Lake Elkhorn Park

It is a nice loop for a run. Good length, like people said about 2 miles. Its pretty evenly up and down sloped so you get enough of both. They have equipment along the way that you can exercise on. Kind of like an adult jungle gym. It also has some really nice views of the lake. Parking is a little tight, but you can park across the street in the business park and take the underground bridge.

Its one of the best places to spend time in Columbia on a good weather day. The loop is 2 miles so perfect for a run. People go fishing in the lake. The lawn is well kept.

Since the fall weather has cooled things off a bit I decided to take a nice jog outside. I work in the area so it was not far for me to come out on my lunch break. I did a lap around the trail that goes around the lake. It is pretty well maintained and a beautiful view. All the little pathways in Columbia are connected so be careful. If you keep the lake in sight you should be fine. There were plenty people having lunch out near the dock. They have a little pavilion that was closed but the restrooms were open. I great place to come to bike, jog, or walk. there is also a playground for children located near the dock.

Overall a great place to run, walk, bike, or simply to work out. There’s a circular trail around the lake and it diverges into a even longer trail (be careful I got lost). There’s little worn out stations throughout the trail, which are cute as well.

This is a great location for getting some exercise. I’ve been running this lake for over a year and I enjoy it immensely. On any given day, there are a number of folks running, walking, or biking — but, the trails are never so crowded that it become uncomfortable. Additionally, there are so many other trails leading to and from the path that it’s possible to run anywhere from two miles to 10 miles. Definately try this out.

Such a nice day i had today! This park had everything from playgrounds, kayak launches, running trails and gazebos. Really nice to be outside sitting on a bench watching the man made lake while kids run terrorize the ducks lol.

The trail is great for walking and riding bikes. Everyone’s always friendly, great environment!

Beautiful place for evening stroll or running or trail biking !
I love this park. I go there every Wednesday for running along with my office mates and during weekend for stroll. There are a lot of things that attracted me towards this park:
1. The paved path surrounding the lake runs totals to approx 2 miles. The path is also surrounded by beautiful trees that leaves you awestruck especially during fall colors.
2. Plenty of parking. I usually park at the parking lot near the dam or at the parking lot across the park and take the tunnel to walk into the park.
3. You will see joggers, runners, dog walkers, parents with strollers and old people taking stroll. People are very friendly and I even pet dogs a lots of times. Some people do fishing or standing paddling in the lake.
4.The a restroom which looks like a building near the parking lot if you need to use one. Although it closes after 5 p. m I guess.
5. The park is connected to savage mill trail which makes a total stretch of 5 miles approx if you are enthusiast for long trail running/​biking like me.
6. There are several exercise equipment along the the trail like monkey bars, sit up bench, etc which are perfect to keep kids entertained or to get some floor workout outside the gym. there are several bench along the trail as well facing the lake so you can soak the natural beauty while sipping coffee.
7.The trail is well maintained. I went running there even during snow season and the trail was well salted and plowed fairly quickly after the snowfall.
8. There is a nice Gazebo near the dam which looks like romantic spot for couple photos!
All in all its a beautiful park to spend your evenings with nature and get some workout outside the boring gym.

we did the march of dimes around this lake & i loved it. they have mini obstacle courses around the lake also. its a great size to get in a nice stroll or run!

A gem of a park, it’s great to live nearby and enjoy long walks around the lake capping the energy off with a romp around the playground with my preschooler. I always meet friendly parents here and parking is always ample if you choose to drive here. One tip regarding the playground, beware of geese! We were almost hit smack in the face with one as he or she injured itself on the powerlines near McDonalds and it came careening toward my nephew on the swings. That was a close one but I can imagine there being other close calls with the haughty geese of Lake Elkhorn.

