John H. Downs Memorial Park

This is a well-​maintained park with many amenities for people looking for a low-​cost weekend getaway. It is one of the few places in the area with a beach totally dedicated to off-​leash dogs, but there are a few things to consider;
The dog beach is quite small, so it can feel crowded quickly. I wouldn’t go near it if there more more than 4 or 5 there at a time. Do not bring your dog to this beach if it is not completely comfortable sharing space with other pets and people. Also, you will need to have good recall skills with your dog because there is an area immediately behind the beach which is off limits. Children under 6 are also not permitted on this beach for safety reasons. It is partially shaded in the afternoon, which is great if you need to escape the sun for a while. Watch for dog poo, not everyone is as considerate as we’d all like. There are trash cans everywhere and bags available so there is really no reason for this.
I managed to take my dog there during the week in the early afternoon and we had the whole thing to ourselves for about an hour. What a treat! An ill-​socialized dog showed up after that though, so for the safety of my dog we had to leave the beach.
Good news is, there is a spray hose attached to the drinking fountain as you walk towards the parking lot. I was able to hose off most of the sand and fishy smell off my dog before she got in the car. There is also a station to tie your dog up while you use the washroom. Little considerations like this are very much appreciated.
Overall, a great place to spend the day! Just please be aware of your dog’s behaviour and comfort during your visit. If you know they’re just out to pick a fight or are stressed out by other dogs, take them on a leashed walk through some of the lovely trails instead!

Was really surprised with how beautiful this place was.
Nice playground for the kids.
Beautiful beach.
Nice sand area for the kids to play.
Nice shelter area.
Great spot for a picnic.

I love the dog beach… how wonderful. The views are breathtaking :)

This park is the perfect place for me to go for a run/​walk with exercise stations available. I’m glad there is a separate beach for dogs. The trails I’ve done are well maintained (no scat or trash) and mile points are clearly marked. I do wish the park map and trails were color coded and easier to follow. One time, I only wanted to do a mile but ended up doing 4 miles because I stayed on the paved paths.

Bottom Line: Downs Park is a beautiful county park located along the shore of the Chesapeake Bay that offers something for visitors of all ages and capabilities.
Downs Park, run by the Anne Arundel Department of Recreation & Parks, is a wonderful asset to residents of the county. The park is over 200 acres and truly has something for everyone. My favorite park of this park is the barred owl tucked away just off a paved path. But, in case you don’t think you’d be so smitten with a feathery owl batting her eyelashes at you, there is plenty more to see. Here are some other amenities that make me a huge fan of this park:
— Awesome panoramic views of the Chesapeake Bay. It’s neat to see a mix of large ships and small watercraft making their way to and fro the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
— For the best views of both the bay and the shores of the park, walk out on the fishing pier. Anglers will need a permit but bird watching and picture taking is free.
— There is a horned owl and red hawk that keep the barred owl company. These birds of prey are impressive! Watch the squirrels scamper across the top of their enclosure and tease them. (Darn squirrels.)
— Whether you are traveling by foot, bike, stroller or wheelchair, the paved paths make it easy to enjoy Anne Arundel County’s nature.
— Kids will love the fun playground equipment.
— Canines get to frolic in the bay at their very own Dog Beach.
— Sports enthusiast can launch a kayak, shoot hoops or spike a volleyball.
— There are lots of pavilions, complete with grills, that can be rented for private parties.
But wait, there’s more!
Down’s Park also has summer concerts. Also, I believe there is a garden that is popular for weddings and a youth camp ground.
The price of admission (currently $ 3 per car but may increase in warmer months to $ 6) is a bargain for the beauty this park has to offer!

One of my favorite places on earth! Almost all of the green space in northern Anne Arundel county has been bulldozed and built upon. Downs park is a refuge amidst suburban sprawl. The 3.4 mile perimeter trail is paved and relatively flat — the perfect place for me to run, when I have’t been running in a while. The trail is mostly deserted on the ‘other’ side of Mountain road — and I appreciate the solitude. I’ve seen deer, turtles, owls and woodpeckers on this side of the park! Nature DOES still exist (at least a bit) in Pasadena. And, I love that the perimeter trail starts and ends adjacent to the Chesapeake Bay.
I buy a park pass — good for entry into the park from Nov of one year to Nov of the next. Passes are $ 20 this year (2014 – 2015) — a true bargain. They used to be $ 40 — a fee I gladly paid because I love this park so much.

Took a drive from downtown Baltimore to Downs Park for a quick little trip to enjoy the bay a little bit. The park sits along the west side of Chesapeake Bay and features some really nice areas. The fishing dock/​dog park area provides cool picture opportunities. There is a shelter, dog park & dog beach, a beach for the 2 legged types, plenty of parking.
Basically, the park offers a wide variety of things to do (trails, etc) and has a beautiful location to take some time to relax. It costs a few bucks to use the park, which is a bit of a bummer but it’s such a good park in a good location that I suppose it is worth it.

Love here. My dog loves this place. Wish there are more dog beaches like this place in MD

Great park for kids. Lots of trails. The fishing pier is in good shape. The beaches were big enough to explore or stretch out. The playground was nice too with a few novel features in addition to the standard fair. We’d go back.

