In 1912, Maryland delegate Carville Benson promoted expanding the Patapsco Forest Reserve as a park to support his suburban development initiatives.

CCC workers created recreational facilities and performed tree plantings for erosion control and silt management around the dam from adjacent overworked farms.

[13] The park's recreational opportunities include hiking, fishing, camping, canoeing, horseback riding, mountain biking, and picnicking.

The first spans the Patapsco at Orange Grove, 1.6 miles (2.6 km) northwest of Avalon following the Park Road in Howard County beyond shelters 104 and 105.

This new bridge allows easy entry for residents living in Ellicott City and Catonsville for the first time since Hurricane Agnes struck in 1972.

[24] Patapsco Valley State Park is supported by a number of volunteer groups and efforts, most notably: In 1999, final scenes of The Blair Witch Project were filmed in the Griggs House, a 200-year-old building located in the park near Granite, Maryland, that was subsequently demolished by the state despite film buffs' efforts to save it.