Where can you go fishing, ride a miniature train, tour a historic mansion, hike in the wilderness, visit a living memorial or try out some radical new moves on a skateboard -- all within the boundaries of Baltimore City?

That's right, if you're a city dweller, all these activities can be found right in your own back yard -- in some of Baltimore City's public parks. Who knew? Many parks activities fit in the best-kept-secrets category. In some cases, the parks themselves are a best-kept secret.

Even though summer is over and cool weather is here, there are still plenty of fun things to see and do in city parks. Why not discover something new about a place you cherished in your youth? Or visit a park far from your own neighborhood? If you're a newcomer to the area, how about introducing yourself to Baltimore's numerous green spaces?

The following is a guide to the offerings of several city parks. Even if you've lived here all your life, we bet you'll find a few surprises.

All parks listed below are open year-round from dawn to dusk unless otherwise noted.

Gwynns Falls/ Leakin Park

Windsor Mill and Franklintown roads, 410-396-7931; Carrie Murray Nature Center, Ridgetop Road, 410-396-0808; Gwynns Falls Trail, Eagle Drive, 410-396-0440.

Located in Southwest Baltimore along the Gwynns Falls stream valley, Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park is a great spot for hikers, bird-watchers, nature lovers and those who simply want to escape city life for a couple of hours.

With more than 2,000 acres, the park is one of the largest wilderness woodland parks in the eastern United States. The 4-mile-long Gwynns Falls Trail stretches from one end of the park to the other. Eventually, the path will be 14 miles long and reach all the way to the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River and the Inner Harbor.

In addition to hiking and biking trails, the park features a nature center, tennis courts, baseball, basketball and football play areas and several picnic spots.

The Crimea Mansion and nearby stone chapel, at the end of Eagle Road, were built in 1850 as part of the country estate of Baltimore railroad designer Thomas Winans.

In addition to the B&O; Railroad, Winans designed the St. Petersburg-Moscow rail line in Russia. He named his home after the Crimea area of Russia. Today, the chapel is closed and the mansion is used for park offices, but you can still check them out from the outside.

Climb aboard a small-scale version of the Chesapeake & Allegheny Steam Engine near Windsor Mill Road and Forest Park Avenue in the park. The train runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the second Sunday of the month from April to October. Plan now to take a ride next spring. Call 410-252-2055.

Are old ruins your thing? Near Winans Meadow, you'll find some along the trail that resemble an old, bombed-out fort. Park officials believe that a fort may have been built during the Civil War to keep Union troops away; the Winanses were Southern sympathizers. Another theory suggests that the fort is a replica of a battle site of the Crimean War. No one knows for certain.

Dead Run, a tributary of the Gwynns Falls, once provided water to Crimea Mansion. The riverbed may be dried up, but the old water wheel that pumped water uphill to the Winans' home remains and can be found along the trail.

Bet you really didn't know: Portions of the movie The Blair Witch Project were filmed at the park. But don't worry, the trails are clearly marked, so you won't get lost in the woods like those poor kids did.

Druid Hill Park

Madison Avenue and Druid Park Lake Drive, 410-396-7931; Conservatory and Botanic Gardens, Gwynns Falls Parkway and McCulloh Street, open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, 410-396-0180.

Besides being the inspiration for the name of the Baltimore-based R&B; group Dru Hill, Druid Hill Park has been a favorite recreational spot for city dwellers since the 19th century. The 744-acre park is home to the Baltimore Zoo and the Conservatory and Botanic Gardens, which feature a Victorian Palm House, three greenhouses and more than an acre of flowers.

The centerpiece of Druid Hill Park is the lake. The path around it is about two miles, and it's a great place to bike, jog or simply stroll.

Picnic areas abound, and there are ballfields for all ages and playgrounds for children. Youngsters also can learn about the rules of the road in Safety City.

For big kids (adults, that is), there's a golf course in Druid Hill Park that doesn't require you to have a caddy or clubs or wear funny-looking pants. It's a disc-golf course, and it's located near the Reptile House.