Brought my retriever here for some doggie playtime. Beach was a nice surprise. We wound up spending several hours here throwing a ball into the bay so she could fetch.
PROS: 1. There was some good shaded areas for getting out of the sun.
2. Area was surrounded by reeds and woods so it was a deterrent for
a dog to run off… But if your dog really wants to go it will
3. Walk from parking lot was not that far.
4. Good mix of dogs.

CONS: had to really think about this… With every group of dogs and owners you always get a dog that doesn’t want to share their toys. I saw a couple dogs get aggressive but the owners quickly put them back on their leash and left.

I needed a place to run on Mother’s Day (hubby was out of town and the gym daycare was closed). This park in only a few miles from my house. The view of the water is nice. Lots of trails to run. The playground was clean and full of fun things for my 3 year old. No signs of trash or anything run down.

Went to this park for the first time a few days ago. I wasn’t too impressed with the dirty water (I didn’t expect it to be nice — so that was ok) and sandy areas, but it was good enough to see open water!!!
There are MANY benches throughout, which is great for viewing the water, watching the kids play, reading a book, chatting with a friend.
I did not do much trail walking, but ice heard its nice. Photos taken! (April 2014 — still cold for MD weather — no flowers yet!)

I love this park. I take my dogs every weekend to walk the park and take advantage of the dog beach. I bought the season pass for $ 40.00. Well worth it.

We were married in Mother’s Garden. Just perfect.

The dog beach is just precious! It’s a great little beach area just for dogs so they can get their swim on. It is about a one hour drive from DC.
The beach itself as well as the ground in the water is VERY rocky, so be sure to wear sandals or you’ll get all cut up.
The only downside is there is no gate to the entrance of the beach. Since the dogs have to be off leash to swim, it is quite easy for them to run right out of the beach area so you always have to keep you eyes on them. It would be VERY easy for them to add a simple baby gate to prevent this, so I’m not sure why they don’t.
Outside of the beach area there is a nice little bathing area so you can wash the Chesapeake off of your dog before returning home. So sandals, dog shampoo, and tennis balls equals hours of fun at Dog Beach!

So far, this is my favorite park in Maryland. Great trail that totals to somewhere around 4 miles to run (I usually go around twice to try to get an 8 mile workout) and it is well shaded by the trees so even on the most hot days, direct sunlight can be avoided. There are also beautiful views from the beach here and nice bit of history you can walk around and read. There are also plenty of picnic areas for small to large parties and a playground for the kids.
The dog beach is great. It’s kind of a more secluded section of the beach side where you can take your dogs for swimming fun. Both of my dogs learned how to swim here and I would say it’s probably the most fun the dogs have outdoors. The dog beach is located conveniently off the Perimeter trail so after the dogs get all wet (and inevitably get you wet) you can dry off on your run/​walk around the rest of the park before getting back in the car.
Military parks for free (which I get the military rate w/​my boyfriend) and everyone else is an easy 6 bucks. Great deal.

I came here specifically to take my dog to the dog beach, and I really didn’t see much of the rest of the park. What it did see, however, looked very nice, and I found the $ 6 parking fee to be completely reasonable. I walked by a picnic area that was being used for a family reunion, and everyone there seemed to be enjoying themselves.
My dog and I enjoyed the beach, but I found myself wishing that the area was a little bigger and that there was a gate and more fencing. There isn’t a huge amount of space for the dogs to run and play, and the trees and tall grass behind the sandy area may prove to be too tempting for the more adventurous types. My dog’s interest was piqued after she saw a big lab disappear into the grass, and it took a little convincing on my part to get her back into the water.
I would recommend this park to anyone with an active dog who isn’t prone to running away when off-​leash. If your dog enjoys the water, then they should come home feeling happy and exhausted. They will also be in desperate need of a bath, but I think that is to be expected after splashing around in the Chesapeake Bay.

Down’s Park is a very scenic, quite and out of the way place to go for a walk /​jog /​bike ride.
Located on the Magothy River, at the end of Mountain Road in Pasadena, MD, finding the park isn’t too hard.
No camping if offered, however there are many pavilions offered for party rentals /​cook outs. Grounds are clean and safe and all rentals offer grills/​shaded cover.
There is small limited beach access. On the way to the beach the paths are good for a run /​bike ride and offer pull-​up bars and rest /​water stations on the path’s).
Less than $ 10 entry and the park is open early from 7am until dusk.

Another great Ann Arundel park where you can take your dog for a dip!
Downs Memorial Park is a public park with plenty of gazebos to rent for a modest fee. My main reason for driving 50 minutes was for the dog beach. It’s small and a bit stinky, but the dogs that we met loved it! My pooch didn’t go past the shore line, but he loved the social aspect of it.
Access to the park is $ 6 (free for military individuals, veterans and their family) per car and is open from 7am — dusk everyday except Tuesday.

My wife originally wanted to take our wedding photos in Federal Hill, but traffic and logistics prevented us from doing it. My parents-​in-​law took me to Downs Park and I was impressed. We took a nice stroll through the park and the flower garden, and decided to take out wedding photos here.
On Saturday, May 19, 2007, it started to rain as the ceremony ended. I was flipping out, but the limo driver took us to Downs Park as scheduled. The precipitation miraculously stopped and we were successful with our wedding pictures!
Downs Park is absolutely beautiful (see photos)!
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