List of Maryland state parks explained

This list of Maryland state parks includes the state parks and state battlefields listed in the Maryland Department of Natural Resources's current acreage report. Generally, the Maryland Park Service, a unit of and under the authority of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), is the governing body for these parks, although some have been turned over to local authorities.

Maryland state parks

Name^[1]	County	Area	Estab- lished	River / lake / other	Remarks	Image
acres	ha
Assateague State Park	Worcester	855acres	1956	Atlantic Ocean	Barrier island with swimming, beachcombing, sunbathing, surfing and fishing
Big Run State Park	Garrett	300acres		Savage River Reservoir	Camping, fishing, flat water canoeing, hiking trails, picnicking
Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park	Dorchester, Talbot	24acres	1987	Choptank River	Fishing, hiking, cycling
Bohemia River State Park	Cecil	460acres	2022	Great Bohemia Creek	Hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, wildlife viewing, fishing
Calvert Cliffs State Park	Calvert	1311acres	1960s	Chesapeake Bay	Fossil hunting, hiking trails, fishing, hunting, picnicking, youth group camping, playground, shelters.
Casselman River Bridge State Park	Garrett	4acres	1957	Casselman River	Historic bridge; popular fishing location
Chapel Point State Park	Charles	821acres	1972	Port Tobacco River	Largely undeveloped; features fishing and hunting
Chapman State Park	Charles	829acres	1998	Potomac River	Home of Mount Aventine; fishing, hunting, hiking trails
Cunningham Falls State Park	Frederick	6080acres	1954	Big Hunting Creek	Includes the Catoctin Furnace; features boating, fishing, swimming, playground, trails, hunting, and picnicking
Cypress Branch State Park		Kent	314acres	2022		Includes a picnic area near a 3-acre fishing pond.
Dans Mountain State Park	Allegany	482acres	1970s		Olympic-sized swimming pool with waterslide and refreshment stand; fishing, hiking, picnic areas, playground, pavilions
Deep Creek Lake State Park	Garrett	1169acres	2000	Deep Creek Lake	Boating and fishing on Maryland's largest man-made lake, camping, hunting, hiking trails
Elk Neck State Park	Cecil	2369acres	1936	Chesapeake Bay	Home of Turkey Point Light; beach, picnicking, seasonal convenience store, camping, cabins, nature center, trails for hiking and biking, hunting, various water sports
Fort Frederick State Park	Washington	722acres	1922	Potomac River, Big Pool Lake	Stone fortification built by colonial Province of Maryland from the French and Indian War (1754-1763); visitors center, picnicking, boating, fishing, hiking, camping
Fort Tonoloway State Park	Washington	26acres			Undeveloped
Franklin Point State Park	Anne Arundel	484acres	1999		Undeveloped
Gambrill State Park	Frederick	1207acres	1934		Picnicking, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing pond, camping
Gathland State Park	Frederick, Washington	140acres	1949		Former estate of George Alfred Townsend; museum, visitors center, picnicking, hiking on the Appalachian Trail
Greenbrier State Park	Frederick, Washington	1420acres	1964	Greenbrier Lake	Swimming, fishing, boating, boat rental, camping, camp store, hiking, picnicking, playground, Appalachian Trail
Greenwell State Park	St. Mary's	596acres	1971	Patuxent River	Historic Rosedale Manor House; picnicking, swimming, non-motorized boating, hiking, equestrian and cycling trails, fishing, hunting
Gunpowder Falls State Park	Baltimore, Harford	14949acres	1959	Gunpowder River, Dundee Creek	Multiple non-contiguous recreational areas: Picnicking, hiking, biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, hunting, various water sports
Hallowing Point Waterfront Park	Calvert	13acres	2017	Patuxent River	Opening 2022; on Route 231, on the Calvert County side of the Patuxent River Bridge
Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park	Dorchester	17acres	2007		Dedicated to the life and work of abolitionist and Underground Railroad activist Harriet Tubman; opened in 2017
Hart-Miller Island State Park	Baltimore	244acres	1977	Back River Chesapeake Bay	Accessible only by boat; 3000feet sandy beach
Herrington Manor State Park	Garrett	365acres	1964	Herrington Creek	Swimming, non-motorized boating, picnicking, hiking, tennis, volleyball, cabins
