Carroll Creek Park

Carroll Creek Park is dotted with gardens, fountains, and public art and is lined with restaurants, specialty shops, bars, breweries, and a distillery. After taking a stroll through the park, you can grab a bite to eat on an outdoor patio and, if you time it right, listen to some live music. Walking tours of Frederick typically include a visit to Carroll Creek Park and offer insights into the history of the park, which was originally conceived as a flood control project.

• A paved sidewalk/promenade runs along the creek and is wheelchair-accessible.

• There is no fee to visit the park, which is open from dawn until late at night.

• Benches are dotted throughout the park.

• Public restrooms are available in the Carroll Creek parking garage.

Carroll Creek Park is in Downtown Frederick, within walking distance of the Frederick MARC train station and the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. Drivers coming from Route 70 should take the South Market Street exit and cross Carroll Creek. Paid parking is available in the Carroll Creek Public Parking Garage.

The park hosts special events throughout the year, from a craft beer festival in spring to Frederick Pride in summer. One of Carroll Creek Park’s best events is the annual Sailing Through the Winter Solstice event from November through March, which sees the creek filled with individually designed illuminated sailboats.

The park is filled with public art. Highlights include a trompe l'oeil design of stone and ivy painted on the concrete S. Carroll St Bridge and kinetic art sculptures that interact with the creek’s wind and water. If that whets your appetite, you can take a walking tour of Frederick’s rich public art collection—pick up a brochure and map at the Frederick Visitor Center.