MARYLAND AT A GLANCE

PARKS & RECREATION

STATE PARKS

[photo, Washington Monument, Washington Monument State Park, Boonsboro (Washington County), Maryland] In 2020, a record-setting 21.5 million people visited Maryland State Parks, a 45% increase from the 14.9 million in 2019. Also in 2020, there were 292 closures due to capacity limits in 11 parks across the State.

Because of Maryland's diverse geography, its State Parks offer a variety of activities and amenities, sunrise to sunset, throughout the year. While many parks offer hiking/walking trails and fishing spots, other parks' recreational opportunities include swimming, public hunting, biking, canoeing and kayaking, horseback riding, boat launching, cross-country skiing and snowboarding, and camping. The newest State Park, Wolf Den Run State Park in Garrett County, offers off-highway vehicle trails. Also, about forty miles of the Appalachian Trail cross through Washington and Frederick Counties.

The Maryland Park Service of the Department of Natural Resources is responsible for and maintains the State Park System, which, as of 2020, covers some 141,180 acres. The System includes 53 general State Parks covering 97,446 acres, 25 Natural Resources Management Areas across 27,617 acres, 7 Natural Environment Areas totaling 12,701 acres, 3 Rail Trails ranging over 897 acres, and 2 State Battlefields covering 2,519 acres.

Washington Monument, Washington Monument State Park, Boonsboro (Washington County), Maryland, October 2019. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

STATE PARKS (by county)

[photo, Sandy Point State Park near Chesapeake Bay Bridge (Anne Arundel County), Maryland]
Allegany County Charles County Prince George's County
Anne Arundel County Dorchester County Queen Anne's County
Baltimore County Frederick County St. Mary's County
Calvert County Garrett County Somerset County
Caroline County Harford County Talbot County
Carroll County Howard County Washington County
Cecil County Montgomery County Worcester County

Sandy Point State Park near Chesapeake Bay Bridge (Anne Arundel County), Maryland, May 2012. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

[photo, Rocky Gap State Park, Flintstone (Allegany County), Maryland] ALLEGANY COUNTY
Offering fishing, hiking, and picnic areas, two State parks are located in Allegany County. Dan's Mountain State Park is known for its Olympic-size swimming pool. Rock Gap has boating on Lake Habeeb, as well as rental cabins and campgrounds.

Rocky Gap State Park, Flintstone (Allegany County), Maryland, October 2014. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

[photo, Sandy Point State Park near Chesapeake Bay Bridge (Anne Arundel County), Maryland] ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY
State parks in Anne Arundel County provide diverse options for recreation. Sandy Point State Park offers boat launches, boat rentals, fishing, swimming, and hiking. Patapsco Valley State Park (with portions located in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, & Howard counties) maintains bike, hiking, and horse paths; campsites and cabins; picnic areas; and fishing and canoe access.
  • Franklin Point State Park, a gated park, currently in development (Shady Side) (410) 974-2149

    • Sandy Point State Park near Chesapeake Bay Bridge (Anne Arundel County), Maryland, May 2012. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    BALTIMORE COUNTY
    Baltimore County's State parks cover a wide variety of interests. Gunpowder Falls, North Point, and Patapsco Valley State parks all have mountain biking paths, canoeing, fishing, hiking, and picnic areas. Gunpowder Falls and Patapsco Valley also offer regular bike paths, horse paths, and campgrounds. Boat launches and rentals, cabins, and swimming areas may be found also at Gunpowder Falls State Park, while Hart-Miller Island State Park provides campsites, picnic areas, fishing, and swimming areas.

    CALVERT COUNTY
    Calvert Cliffs State Park affords fishing, hiking, horse paths, and picnic grounds. Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, though a State Park, is managed by the Maryland Department of Planning.

    CAROLINE COUNTY
    Boat launches and rentals, cabins, campsites, canoeing, fishing, and picnic areas all can be found at Martinak State Park.

    CARROLL COUNTY
    Patapsco Valley State Park, whose boundaries encompass three other counties, maintains bike, hiking and horse paths; campsites and cabins; picnic areas; and fishing and canoe access.

    CECIL COUNTY
    Nestled into Elk Neck State Park are mountain bike and hiking paths, boat launches and rentals, fishing, canoeing, campsites, picnic areas, and swimming. The historic Turkey Point Lighthouse also is located at the Park.

    CHARLES COUNTY
    Used primarily for hunting and fishing, Chapel Point State Park uses unmarked trails. A compass and map are a necessity for using these trails. Chapel Point also maintains minimal beach area that may be used for canoes and other small watercraft. In contrast, Smallwood State Park has fishing, hiking, picnic and camping areas, as well as a children’s playground.

    DORCHESTER COUNTY
    Opened in January 2015, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park consists of 17.3 acres adjacent to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and near the town of Church Creek. Ground was broken for the Park's Visitor Center on March 9, 2013.

    [photo, Cunningham Falls, Cunningham Falls State Park, Thurmont (Frederick County), Maryland] FREDERICK COUNTY
    At wooded Cunningham Falls State Park are boat launches and rentals, canoeing, and swimming. Gambrill State Park offers mountain bike and horse paths. Both have hiking, fishing, campsites, and picnic areas.
  • Cunningham Falls State Park (Thurmont) (301) 271-7574; e-mail: cunninghamfalls.statepark@maryland.gov
  • Gambrill State Park (Frederick) (301) 271-7574, (301) 293-4170; e-mail: gambrill.statepark@maryland.gov
  • Gathland State Park (Jefferson) (301) 791-4767
  • Monocacy River Natural Resources Management Area (Dickerson) (301) 924-2127; e-mail: senecacreek.statepark@maryland.gov

    • Cunningham Falls, Cunningham Falls State Park, Thurmont (Frederick County), Maryland, April 2004. Photo by Ann J. Baker.