Janes Island State Park	Somerset	3160acres	1963	Chesapeake Bay	Visitors center, conference center, picnicking, cabins, camping, camp store, various water sports
Love Point State Park	Queen Anne's	76acres	2007	Chesapeake Bay	Undeveloped
Martinak State Park	Caroline	105acres	1961	Choptank River, Watts Creek	Fishing, camping, boating, hiking, nature center
Matapeake State Park	Queen Anne's	21acres	2009	Chesapeake Bay	Beach; leased by Queen Anne's County
Matthew Henson State Park	Montgomery	100acres	1989		Greenway for hiking and biking
New Germany State Park	Garrett	483acres			Swimming, fishing, picnicking, boat launch, boat rental, canoeing, camping, cabins, hiking trail, cross-country skiing, nature center
Newtowne Neck State Park	St. Mary's	794acres	2009	Potomac River	Non-motorized boating, hiking, picnicking, fishing
North Point State Park	Baltimore	1328acres	1987	Back River, Patapsco River, Chesapeake Bay	Former site of the Bay Shore Amusement Park; visitors center, swimming, hiking and biking trails, pier and shore fishing, picnicking
Palmer State Park	Harford	590acres	1965	Deer Creek	Undeveloped; hiking, fishing, canoeing
Patapsco Valley State Park	Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Howard	14270acres	1907	Upper Patapsco River	Hiking, horseback and mountain bike trails, picnicking, canoeing, fishing, camping, historical touring
Patuxent River State Park	Howard, Montgomery	6703acres	1963	Patuxent River	Hunting, fishing, hiking and horseback riding.
Pocomoke River State Park	Worcester	916acres	1939	Pocomoke River	Visitors center, swimming pool, biking and hiking trails, boat launch, boat rental, fishing, flat water canoeing, camping, camp store, picnicking
Point Lookout State Park	St. Mary's	1079acres	1963	Chesapeake Bay, Potomac River	American Civil War prisoner-of-war camp museum/Marshland Nature Center, swimming, picnicking, boat launch, boat rental, camping, cabins, camp store, fishing, canoeing, hiking trails, hunting
Rocks State Park	Harford	1060acres	1949	Deer Creek	Fishing, hiking, picnicking, wading, canoeing and tubing, bow hunting, rock climbing, repelling
Rocky Gap State Park	Allegany	3119acres	1963	Lake Habeeb	Boating, camping, fishing, hiking
Rosaryville State Park	Prince George's	1039acres	1976		Mount Airy Mansion; trails for hiking, biking and equestrians
Sandy Point State Park	Anne Arundel	786acres	1948	Chesapeake Bay	Swimming, fishing, crabbing, boating, picnicking, windsurfing
Sang Run State Park	Garrett	81acres	2017		1800s homestead and store
Seneca Creek State Park	Montgomery	6313acres	1958	Seneca Creek	Black Rock Mill, Seneca Schoolhouse; boating, fishing, picnicking, disc golf
Sideling Hill Creek State Park	Allegany	865acres	2022	Potomac River	Forest land, trails, rare species
Smallwood State Park	Charles	984acres	1958	Mattawoman Creek	"Smallwood's Retreat" historic site; marina, picnicking, camping, nature trails
South Mountain State Park	Frederick, Washington	7520acres			Runs the length of South Mountain; Appalachian Trail; contiguous with other national, state and local parks
St. Clement's Island State Park	St. Mary's	62acres	1962	Potomac River	Only accessible by boat; reconstructed lighthouse, memorial to first Marylanders landing March 25, 1634 (Maryland Day); hiking, picnicking, fishing
St. Mary's River State Park	St. Mary's	2643acres	1968	St. Mary's Lake	Hiking, horseback and biking trails, picnicking, boat launch, canoeing, fishing, hunting
Susquehanna State Park	Cecil, Harford	2753acres	1958	Susquehanna River, Upper Chesapeake Bay	Rock Run Historical Area; fishing, camping, picnicking, boating, hiking trails
Swallow Falls State Park	Garrett	257acres	1930s	Youghiogheny River	Camping, hiking, picnicking, nature programs
Tuckahoe State Park	Caroline, Queen Anne's	3949acres	1963	Tuckahoe Creek	Hiking, biking and equestrian trails, canoeing, picnicking, camping, cabins, hunting, archery
Washington Monument State Park	Frederick, Washington	191acres	1934		1827 stone monument to first President George Washington by citizens of nearby Boonsboro; picnicking, hiking on the Appalachian Trail
Wills Mountain State Park	Allegany	371acres	1998		Undeveloped
Wolf Den Run State Park	Garrett	1986acres	2018		Three parcels near Kitzmiller
Wye Oak State Park	Talbot	29acres	1939		Site of celebrated oak tree lost in 2002; picnicking

