Piney Run Park in Sykesville, Maryland, is Carroll County’s oldest developed park, centered on a reservoir created for water supply, flood protection, and recreation. Once a private farm, the land became part of a public project begun in 1964; construction of the dam started in 1973 and formed Piney Run Reservoir in 1974, and the park opened in 1976. Its 550 acres include fields, forest, trails, sports and picnic areas, and a lake used for boating and fishing, while much surrounding land remains conserved. The park also serves environmental education through the Piney Run Nature Center and long-running community traditions such as the annual Apple Festival.