Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Location
Baltimore County
Endpoints
Oella to Catonsville
Mileage
1.5
Roughness Index
1
Surface
Asphalt
The first thing you may notice about Number Nine Trolly Line (also known as Trolly
Line #9) is the boardwalk that curves between the canyons of massive rock. The gran-
ite was hand-cut in the 1890s when the electric streetcar rails were built from Ellicott
City to Catonsville, and today, these 100-foot walls are a striking gateway to the trail
from historic Ellicott City just across the Patapsco River from Oella.
The boardwalk quickly gives way to pavement as the trail winds uphill through
the woods. On your left, a babbling stream feeding into the Patapsco River provides
a peaceful soundtrack to your journey. Tall shade trees keep the trail—and you—cool
as you climb through woodlands and occasionally pass homes that border the trail.
Near the 1-mile mark, a short detour off the trail will take you to Banneker Historical
Park & Museum, which has nature trails, archaeological sites, and living history areas
re-creating the colonial farm and life of Benjamin Banneker, an African-American as-
tronomer and farmer.