Never heard of disc golf? That's not surprising. There aren't too many disc-golf courses around, so folks in the know come from all over Maryland and beyond to play the game in Druid Hill Park.

The object is to get your flying disc to drop into a basket in the fewest number of throws. The course was recently spiffed up by the city, and now it has all new baskets and tee pads.

Every Thursday evening, until it gets too cold or too dark, a group of disc-golf enthusiasts plays in teams of three.

Newcomers are always welcome. Go to www.pdga.com and choose "Baltimore" to get more information on the game and the course.

Are you a tree lover and a history lover? Check out the "state trees" in the park. In 1919, the city planted 48 oak trees in Druid Hill Park to honor the soldiers from each state who died in World War I, along with trees to honor the City of Baltimore, President Woodrow Wilson and our war allies.

Over the years, oak trees were added for Alaska and Hawaii and World War II and Korean War veterans. A weeping beech tree stands for those who died in Vietnam, and an English oak tree will be planted at some point for Sept. 11 victims.

This living memorial can be found along the road between the zoo and the Reptile House. Each tree originally had a stone marker with a brass plaque bearing the state name. Over the years, some plaques, stone markers and even trees have disappeared. At one point, Maryland's tree was among the missing. A new, young tree was planted just weeks ago in its place and given a new marker and plaque.

Plans are under way to fully restore the oak grove.

Did you know that members of the Rogers family rest in peace in Druid Hill Park? Before the city bought it, the land that became the park belonged to the Rogerses, a prominent Baltimore family.

The purchase was a package deal. The city had to take the cemetery as well. Located to the left of the intersection of Reed Road and Shop Drive, it is often open to the public.

Bet you really didn't know: The park is home to the Baltimore Police K-9 Unit, which is always ready to take a bite out of crime. It is behind the zoo.

Clifton Park

2801 Harford Road, 410-396-7931.

Clifton Park, in Northeast Baltimore, is home to the city's first 18-hole golf course, the Clifton Mansion and the formal Mothers' Garden. The park has baseball, football and soccer fields, tennis courts and picnic and playground areas.

Bet you didn't know: Clifton Mansion was once the summer home of Johns Hopkins. It was his intention that upon his death the mansion and estate should be turned into a university bearing his name.

The trustees, however, thought that the estate was too far out in the "country." The Johns Hopkins University originally was situated in downtown Baltimore and later was moved to its current North Charles Street site. The park home was sold to Baltimore City in 1895 and eventually fell into disrepair.

Today, a nonprofit group uses part of the partially repaired building as office space, but plans are under way to fully restore the home and open it for tours.

Herring Run Park

3700 Harford Road, 410-396-7931.

This Northeast Baltimore park follows the path of the winding Herring Run as it cuts through Baltimore on its way to Moores Run and then to the Back River.

The park is home to foxes, fish and a variety of birds, including the Baltimore oriole and the great blue heron. Hiking and jogging trails can be found throughout the park and many offer nice views of the water.

Although Herring Run has been clogged with trash and debris over the years, recent efforts by several volunteer groups have resulted in a currently cleaned-up stream. You can even go fishing in it. You might be hard-pressed to catch any herring, but there are carp, trout and other fish swimming around.

Even with this past summer's drought, Herring Run is still flowing, and it's fairly swift in some areas, making it an ideal spot for fish.

Bet you really didn't know: The first monument to Christopher Columbus in the United States sits in Herring Run Park, on Harford Road between Walther Boulevard and Argonne Drive. The 44-foot-high white brick and stucco obelisk was moved there on Columbus Day in 1964 from its first home, the estate of the French consul to Baltimore, at the corner of Harford Road and North Avenue.

Carroll Park

Washington Boulevard and Monroe Street, 410-396-7931; Mount Clare Museum House, 1500 Washington Blvd., open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $6, $5 for seniors, $3 for students and groups of 15 or more and $1 for children ages 5 to 12. Call 410-837-3262.

The 100-acre Carroll Park is just five minutes from the Inner Harbor. It features a playground, ball fields, a golf range, picnic areas and the historic Mount Clare Museum House, the former country home of Charles Carroll, barrister, a prominent figure during the American Revolution.

