Severn Run Natural Environment Area — Attraction in Maryland

Peaceful area within the suburbs.

First off, this is not a place where you'd go for a hike or exercise because it is not maintained. The paths are game trails, not manicured trails you are used to at state, county or national parks. Literally, these are 1 to 2 ft wide trails made by deer, foxes, coyotes and whatever else moves through the area.

Brambles or whatever you want to call razor sharp thorns are all over the place. You'll have to step carefully around them and quite a few spots. Dress accordingly and be very mindful.

This really is the wild because humans have almost no influence here. It's a place for peaceful exploring and getting that remote feel within a suburban area.

Google Maps will take you to a fairly expansive complex of businesses where there's no reliable parking spots or, no well defined paths into the area.

I drove in from Severn Heights so I came in from Benfield Road on the south, made a left on Najoles, then as the road curved around I saw an area to pull over and park on Dicus Mill Road that could only fit two cars at the most. It's not a parking lot. It's just to pull off on the shoulder.

You can walk a bit southwest on this road for a short distance to enter a path at the gate but I didn't go back that far because everything felt off. Also, with no real shoulder and extremely tight curves, it's quite dangerous to walk on the road for any extended period of time.

This road is extremely narrow, windy and harrowing for pedestrians. I found a few game trails and walked in and around for a few moments before leaving because I just felt uninvited, unwelcomed or like I didn't belong there. I didn't see or hear anything. But I did feel like I was being watched and told to leave. Again, all sixth sense and nothing through the physical senses. After 20 minutes of this highly uncomfortable feeling I left and immediately felt relieved.

I also noticed a good size, mature bamboo shoot that has been snapped at the base by something with hands who was very strong. They snapped it right across a trail. There were no signs of wind damage in the area. It was just this one shoot. Bamboo is incredibly difficult to snap.

Local wildlife had taken apart a dead deer in that little shoulder pull off. Picture below.

Bring your phone and don't go too far into the forest unless you have a strong sense of direction because you...

Parking for the trails is very inconvenient and sometimes unsafe, according to how well the vehicles using the road keep to the 30mph speed limit. There is room for one or two small cars at the pull-off up the road. You then need to walk back along the road and across a bridge, where there is not much of a shoulder, in order to reach the gated entrance to the trails. The trails are not marked and I ended up losing the trail, bushwacking quite a ways before once again hitting the trail. Two small bridges are in disrepair and are barely serving the purpose.

It would be nice if the trails were repaired and parking was more readily and...

1600 acres of protected wilderness, multiple environments with huge variation of species of both flora and fauna. Pristine clean water in the severn run. Little to no human interference inside protected areas. Hiking level is expert, bring your brush wear to push past thorns and be prepared for steep inclines and declines. Be prepared to take long way around for certain spots. Beautiful, gorgeous, lovely woods. Be prepared for wild animals, saw a tortise as big as my 80lb dog. Be safe watch out for snakes, deer, and other wildlife, respect their space in this...