A perfect place to spend a day with your loved ones.

I moved to Baltimore in June of 2006. The first few years were a blur. I was going to school full-time and working full-time. I moved in with some family friends in downtown Baltimore. We were 10 of us living in a 4-bedroom townhouse. I enrolled in UMBC for my undergraduate in financial economics. Around the same time, I started working as a salesman in a men’s clothing store in Eastpoint mall, Essex. I eventually moved to Middleriver, and finally bought a house in Nottingham, MD. I spent the first four years studying and making money. Taking 5 classes per semester and working forty hours a week didn’t leave much time for anything else.

It was after graduation and starting a corporate job that I started looking for things to do on weekends. I had a colleague who loved hiking. She proposed meeting at this small, secluded spot named Jerusalem Mill. It was love at first sight. The place didn’t have a big parking spot so you were lucky if you could find a parking spot right away. I circled around the area a few times and was finally able to find a spot.

My colleague asked me to pick a side to start our hike. For some reason, I always liked to start with the one across from the Blacksmith shop. I have been to the place several times after my first trip, and I always cross the road, walk down the wooded steps, and start the hike. The Gunpowder River flows alongside the hiking trails making for a beautiful hike. Walking alongside the river, watching out for slippery spots, picking up sticks, and waving them around is meditative.

It was not a difficult hike even though I hadn’t been walking much for the past few years. The greenery and the flowing river make for a calm and soothing environment. We had brought a couple of fruits with us. We took little breaks during our walks and enjoyed biting on the apples by the river. After covering about 3 miles on both sides, we stopped by the benches. I took off my shoes and socks and began walking toward the river. It was knee-deep, which was perfect because I am not the best swimmer so tend to stay away from deep water. I enjoyed dipping my legs in the flowing water and did nothing until the colleague waved and signaled me to walk back towards the parking lot. It was awesome.

Jerusalem mill in its entirety is a village in Harford Country. To say that the village has historical significance would be an understatement as it was established even before there was the United States of America. The buildings date back to the 1700s and 1800s. The village is popular for outdoor concerts, vintage baseball, and short hikes.

Jerusalem mill is a local spot. You won’t see it listed in the top ten things to do in Maryland. It’s a small, inviting spot where you spend your day with your loved ones. It’s a place where you can take your kids for a day picnic, have them play in the river, and get some sun. It’s a place to meet your friends for a short hike where you can talk about anything without being distracted or interrupted by anyone. It’s a place to spend your time with someone you truly want to, which sometimes is just you. And that is why Jerusalem Mill is my favorite spot in Maryland.