| Friends of Gwynns falls leakin park |
Gwynns Falls-Leakin Park could become a Maryland State Park
A New Chapter for a Baltimore Treasure |
| There’s a bold new vision for Baltimore's largest urban green space. Thanks to a groundbreaking partnership between the State of Maryland and the City of Baltimore, this historic park is on tap to be transformed into a vibrant, well-maintained haven for nature lovers, families, and neighbors across the region. | Quick Links |
Surrounded by 18 neighborhoods and spanning over 1,000 acres of forests, streams, trails, and historic landmarks, Gwynns Falls-Leakin Park is poised to become a model for urban state parks nationwide. Through the passage of House Bill 1358 (2024), state and city leaders are working together to deliver what Baltimore deserves: a safe, accessible, and inspiring public space for all. |
"The time is now. Fairness and equity demand it." – Delegate Malcolm Ruff |
Our vision is simple: to create a nationally recognized urban park where nature, community, and opportunity thrive together. Backed by local volunteers and neighborhoods, and a proposed partnership between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and Baltimore City, we want to turn Gwynns Falls into the park it was always meant to be.
This State-City Partnership Park will:
- Ensure public safety with a full team of park rangers and dedicated maintenance staff.
- Provide meaningful youth employment through conservation job programs.
- Restore trails, signs, bathrooms, and historic sites to reflect the park's beauty and potential.
- Create new community programming, events, and educational experiences.
- Promote environmental stewardship and preserve Baltimore's largest forest.
"With proper resources and management, we’re confident it will be the envy of Mid-Atlantic cities." – FOGFLP Board President, Erica Lewis |
The time to reimagine Gwynns Falls-Leakin Park is now |
For decades, this park has suffered from underinvestment, negative perceptions, and a lack of dedicated staff*. But momentum is finally shifting.
The 2022 Great Maryland Outdoors Act and the 2024 passage of HB 1358 created a pathway for transformative change. The new State-City Partnership Park model brings together state resources, local knowledge, and grassroots advocacy.
Community demand for action is growing. Now, with historic funding, public support, and political will aligned, we have the opportunity to create lasting impact. Let’s seize this moment together.
"For every dollar invested in Maryland state parks, $29.27 is returned in economic activity." – U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2020 |
This partnership isn’t just about fixing trails and repainting signs. It’s about equity, access, and opportunity.
Here are some of the benefits the new park will bring:
- Outdoor jobs and training for Baltimore youth
- Safer, cleaner spaces for families and seniors
- Opportunities for biking, hiking, sports, nature learning, and cultural events
- Better access for 18 surrounding neighborhoods—and for visitors citywide and regionally
- Improved facilities and new recreation spaces
The park is more than a green space. It’s a catalyst for healthier lives, stronger communities, and economic revitalization.
Did you know? |
Only two jurisdictions in Maryland have no State Park Service lands. Baltimore, and Wicomico County, with population one-sixth of Baltimore's.
Many cities have state parks within their borders
- Boston has Roxbury Heritage State Park and, Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park – which is a partnership among 11 different entities (the National Park Service, the City of Boston, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, and several nonprofit organizations.)
- Philadelphia has the 75-acre Benjamin Rush State Park featuring one of the largest community gardens in the world.
- New Haven has the West Rock Ridge State Park.
- New York City tops the list boasting no fewer than nine state parks within its borders.
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Media coverage |
*The proposal for the new park is not an indictment of Baltimore’s management of the park, whose condition reflects more than a century of disinvestment and racist policies affecting West Baltimore. The city’s underfunded Department of Recreation and Parks oversees a massive system of more than 250 facilities and nearly 5,000 acres, and it simply can’t provide the resources that this complex landscape requires.
However, many city workers know the place well, and love and care for it to the best of their ability. That’s why our proposal calls not for an outright takeover by the Department of Natural Resources, but for joint management by the state and city, with an important advisory role for FOGFLP recognizing our unique position as volunteer custodians and protectors of the park for the past 40 years. This partnership will marshal the strengths and resources of the state, city, and volunteers to increase public access, community benefits, and tourism.
On the western edge of Baltimore, right where Interstate 70 terminates.
| Major areas/entrances (links to Google maps)
| Mailing Address: Friends of Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park |
Where is the park?