The Maryland Park Service and partners improved five miles of trail inside Patapsco Valley State Park’s McKeldin Area this winter with adaptive mountain bikers in mind. It is the first network of adaptive mountain bike trails in Maryland, an amenity state officials plan to improve and expand moving forward. Thanks to the efforts of Friends Read the Rest…
Environmental cleanup and ecological survey will take time, but officials look forward to opening the long-inaccessible park Just past the stone ruins of an old hotel, Maryland Park Service Ranger Cliff Puffenberger came to a clearing. The edge of an outcrop revealed green mountains that filled the horizon and birds of prey that swept over Read the Rest…
Frostburg State University is working with the Department of Natural Resources to study the spread of ticks and provide more community information Ticks were once rare in Western Maryland, but the disease-carrying arachnids are on the rise in the region. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Frostburg State University are working together on an Read the Rest…
“Two sounds of autumn are unmistakable … the hurrying rustle of crisp leaves blown along the street … by a gusty wind, and the gabble of a flock of migrating geese.” —Hal Borland A Department of Natural Resources drone captured this patchwork of autumnal beauty over the Burkholder off-road vehicle trail area of Potomac-Garrett 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.
“The sun after the rain is much more beautiful than the sun before the rain.” –Bill Watterson Last week we mentioned one of the biggest impacts on fall foliage – weather. Ian brought a lot of wind and rain to our region, resulting in a wet forest floor and cooler temperatures, and thankfully not a Read the Rest…
Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall. F. Scott Fitzgerald Fall is officially here and the trees are starting their transformation across the state. The western parts of Maryland will see the first true signs of color beginning this week, although things are off to a slow start. With the 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…
It is now officially fall with a chill in the air and the welcomed return of the Canada geese. The most obvious indicator of autumn’s arrival, the changing of the foliage, is still a few weeks away for most of the state. However, in Western Maryland, pockets here and there are starting to show splotches Read the Rest…
Welcome to the 2020 Maryland Fall Foliage Report, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Although we will mention a festival or event occasionally, that will not be a major focus this year due to numerous cancellations of many seasonal events. However, the men and women working for Maryland’s Park Service and Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for Sept. 28 and 29, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. “As we officially welcome fall this week, the cool nights and sunny days are making for a beautiful start to a colorful display in Garrett County,” reports Melissa Nash, Garrett County forest 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…
This is a special weekend for sons and daughters to celebrate their love for the fathers – or father figures in their lives — who help them to appreciate the gifts of the outdoors. No doubt many will take out the gear this weekend and share that special time together that fishing provides. Happy Father’s Read the Rest…
Western Maryland Fishing Destination Offers Free Use of Gear The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is expanding its popular loaner tackle program to Rocky Gap State Park, offering park patrons free use of fishing gear and tackle. Eight youth-sized fishing rods have been refurbished and several tackle boxes have been donated to help promote youth Read the Rest…
There’s not a lot left at Evart’s homesite, at the top of the mountain that bears the same name: scattered bits of foundation, a cluster of apple trees, an old stone well choked with blueberry bushes. But the things that drew Jacob Evart to the wilderness in the first place—the quiet, the solitude—endure. Up here, Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Nov. 10 and 11, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The good news is that leaf peepers have an excellent chance of catching fall foliage at its peak in many parts of the state. However, predictions are that this 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. 13 and 14, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Garrett County Forester Melissa Nash reports that most of the maples turned brown early and are already bare. “We did get some color last week, but most of those 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…
“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…
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…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Oct. 21 and 22, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Maryland Office of Tourism. The Mid-Atlantic region is basking in the glow of an Indian summer, and if you’re planning to head west this weekend, you should meet with good Read the Rest…
Nice Weekend for the Calvert County Fair, National Public Lands Day and Apple and Pumpkin Festivals Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Maryland Office of Tourism. October arrives this weekend and soon the full Read the Rest…
18 Maryland Counties Receive Waterway Improvement Fund Grants The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is providing $10.5 million in Waterway Improvement Fund grants to improve public boating access and navigation throughout the state. Passed by the Maryland General Assembly and signed by Governor Larry Hogan, this critical funding will go toward 49 projects in 18 counties from Allegany 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.
Popular State Parks Challenge Celebrates 10th Anniversary The Maryland Department of Natural Resources today is opening registration for Park Quest, the popular family-based outdoor adventure program. Park Quest allows families to engage in outdoor activities and adventures at Maryland’s beautiful state parks and public lands throughout the summer.
