Anne Arundel · Baltimore · Carroll · Howard · Maryland Department of Natural Resources
BEFORE YOUR VISIT
Facilities
Patapsco Valley State Park - Hollofield Area: visitor notice
Patapsco Valley State Park - Hollofield Area
The Hollofield Campground will be closed for the 2026 season because of a planned maintenance project. We apologize for any inconvenience. Camping is available at the Hilton Area of the park. Please go online to parksreservations.maryland.gov to search for camping opportunities in Maryland State Parks.
Location: Howard County Patapsco Valley State Park 8020 Baltimore National Pike Ellicott City, MD 21043
Hours of Operation: 9 a.m. to sunset Certain activities are permitted outside of the regular park hours (e.g. fishing, boat launch, hunting where permitted). Please check with the park before your visit if you plan to engage in an activity which requires you to be in the park before or after the posted hours.
Barred Owls are native to eastern North America, although their range has expanded west over time. Most of their western expansion has occurred through the rural mid portion of Canada, which features the mature woodlands that constitute their preferred habitat, along with wetland forests. Their 'barred' markings enable them to camouflage in such environments. Barred owls appear as variations of gray and brown, appearing somewhat speckled in appearance, which can make them difficult to spot against tree bark. They have a generally round shape due to their feathers, giving the impression of a more solid form, but are in fact a mid-sized owl, with the males at their biggest coming in just under 2 lbs and the females at their biggest coming in at 2.5 lbs.
Founded in 1907 as the Patapsco Forest Reserve, Patapsco Valley State Park is Maryland’s oldest state park. It is the site of some of Maryland’s earliest mills and factories, America’s first common-carrier railroad and the world’s first underwater hydroelectric plant.
Park facts and notices are checked separately. Missing facility information does not mean a facility is absent. Official visitor page checked Oct 15, 2026.