The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is identifying and controlling toxic algae several ways, from sophisticated imaging to sonic waves Robots in the water at Hunting Creek Lake are making it safe to swim. That’s how Ranger Mark Spurrier said he explains the latest technology at the popular Cunningham State Park swimming hole to even Read the Rest…
A sewer line renovation and replacement project along Maryland Route 77 will require the temporary closure of some activities in the William Houck Area of Cunningham Falls State Park in Thurmont starting in April and extending into the summer months. The project, spearheaded by Maryland Environmental Service with cooperation from the Maryland State Highway Administration Read the Rest…
Event takes place two weekends in March The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites everyone to come celebrate the annual Maple Syrup Festival at Cunningham Falls State Park, the weekends of March 9-10 and March 16-17. During this event, held annually for more than 50 years, guests can gather around the Sugar Shack to watch Read the Rest…
“I wish that every day was Saturday and every month was October.” – Charmaine J. Forde The treetops of Sword Mountain awaken as the sun rises in Clear Spring. Photo by Forester Aaron Cook. With colors intensifying across the state this week, parts of Maryland are right on the cusp of peak leaf change. The Read the Rest…
“In the entire circle of the year there are no days so delightful as those of a fine October.” Alexander Smith Fall days are here – blue skies, clouds like giant marshmallows, and gobs of sunshine. The only thing missing is the cooler daytime temperatures characteristic of fall weather. Crisp autumn air causes leaves Read the Rest…
Annual March Event Celebrates Mountain Maryland Tradition The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites everyone to come celebrate the annual Maple Syrup Festival at Cunningham Falls State Park, the weekends of March 11-12 and March 18-19. During this event, held annually for more than 50 years, guests can gather around the Sugar Shack to watch Read the Rest…
The red in our Fall Foliage map is inching its way across Maryland, picking up six additional counties and Baltimore City, all reporting peak conditions as we enter November. Perhaps most surprising this week are reports of peak conditions out of St. Mary’s County. Yes, far Southern Maryland has arrived early to the fall show, Read the Rest…
The majority of our state is resplendent in fall color right now, with most of Maryland’s counties experiencing peak or near-peak conditions. Our resident photographers are capturing the moment, producing these gorgeous shots from Rocky Gap and Greenbrier State Parks and Thurmont, Maryland.
Maryland has been called “America in Miniature” – you can find just about any kind of natural feature here, except a desert. This has extended to the weather in recent days, with snow falling in Western Maryland and sunny, 70 degree days and blue skies on the Eastern Shore. The snowfall caused the loss Read the Rest…
This fall season is shaping up to be a memorable one, and if you’re lucky enough to live in or visit Western Maryland right now, you’ll soon know why. The fall foliage show is on in mountainous Western Maryland with a full spectrum of fall colors on display. This week we have an extended report Read the Rest…
Event Takes Place March 12-13 and March 19-20 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites the public to celebrate the Maple Syrup Festival at Cunningham Falls State Park this March. This popular event takes place during two weekends, March 12-13 and March 19-20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day at the park’s William Read the Rest…
GO EAST! Western portions of the state have passed peak conditions and even had a little snow. Although there are still patches of fall scenery in the central part of the state, the fall color has shifted east of I-95 in Maryland. Based on our reports, the last of fall’s glory can be seen in Read the Rest…
It’s mid-October here in Maryland and we have something to offer every fall foliage enthusiast. Crossing our state from west to east, you will experience it all — glorious autumn jewel tones decorating the skyline in the west —breathtaking sunrises and local critters basking in the last warm days of fall in the east. We Read the Rest…
Cooler evenings and crisp mornings bring a change in the air, and the leaves are responding. Thanks to submissions from our readers, it looks like fall colors have finally spread across Maryland. Keep checking back each Thursday for the latest information.