The home was built in 1760 and belonged to the Carroll family until 1890, when it was sold to the city's Department of Recreation and Parks. Today, the home is a National Historic Landmark with rare 18th- and 19th-century furnishings and personal items that belonged to Carroll and his wife, the former Margaret Tilghman.

The Carrolls had no children, so the home was willed to a nephew on the condition that he change his last name to Carroll. He did, and one assumes it was an easy decision to make. The 800-acre estate included racing stables, a wheat field, a gristmill, an orange and lemon orchard, brick kilns and a shipyard.

Bet you really didn't know: Carroll Park has a skateboard park where riders can try out their latest tricks on a series of ramps and curves. Even if you're not the radical type, it's fun to watch others twist and turn and defy the laws of gravity. The park is open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

A yearlong membership to the park is $15 for city residents with proof of address and $30 for nonresidents.

Daily passes are available at $2 for city residents and $4 for nonresidents. Protective gear such as helmets and kneepads are available for rental. Call 410-396-5782.

Fort Armistead Park

4000 Hawkins Point Road, 410-396-7931.

Fort Armistead lies at the southern tip of Baltimore City and creeps into Anne Arundel County as well. The 35-acre waterfront park sits on the Patapsco River below the Key Bridge. It has a boat launch, fishing pier, open fields and picnic areas.

This park is an excellent place to watch the sunrise. Get there at dawn when it opens and stand at the end of the fishing pier. You'll be treated to a breathtaking view of the sun rising behind the Key Bridge and casting an orange glow on the shimmering water.

The view is also nice if you're standing on the small, sandy beach along the water.

Bet you really didn't know: With binoculars or a camera with a telephoto lens, you can see the Fort Carroll Lighthouse, situated on a small, manmade island east of the Key Bridge.

Reedbird Park

201 W. Reedbird Ave., 410-396-7931.

Located in South Baltimore along the Patapsco River, Reedbird Park offers visitors a chance to fish, play on basketball or tennis courts or just relax and enjoy the scenery by walking or biking along the mile-long pathway near the water.

Reedbird is especially significant to Baltimore because it was the first waterfront park in the city.

Bet you really didn't know: The area where Reedbird Park now sits was once a key port for Baltimore. Later, it became a landfill and remained so until the city purchased the land in 1958 and turned the dump into a park.

Cylburn Arboretum

4915 Greenspring Ave., 410-396-0180.

Cylburn Arboretum in Northwest Baltimore is a 207-acre wonderland for nature lovers. With numerous trails, forests, flower and herb gardens and meadows, the park is a favorite with bird-watchers, hikers, plant enthusiasts and folks who just want to enjoy some nice scenery.

The center of the park is Cylburn Mansion, the former home of Jesse Tyson, a 19th-century Baltimore businessman. The 1888 mansion is now an arboretum but still has many of the home's original architectural details.

Cylburn holds nature classes and workshops, catering to everyone from members of area garden clubs to folks who just want to know what kind of tree is sitting in their back yard or how they can take better care of their rosebushes.

Events and workshops are scheduled year-round. Coming up is a plant and holiday greenery sale (Dec. 6-7), and a holiday tour of the mansion (Dec. 14-15).

Bet you really didn't know: The mansion contains a decent research library filled with materials on plant life, birds and other nature-related subjects. The public is welcome to use it.

Federal Hill Park

800 Battery Ave., 410-396-7931. This park is on the south side of the Inner Harbor. Its high elevation makes it an ideal place to get a great view of the harbor and the cityscape.

Federal Hill was used as a lookout point in the War of 1812 and the Civil War. During the latter, Union troops fortified the site.

Along with its great view, the park has a fairly new children's playground that's surrounded by an iron fence. It keeps children in and dogs out. (The park is frequented by dog walkers who like to let their pups run off leash.)

Bet you really didn't know: The name Federal Hill refers to the day in 1788 when 4,000 Baltimoreans came to the hill to celebrate the ratification by Maryland of the federal Constitution.