave. The paved trail is just under a half mile one way and is shaded by tall trees. Like the No 9 trail, street car traveled the route from 1899 onward. The last street car used the line in 1963. A mural at the midway point commemorates the former glory of the route as it appeared in 1940. And at the end of the line the original stone waiting center has been restored.
Both these trails are great places to get out to enjoy fresh air and open space while enjoy a bit of our history.
For more information on the Trolley Trails visit https://catonsvillerailstotrails.org/.