    [photo, Muddy Creek Falls at Swallow Falls State Park, north of Oakland, Maryland] GARRETT COUNTY
    Ten State parks are found in Garrett County. Most offer picnic, and fishing areas, while all but Casselman River State Park have hiking paths. Mountain bike paths, swimming areas, and boat launches and rentals are available at Deep Creek, Herrington Manor and New Germany State Parks, and the last two have rental cabins available. Big Run, Deep Creek, Herrington Manor and New Germany State Parks offer canoeing, while campsites may be found at Big Run, Deep Creek, New Germany, and Swallow Falls State Parks. Wolf Den Run State Park is the first State Park to have trails for off-highway vehicles.

    Muddy Creek Falls at Swallow Falls State Park, Oakland (Garrett County), Maryland, October 2014. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    [photo, Gunpowder Falls State Park, Kingsville, Harford and Baltimore Counties, Maryland] HARFORD COUNTY
    At Rocks State Park, canoeing, fishing, hiking, and picnic areas are available. Gunpowder Falls State Park and Susquehanna State Park offer bike, horse and hiking paths; boat launches; campsites; canoeing; fishing; and picnic areas.

  • Gunpowder Falls State Park (headquarters, Kingsville) (410) 592-2897

    • Gunpowder Falls State Park, Kingsville, Harford & Baltimore Counties, Maryland, August 2014. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.

    HOWARD COUNTY
    With sections located in three other counties, Patapsco Valley State Park has bike, hiking and horse paths; campsites and cabins; picnic areas; fishing; and canoe access. The Park headquarters is based in Ellicott City.

    KENT ISLAND
    The Sassafras Natural Resources Management Area is known for its views of the Sassafras River and the Chespeake Bay. Activities include hiking, biking, and horse trail riding, and birding.

    MONTGOMERY COUNTY
    While Patuxent River and Seneca Creek State Parks both offer hiking, fishing, and horse paths, Seneca Creek also provides bike paths, boat launches and rentals, canoeing, and picnic areas.

    [photo, Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary, 11704 Fenno Road, Upper Marlboro, Maryland] PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY
    Rosaryville State Park maintains mountain bike, hiking and horse paths, as well as picnic areas.

    Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary, 11704 Fenno Road, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, April 2014. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY
    Tuckahoe State Park offers boat launches and rentals, canoeing, fishing, mountain bike and hiking paths, campsites, and picnic areas.

    ST. MARY'S COUNTY
    All five State parks in St. Mary's County offer canoeing, fishing, hiking, and picnic areas. Greenwell State Park also has mountain bike and horse paths. Point Lookout State Park includes a boat launch and rentals, cabins, and camping areas, as well as swimming. St. Mary’s River State Park holds mountain bike and horse paths, and a boat launch.

    SOMERSET COUNTY
    Amenities at Janes Island State Park include a boat launch and rentals, cabins, campsites, canoeing, fishing, hiking, swimming, and picnic areas.

    TALBOT COUNTY
    The Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park was dedicated on July 23, 2010. The Park includes the Choptank River Fishing Piers, which were renamed in July 2009 to honor Bill Burton, a reporter and outdoorsman who died August 10, 2009. Open year-round, the fishing piers are lighted for night fishing, April through December. Wye Oak State Park, a small area, offers a picnic site.

    WASHINGTON COUNTY
    [photo, Hikers at Washington Monument State Park, Boonsboro (Washington County), Maryland] The State parks in Washington County offer a variety of amenities. The Washington Monument State Park and South Mountain State Park both contain camping areas and hiking paths. Gathland State Park provides hiking paths and picnic areas. Greenbrier State Park offers mountain bike and hiking paths, boat launch and rentals, canoeing and swimming, and picnic and camping areas. Bike and hiking trails, boat launch and rentals, canoeing, fishing, camping, and picnic areas are available at Fort Frederick State Park.

    Hikers at Washington Monument State Park, Boonsboro (Washington County), Maryland, February 2001. Photo by Elizabeth W. Newell.

    [photo, Visitors Center, Greenbrier State Park, Boonsboro, Maryland]
  • Fort Frederick State Park (Big Pool) (301) 842-2155; e-mail: fortfrederick.statepark@maryland.gov
  • Gathland State Park (headquarters, Boonsboro) (301) 791-4767
  • Greenbrier State Park (Boonsboro) (301) 791-4767; e-mail: greenbrier.statepark@maryland.gov
  • South Mountain State Battlefield (Middletown) (301) 791-4767

    • Visitors Center, Greenbrier State Park, Boonsboro (Washington County), Maryland, August 2019. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    [photo, Boonsboro, view from Washington Monument, Washington Monument State Park, Boonsboro (Washington County), Maryland]


    Boonsboro, view from Washington Monument, Washington Monument State Park, Boonsboro (Washington County), Maryland, October 2019. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    WORCESTER COUNTY
    Both State parks in Worcester County provide campsites, boat launches and rentals, canoeing, fishing, and picnic and swimming areas. Assateague State Park also offers bike paths, while Pocomoke River State Park maintains rental cabins and hiking paths. Pocomoke River State Park encompasses the Pocomoke State Forest.

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