Maryland state battlefields

Name	County	Area	Estab- lished	Image	Remarks
acres	ha
North Point State Battlefield	Baltimore	9acres	2015		Preserves undeveloped land where War of 1812's Battle of North Point in the larger Battle of Baltimore on September 12, 1814 (Defenders Day) was fought with the invading British Army.
South Mountain State Battlefield	Frederick, Washington	2465acres	1984		Civil War historic site of Battle of South Mountain in the Maryland Campaign, September 1862

Maryland natural resources management areas

Name	County	Area		Estab- lished	River / lake / other	Remarks	Image
		acres	ha
Deep Creek Lake Natural Resources Management Area	Garrett	3,900 acres	1578.3 ha		Deep Creek Lake	Boating
Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area	Cecil	5,656 acres	2288.9 ha	1975		Horse riding, camping, hunting
Merkle Natural Resources Management Area and Visitor Center	Prince George's	1,670 acres	675.8 ha		Chesapeake Bay
Monocacy River Natural Resources Area	Frederick	1,800 acres	728.4 ha	1975^[2]	Monocacy River	Hunting, fishing, hiking and horseback riding
Morgan Run Natural Environment Area	Carroll	2,000 acres	809.4 ha	1975^[3]
Sassafras Natural Resources Management Area	Kent	1,200 acres	485.6		Sassafras River, Chesapeake Bay	Hiking, mountain biking, birding, horseback riding
Woodmont Natural Resources Management Area	Washington	3,425 acres	1,386 ha	1995	c/o Fort Frederick State Park	Formerly as Woodmont Rod & Gun Club property
Wye Island Natural Resources Management Area	Queen Anne's	2,450 acres	991.5 ha
Youghiogheny Wild River Natural Environmental Area	Garrett

Other Maryland state areas

Name	County	Area		Estab- lished	Remarks	Image
		acres	ha
Helen Avalynne Tawes Garden	Anne Arundel	5 acres	2 ha
Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum	Calvert	560 acres	226.6 ha	1983^[4]	Hiking, exhibits, educational programs
Western Maryland Rail Trail	Washington			1906

Former Maryland state parks

• The former Jonas Green State Park was transferred to Anne Arundel County and became Jonas and Anne Catharine Green Park.

See also

• List of National Park System areas in Maryland

External links

• State Park Directory Maryland Department of Natural Resources
• Maryland State Parks Maryland Manual On-Line, Maryland State Archives

Notes and References

1. Web site: Maryland State Parks, by County . 2022-12-29 . msa.maryland.gov.
2. Web site: Maryland . Preservation . 2016-10-05 . Live in History: Baxter Farm in the Monacacy National Resources Management Area . 2022-12-29 . Preservation Maryland . en-gb.
3. Web site: Horseback Riding at Morgan Run Environmental Nature Area . 2023-01-02 . hglanham.tripod.com.
4. Web site: history . 2023-01-02 . MDP, Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum . en-us.