Baltimore green spaces provide natural respite for Hopkins students

Students at Johns Hopkins University are turning to local parks and trails to adjust to life in Baltimore this autumn.

Zia Volkova, a freshman from Rockville, Maryland, described the challenge of moving away from her hometown for the first time in over a decade. She noted that familiar landscapes in her native area, including Rock Creek and local lakes, will progress through the seasons without her presence. This shift has required her to identify new natural landmarks to help anchor her experience in the city.

Volkova identified Sherwood Gardens in the Guilford neighborhood as a primary destination for study and relaxation. The gardens contain acres of flora, including permanent varieties of oak, crabapple, and beech trees. The site is best known for its spring displays, which feature approximately 70,000 tulip bulbs planted each April and May. In the current season, the gardens offer shaded areas and autumn flower beds that Volkova finds suitable for quiet observation.

The Stony Run trail provides another option for students near campus. An entrance to the three-mile path is located near Olin Hall, and the trail runs alongside a stream that flows through 15 Baltimore neighborhoods. The route lacks an official entrance, which students refer to as a secret. Volkova’s Freshman Seminars class recently explored a portion of the trail, examining geological features and local plants.

The geological composition of the Stony Run creek bed includes pegmatite, an intrusive igneous rock formed hundreds of millions of years ago. Hopkins researchers study these samples because similar rock formations exist in Norway, Scotland, and Ireland. This shared geology demonstrates the ancient connection between these regions and Baltimore.

Students also travel beyond the immediate campus area to access other hiking opportunities. The Cascade Falls Trail, located about a half-hour drive from campus, includes a route that passes a small waterfall and a large uprooted oak tree covered in fungi. The path runs alongside active railroad tracks, requiring hikers to listen for freight trains before crossing. The trail also features a meadow with tall grasses and a swaying drawbridge that visitors must cross to enter the wooded area.

These green spaces serve as a break from the pace of college life and help students integrate into their new surroundings. Volkova stated that she is discovering a connection to the landscape surrounding the university. She hopes to develop the same affection for Baltimore’s trails and gardens that she currently holds for the scenic spots in her hometown.