The Maryland Park Service of the Department of Natural Resources is responsible for and maintains some forty-eight State parks covering 96,182 acres. These include:
Washington Monument, Washington Monument State Park, Boonsboro (Washington County), Maryland, February 2001. Photo by Ann J. Baker.
Rocky Gap State Park, Flintstone (Allegany County), Maryland, October 2014. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
CALVERT COUNTY
CAROLINE COUNTY
CARROLL COUNTY
CECIL COUNTY
CHARLES COUNTY
DORCHESTER COUNTY
Gunpowder Falls State Park, Kingsville, Harford & Baltimore Counties, Maryland, August 2014. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.
HOWARD COUNTY
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY
QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY
ST. MARY'S COUNTY
SOMERSET COUNTY
TALBOT COUNTY
Hikers at Washington Monument State Park, Boonsboro (Washington County), Maryland, February 2001. Photo by Elizabeth W. Newell.
Calvert Cliffs State Park affords fishing, hiking, horse paths, and picnic grounds.
Boat launches and rentals, cabins, campsites, canoeing, fishing, and picnic areas all can be found at Martinak State Park.
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.
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.
Used primarily for hunting and fishing, Purse and Chapel Point State Parks use 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.
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.
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, Cunningham Falls State Park, Thurmont (Frederick County), Maryland, April 2004. Photo by Ann J. Baker.
GARRETT COUNTY
Six State parks are found in Garrett County. All 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.
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.
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.
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.
Rosaryville State Park maintains mountain bike, hiking and horse paths, as well as picnic areas.
Tuckahoe State Park offers boat launches and rentals, canoeing, fishing, mountain bike and hiking paths, campsites, and picnic areas.
All four 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.
Amenities at Janes Island State Park include a boat launch and rentals, cabins, campsites, canoeing, fishing, hiking, swimming, and picnic areas.
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
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.
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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