Mondays April 6- Oct. 26 8:30am-10:30am & Thursdays April 9 - Oct. 29 8:30am-10:30am Ages 18+. Do you enjoy gardening, but don’t have the space or a deer-proof fence? Join like-minded green thumbs (and beginner brown thumbs) to grow your own vegetables, herbs and flowers and tend to our shared garden plots. We’ll provide the
Sunday, July 5; 1:00pm-3:00pm Primitive Technology: Osteotechnology – Ages 18+. Primitive man used and made tools from bone. Join a naturalist to make an awl and then sew a small leather pouch. $5.00/person REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Saturday, July 11; 1:00pm-2:30pm Shell-A-Brate – Ages 2-10 with an adult. How do turtles communicate? By using their shell-phones! Meet our resident turtles and make a "turtly" awesome craft to take home. $2.00/person REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Sunday, July 12 at 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM Signs of Nature – Ages 5+. Have you ever wanted to learn some American Sign Language? Well now is your chance. Join a naturalist on a guided hike to learn how to sign names of different flora and fauna. All skill levels are welcome! FREE REGISTRATION
Saturday, July 18; 1:00pm – 3:00pm Earth Oven Berry Shortcake Ages 5+. Join a Naturalist to pick berries in the park. Then come back to the Willow Grove Nature Center to create a cool treat with the fruits we collected. $6.00/person REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Sunday, July 19; 10:00am-11:30am World Snake Day – All Ages. Join a naturalist for a fun “snake safari” as we look for native snakes in Cromwell Valley Park. FREE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Saturday, July 25; 1:00pm-3:00pm Frog Roundup – All Ages. Hop along with a naturalist to the bubbling spring to look for our amphibian friends. We'll try to capture some to examine, then release them! $2.00/person REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Sunday, July 26; 1:00pm-2:30pm Amazing Hummingbirds – Ages 8+. Join a naturalist to learn about the tiny and mighty ruby-throated hummingbird. We'll look for them in our Childrens' Garden, then return to the Willow Grove Nature Center to make hummingbird feeders! $6.00/person REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Friday, July 31; 8:00pm-9:30pm Buck Full Moon Hike – Ages 8+. During this time of year, male deer are sporting antlers covered in velvet that help their antlers reach full size. As they mature, the velvet falls away to reveal amazing antlers! Join a naturalist to explore the park in the dark under the summer
September 18, 2026 – Dr. Wayne Bell "The Chesapeake Working Landscape: Past, Present, and a Hopeful Future" A history of land use on the Chesapeake Bay watershed, from pre-colonial times to the present, and insights that land use changes provide for bird conservation. Background - Dr. Bell is Senior Associate and former Director of the
October 16, 2026 – Carrie Engel – Native Plants For Fall – Why is fall a great time to plant natives? Which natives have fall color and/or flowers? Which native plants are migrating pollinators attracted to? Let’s dive into fall natives and learn about these and other subjects. Samples and a slide show will be
Bats: Kerry Wixted presenting the benefits of having bats in your yard November 20, 2026 6:00 - 8:00 pm in the Sherwood House $10 p/person drinks and desserts provided - Ages 18+
Cromwell Valley Park Office
(Sherwood House)
2002 Cromwell Bridge Rd
Parkville, MD 21234
GPS: 39.415, -76.552
Phone: 410-887-2503
TDD: 410-887-5319
Willow Grove Nature Education Center
2175 Cromwell Bridge Rd
Parkville, MD 21234
GPS: 39.417, -76.548
Please remember that the Park itself is open only during daylight hours, sunrise to sunset.
In case of inclement weather, the Nature Center and activities follow Baltimore County Pubic Schools. Check the BCPS Website for the latest information on closing. If closing early, all evening activities at the Park are cancelled.
On Saturdays and Sundays when the office is closed, you may call the Nature Education Center.
Note: The addresses (2002 and 2175) are really for Post Office use. If used on a GPS, they may take you to a strange place in the park, or leave you on the main road. Use the GPS coordinates instead.
The Cromwell Valley Park Council (CVPC) is a volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to the stewardship of Cromwell Valley Park as a public space for passive recreation and School Programs. The CVPC works in cooperation with the Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks and other entities to maintain, preserve and protect the natural environment and historic structures in the Park.
The Cromwell Valley Park Council is not an official site for Baltimore County Government.