Days Cove

The BCPS Outdoor Science Education site at Days Cove is part of the Gunpowder Falls State Park system. The park was established in 1959 to protect the river valley while providing educational and recreational opportunities. The site is owned and operated by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The Gunpowder Falls is the largest state park in Maryland, and includes over 18,000 acres. The Big Gunpowder Falls River, which runs across Baltimore County and through Prettyboy and Loch Raven Reservoirs, and the Little Gunpowder Falls River, merge to form the Gunpowder River before flowing into the Chesapeake Bay. There are several legends on how the rivers got their name. One story said the early settlers gave gunpowder to the Native Americans, who planted it along the river banks, hoping it would grow. A more plausible story is that prior to the Revolutionary War a man named Winter had a mill on the river where he made gunpowder by grinding the coals of burnt willow branches. Approximately 10,000 BCPS students, teachers and parents attend Outdoor Science Education programs at Days Cove each school year. Programs are geared towards secondary students and may include a wetland or submerged aquatic vegetation (S.A.V.) study by canoe.

The Harry Schmuck Environmental Education Center at Days Cove.

Entrance to Days Cove.