Patapsco ValleyState Park
A shallow rocky river with a gravel bar and riffles, wooded hills rising on both banks, warm low sunlight

The Swinging Bridge

The Swinging Bridge is a suspension footbridge over the Patapsco River at Orange Grove, in the Avalon Area of Patapsco Valley State Park. Enter at 5120 South Street in Halethorpe and drive about 1.6 miles northwest along the park road, past Shelters 104 and 105, to the Orange Grove parking lot; the bridge is right beside it. Cross to see the stone ruins of the Orange Grove flour mill, which burned in 1905. The current bridge dates from the late 1970s.

At a Glance

Swinging Bridge at a Glance

LocationOrange Grove, Avalon Area
Distance from Avalon gateAbout 1.6 miles along the park road
ParkingOrange Grove lot, beside the bridge
Current bridgeBuilt in the late 1970s
Across the riverOrange Grove flour mill ruins
Entrance5120 South Street, Halethorpe, MD
Hours9 a.m. to sunset

How to Get There

  1. Take U.S. Route 1 to South Street, just north of Elkridge, and turn into the park's Avalon entrance (directions on Parking & Directions).
  2. Pay the entry fee at the contact station (Hours & Fees).
  3. Follow the park road (River Road) west past Shelters 104 and 105 to Orange Grove, about 1.6 miles.
  4. Park in the Orange Grove lot. There is a restroom here (from November 1 to April 1 the open restroom is the one by Shelter 104 in Avalon), and the bridge is a few steps away.

On busy summer weekends the Avalon Area often fills to capacity, so arrive early.

Why the Bridge Is Here

The lot where you park was the town of Orange Grove, on the Howard County side of the river. The mill stood on the Baltimore County side, between the river and the B&O tracks. A bridge let residents walk to the mill and the small rail station. Without one, DNR's history notes say, workers had to travel two miles upriver to Ilchester and catch a train back down. The bridge has been rebuilt three or four times after floods and ice.

The Orange Grove Mill

On the far side are the ruins of the Orange Grove flour mill, built in 1856 and owned for most of its life by the C.A. Gambrill Manufacturing Company. It sold "Patapsco Superlative Flour." DNR's list of valley firsts credits the mill with Maryland's first fish ladder, in 1856. Fire destroyed the mill on May 1, 1905. The ruins stretch from the railroad tracks to the bridge abutment.

A stone-arched tunnel under the railroad along the Grist Mill Trail, a shallow stream running over flat rock in front of it

Make a Walk of It

The Grist Mill Trail passes the bridge, and DNR's 2.2-mile self-guided history hike starts here. The Cascade Falls trail is on the Orange Grove side, and the site of Bloede Dam is about a mile upstream.

Tips

Old cut-stone foundation walls on a wooded riverbank below a railroad embankment, bare trees with first green buds
FAQ

The Swinging Bridge FAQ

Where is the Swinging Bridge in Patapsco State Park?

At Orange Grove, in the Avalon Area. Enter at 5120 South Street, Halethorpe, and drive about 1.6 miles along the park road past Shelters 104 and 105 to the Orange Grove lot.

How far is the Swinging Bridge from the parking lot?

It is right next to the Orange Grove parking lot. If you park near the Avalon entrance instead, it is about 1.6 miles along the park road.

Is the Swinging Bridge open?

DNR lists the Swinging Bridge among Orange Grove's features. Check DNR's Patapsco alerts page for current closures before you go.

How old is the Swinging Bridge at Patapsco?

The current bridge was built in the late 1970s. Earlier footbridges stood at the same spot for the Orange Grove mill workers.