BWI Observation Park

On the south side of BWI Airport about 25 minutes from us is a quirky little pocket park on the BWI Trail that sits practically underneath the approach path for the southeast runway of the airport.

As incoming planes descend to cross MD-176 (Dorsey Road) they pass within about 100 feet of the Thomas A. Dixon Observation area, a small parking lot with some benches under a wooden trellis as well as a playground.

The other function of the location is parking for the trail, though the main attraction is plane-spotting.

Many people simply park their cars facing east toward the flight path and watch the planes coming in from their vehicles.

The facility is only open from sunrise to sunset, but the area is too dark and isolated at night to remain in any event.

The BWI and B&A Trails

The BWI Trail makes a large loop completely around BWI Airport, and is about 2 miles away via Sawmill Creek Park from the starting point of the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail, which runs more than 13 miles from Dorsey Road down to Annapolis along the old railbed of the B&A Railroad.

On a warm day the B&A Trail is full of pedestrians, bicyclists, and rollerbladers all the way down to Annapolis.