Community
Ilchester
Ilchester connects Patapsco Valley railroad and mill history with the Grist Mill Trail; the river crossing requires careful attention to legal park access.
Ilchester's story follows the Patapsco River through an industrial landscape of mills, railroads and crossings. Maryland DNR's Grist Mill Trail history explains how workers crossed the river to the Orange Grove flour mill. Railroad remains add another layer to a walk through the valley, where transportation and water power once shaped daily work.
A trail connection with an important access limit
The approximately 2.5-mile paved trail links Lost Lake and Ilchester Road. Its bridges make the river part of the experience, but the Patterson Viaduct Footbridge is intended for through travel on foot or by bicycle. DNR says there is no legal parking on Ilchester Road at this connection.
Drivers should use the official Avalon area directions and designated park parking. A map showing a trail beside a road does not establish a place to leave a car. Check park alerts before setting out, and use the current trail map to choose a starting point and turnaround that match the time available.