I come to fish mostly and run from time to time. There is a mix of people that use the trail. Combination of runners, walkers, bikers, dog walkers, and so on. You gotta be on your toes if you are running or biking. A lot of people don’t pay attention and don’t move or move their dog. Parking can be a bit of a pain, but you can park on the main road by the playground.
Fishing is hard to judge. Since I have been going there I haven’t heard any real positive feedback about the fishing. I’ve seen a lot of trout and catfish fisherman, but haven’t seen anyone pull anything big out. I fish for bass and have only managed small fish.
All in all it is what you would expect from A park in Howard County. Plus it is open till 10, so if you want to stay out late and miss the crowds that is am option.

Very nice park. I like coming here to run the loop around the lake, which is approximately 2 miles all the way around. I also bring my kids here sometimes to play on the playground. They love to play in the sandbox, something that most other playgrounds do not have, so that’s nice. Parking is somewhat limited, although there are 2 small lots — one off of Cradlerock Way and another off of Broken Land Pkwy. Also, just as a side note, I was impressed with how quickly the path around the lake was cleared of snow after our recent heavy snowfall. Other parks were closed completely, while I was able to get a run in here at Elkhorn only a couple of days after the storm. Kudos!

It is a typical walk-​around-​the-​lake experience in Columbia. A few runners and joggers, some dogs of all sizes, and many couples and parents with strollers, especially from the neighboring townhouses. Some older couples taking very slow strolls around for exercise as well.
One interesting aspect of the park are the exercise equipments that line the trail for half a mile or so, with explanations on how to use them. There is also a playground for children on the other side of the lake, as well as many points to fish. Very scenic, with a man-​made dam that is nice to sit on the bench and watch.

Snow sledding on dam hillside best in the Columbia area!
With the recent snows we have had a chance to sled-​test several hillsides around the area. The advantages of this one include medium length (thus easy to do a LOT of runs) and its wide open which means a lot of sleds can run at the same time. The parking is nearby and safe our estimation.
We had a great winter play day at Elkhorn!

Scenic, quiet and shaded in most parts. An excellent run

Very well maintained park and is a must for any runner to check out. It seems very safe and the scenery is nice.

I really enjoy going to this park. There is a nice paved path that surrounds the lake and you can get a pretty good workout just walking around it at a good pace. Parking spaces are limited along the entrances off of Broken Land Parkway and Cradlerock but I usually try to park across the street from the BLP entrance and use the tunnel to access the park.
Throughout the area, there are benches and picnic tables to take advantage of. I often see people fishing here too, and from what they tell me, it’s a good catch!

Today was my first visit to the park, and I can only imagine how gorgeous it will be when Spring finally hits! Loved the walking path with different workout stations (of course we tested each one) and enjoyed the sights of nature, limited as they may be (turtles sunning themselves, ducks quacking happily, geese… running away from me). I would imagine this will be a great place to have picnics once it warms up! The only downside? Now I really want a puppy that I can take there for walks!

I love this park. My fiancé and I come here daily with our puppy and child. The trail around the lake is huge! The lake is also beautiful with a dam, which is very relaxing to sit down and watch. There are many huge grass fields that are well manicured, and two playgrounds for kids. Everyone i have encountered at the park has been extremely nice including runners and bicyclist who nicely ring their bells and thank you for letting them past. Its great to see friendly people still exist. Overall just beautiful.

Lake Elkhorn Park is probably my favorite park in the Howard County area. The majority of the park is a sunny man made lake with a pavilion, gazebo, and lawn. The lake is surrounded by a 2-​mile long asphalt trail. Near the main parking area on Dockside Lane off of Cradlerock Way there is a fair sized playground with metal and plastic equipment on a bed of mulch. There is also a sandbox that usually has toys left in it.
I enjoy taking my son to this park, though it always seems to get unexpectedly cold or rainy when we go. I especially like that there are often other little kids playing there as well.
My only complaint is that the path around the park is fairly narrow for the amount it is used. Several times while pulling my son’s wagon we have almost been hit by bicyclists or runners. Most of them are mindful that it is a public park may people use, but some of them will give dirty looks or saw some nasty things as they pass.