Thursday looks like it will be a great fall day, so how about a morning walk along the Grist Mill Trail Extension? It's a beautiful, wide, shady wheelchair-accessible trail that follows the Patapsco River, and the only part of the Grist Mill Trail that allows dogs.

This walk starts on Ilchester Road and is more suitable for a small weekday group, since parking is limited on Ilchester, and would be more challenging on weekends.

We'll begin by crossing the Patapsco River at a suspension bridge that was completed in Fall 2006. Before that, there had been no access at that point since 1972 when floodwaters from Hurricane Agnes washed away a major access road. The new bridge is for pedestrians and cyclists only and is wheelchair accessible. It can sway a wee bit, but my dogs don't seem to notice or mind.

The trail continues 1.25 miles to the Swinging Bridge in the Orange Grove Area of Patapsco Valley State Park--where pets are not allowed. So we'll turn back at that point, making a total walk distance of 2.5 miles. There are interpretive signs along the way, the Bloede Dam, and ruins from the 1829 Patterson Viaduct and Orange Grove Flour Mill. And it's very, very pretty. My dogs love it.

The walk starts at the suspension bridge just north of the intersection of Ilchester Road and Bonnie Branch Road in Howard County.

Please refer to the Google map on this Meetup page (under "Location" above) and click on Directions to find the best way for you to travel. Park under or near the railroad bridge that crosses Ilchester Road and look for me, Riley, Cody, Elaine and Alex.