“Autumn comes with regal ease, content to arrive with slow grace. Though the first leaves have tumbled to the soil so rich with rain, most remain green, fluttering in the strengthening wind. And so, though I’m wishing for that garland of reds and golds, I must be as patient as she.” – Angela Caroline Abraham, Read the Rest…
This fall, fishing adventures await at Maryland state parks! It’s a perfect time of year to plan a day trip or a weekend getaway at any of our state parks for unforgettable fishing, with a wide choice of tranquil freshwater streams, fully stocked lakes, or brackish Chesapeake Bay tributaries. Between casts, anglers can check out Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage Report for October 8, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The western corner of Maryland is seeing peak foliage setting in, headlined by the vivid yellows, reds, and oranges of maple leaves. Elsewhere, Maryland forests are exhibiting scattered spots of color, with the real fall showing Read the Rest…
Due to ongoing efforts by the state of Maryland to contain the effects of the COVID-19 virus, both weekends of the annual Maple Syrup Festival at Cunningham Falls State Park have been cancelled. Annual Event Takes Place March 14-15 and March 21-22 The public is invited to celebrate the 50th annual Maple Syrup Festival at Read the Rest…
Reused Materials Restore Spawning and Feeding Areas Crews from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources this winter helped expand fish habitat in Cunningham Falls State Park’s Hunting Creek Lake. Staff joined with the Maryland Conservation Corps to help construct the artificial habitat using upcycling debris and recycled materials found around the park, including PVC tubing, Read the Rest…
Gathering Low-Cost Wood Helps Remove Hazards from Public Lands The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is offering firewood cutting permits at Cunningham Falls and Gambrill state parks in Frederick County, providing a great opportunity for the public to pick up some easily accessible firewood. The $20 permit allows citizens to remove downed trees from the Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for Oct. 5 and 6, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. True fall weather is on the way! Garrett County is anticipating nighttime temperatures dipping into the 3os this weekend, reports Melissa Nash, forester and project manager. With the change in temperature comes Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the last weekend of summer, Sept. 21 and 22, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Having melted down almost daily through a typically hot and humid — and exceptionally wet — Maryland summer, you just might be looking forward to the official Read the Rest…
Fire Prevention Message Spreads Through Public Lands The public is invited to join the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Aug. 9 in honoring one of the country’s iconic conservation heroes on his birthday. For 75 years, Smokey Bear has served as a national symbol for wildfire prevention — the longest running and most recognizable public Read the Rest…
Impaired Boating, Theft of Rental Boats, Illegal Harvesting Top Police Blotter A Pennsylvania man faces numerous charges after Maryland Natural Resources Police caught him fleeing the U.S. Coast Guard in the waters near Ocean City. Two Natural Resources Police patrol vessels answered a call for assistance June 29 after the vessel allegedly sped away from Read the Rest…
Maryland Approved $3 Million for Protection and Restoration The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will host five open house events to solicit public input to help develop a work plan for the new State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund, which will provide $1 million for each of the next three years to improve state-owned lakes. Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Oct. 6 and 7, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. What a difference a week makes! In Western Maryland, autumn began with a slow start; however, the most recent field reports are encouraging. Garrett County Forester Melissa Nash says Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the first full weekend of fall, Sept. 29 and 30, 2018, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. As September comes to a close, it appears the rain will diminish and we’ll have some partly cloudy to sunny days to look forward to Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the first weekend of fall, Sept. 22 and 23, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Soon the landscape will explode with vibrant colors of orange, red and yellow. Kids will be jumping into leaf piles you just raked and we’ll all “fall” Read the Rest…
Annual Competition Demonstrates Expertise, Tenacity Six teams of lifeguards from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources put their skills to the test in a competition held Aug. 7 at Hart-Miller Island State Park in Baltimore County. The Maryland Park Service hires more than 120 lifeguards each year to protect summer swimmers and waders at the state’s beaches, lakes and pools. They Read the Rest…
Stargazing Events Light up August Weekends Several Maryland state parks will offer opportunities to observe the Perseid meteor shower and other celestial vistas in August. Commonly referred to as “the Perseids,” this spectacular display of meteors is one of the most popular astronomical events of the year. At peak Aug. 11-13, between 60 and 70 meteors per Read the Rest…
“Es Mi Parque” Focuses on Conservation, Regulation and Safety The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is endeavoring to keep the conversation going with the growing Hispanic population at state parks with the start of this season’s “Es Mi Parque” or “This is My Park” program. Sandy Point State Park is hosting the first of a Read the Rest…
Stewardship Opportunities Abound April 22 Earth Day gives people all over the planet a chance to do some good for our environment and society, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites everyone to help out Sunday, April 22. The Maryland Park Service is hosting several events in every region of the state.
Mountain Maryland Tradition Continues March 17-18 Cunningham Falls State Park hosts its 48th Annual Maple Syrup Making Demonstrations for a second and final weekend of the year, March 17-18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The festivities will take place in the William Houck Area, located at 14039 Catoctin Hollow Road in Thurmont. Maryland Park Service rangers and volunteers will Read the Rest…
More Than 1,200 People Brave Cold for First Day Hikes The Maryland Department of Natural Resources welcomed 1,227 hikers at more than 30 state parks this New Year’s Day as part of the annual First Day Hikes initiative. Maryland Park Service rangers, staff and volunteers guided the brave souls through 2,500 miles of paths and trails, where Read the Rest…
By day, Maryland State Parks are showing off their vibrant views and welcoming visitors with every cozy comfort the season brings. Cabin stays, harvest crafts, hayrides, pumpkin patches, warm cider. We’ll get to that with the next article, but first, let’s take a look at what some of our parks are up to when the Read the Rest…
“Es Mi Parque” Engages and Serves State Park Visitors The Maryland Department of Natural Resources kicked off a new citizen outreach program, “Es Mi Parque,” or “This is My Park,” designed to better serve the growing Hispanic population at state parks throughout Maryland. The first outreach event of 2017 took place June 10 at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis.
Mountain Maryland Tradition Sweetens Next Two Weekends Cunningham Falls State Park will host its 47th Annual Maple Syrup Making Demonstrations March 11-12 and 18-19 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Park rangers and volunteers will demonstrate the traditional way to craft maple syrup. Visitors are invited to enjoy a hot breakfast, join in children’s activities, and Read the Rest…