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. [1] 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.
| Name [2] | County | Area [1] | Estab- lished | River / lake / other | Image | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| acres | ha | ||||||
| Assateague State Park | Worcester | 855 acres | 346 ha | 1956 | Atlantic Ocean |  | Barrier island with swimming, beachcombing, sunbathing, surfing and fishing |
| Big Run State Park | Garrett | 300 acres | 120 ha | Savage River Reservoir |  | Camping, fishing, flat water canoeing, hiking trails, picnicking | |
| Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park | Dorchester, Talbot | 24 acres | 9.7 ha | 1987 | Choptank River |  | Fishing, hiking, cycling |
| Bohemia River State Park | Cecil | 460 acres | 190 ha | 2022 | Great Bohemia Creek | Hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, wildlife viewing, fishing | |
| Calvert Cliffs State Park | Calvert | 1,311 acres | 531 ha | 1960s | Chesapeake Bay |  | Fossil hunting, hiking trails, fishing, hunting, picnicking, youth group camping, playground, shelters |
| Casselman River Bridge State Park | Garrett | 4 acres | 1.6 ha | 1957 | Casselman River |  | Historic bridge; popular fishing location |
| Chapel Point State Park | Charles | 821 acres | 332 ha | 1972 | Port Tobacco River |  | Largely undeveloped; features fishing and hunting |
| Chapman State Park | Charles | 829 acres | 335 ha | 1998 | Potomac River |  | Home of Mount Aventine; fishing, hunting, hiking trails |
| Cunningham Falls State Park | Frederick | 6,080 acres | 2,460 ha | 1954 | Big Hunting Creek |  | Includes the Catoctin Furnace; features boating, fishing, swimming, playground, trails, hunting, and picnicking |
| Cypress Branch State Park | Kent | 314 acres | 127 ha | 2022 | Includes a picnic area near a 3-acre fishing pond | ||
| Dans Mountain State Park | Allegany | 482 acres | 195 ha | 1970s | Olympic-sized swimming pool with waterslide and refreshment stand; fishing, hiking, picnic areas, playground, pavilions | ||
| Deep Creek Lake State Park | Garrett | 1,169 acres | 473 ha | 2000 | Deep Creek Lake |  | Boating and fishing on Maryland's largest man-made lake, camping, hunting, hiking trails |
| Elk Neck State Park | Cecil | 2,369 acres | 959 ha | 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 | 722 acres | 292 ha | 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 | 26 acres | 11 ha | Undeveloped | |||
| Franklin Point State Park | Anne Arundel | 484 acres | 196 ha | 1999 | Chesapeake Bay | Undeveloped | |
| Gambrill State Park | Frederick | 1,207 acres | 488 ha | 1934 |  | Picnicking, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing pond, camping | |
| Gathland State Park | Frederick, Washington | 140 acres | 57 ha | 1949 |  | Former estate of George Alfred Townsend; museum, visitors center, picnicking, hiking on the Appalachian Trail | |
| Greenbrier State Park | Frederick, Washington | 1,420 acres | 570 ha | 1964 | Greenbrier Lake |  | Swimming, fishing, boating, boat rental, camping, camp store, hiking, picnicking, playground, Appalachian Trail |
| Greenwell State Park | St. Mary's | 596 acres | 241 ha | 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 | 14,949 acres | 6,050 ha | 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 | 13 acres | 5.3 ha | 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 | 17 acres | 6.9 ha | 2007 |  | Dedicated to the life and work of abolitionist and Underground Railroad activist Harriet Tubman; opened in 2017 | |
| Hart-Miller Island State Park | Baltimore | 244 acres | 99 ha | 1977 | Back River Chesapeake Bay |  | Accessible only by boat; 3,000-foot (910 m) sandy beach |
| Herrington Manor State Park | Garrett | 365 acres | 148 ha | 1964 | Herrington Creek | Swimming, non-motorized boating, picnicking, hiking, tennis, volleyball, cabins | |
| Janes Island State Park | Somerset | 3,160 acres | 1,280 ha | 1963 | Chesapeake Bay |  | Visitors center, conference center, picnicking, cabins, camping, camp store, various water sports |
| Love Point State Park | Queen Anne's | 76 acres | 31 ha | 2007 | Chesapeake Bay | Undeveloped | |
| Martinak State Park | Caroline | 105 acres | 42 ha | 1961 | Choptank River, Watts Creek |  | Fishing, camping, boating, hiking, nature center |
| Matapeake State Park | Queen Anne's | 21 acres | 8.5 ha | 2009 | Chesapeake Bay |  | Beach; leased by Queen Anne's County |
| Matthew Henson State Park | Montgomery | 100 acres | 40 ha | 1989 |  | Greenway for hiking and biking | |
| New Germany State Park | Garrett | 483 acres | 195 ha |  | Swimming, fishing, picnicking, boat launch, boat rental, canoeing, camping, cabins, hiking trail, cross-country skiing, nature center | ||
| Newtowne Neck State Park | St. Mary's | 794 acres | 321 ha | 2009 | Potomac River |  | Non-motorized boating, hiking, picnicking, fishing |
| North Point State Park | Baltimore | 1,328 acres | 537 ha | 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 | 590 acres | 240 ha | 1965 | Deer Creek | Undeveloped; hiking, fishing, canoeing | |
| Patapsco Valley State Park | Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Howard | 14,270 acres | 5,770 ha | 1907 | Upper Patapsco River |  | Hiking, horseback and mountain bike trails, picnicking, canoeing, fishing, camping, historical touring |
| Patuxent River State Park | Howard, Montgomery | 6,703 acres | 2,713 ha | 1963 | Patuxent River |  | Hunting, fishing, hiking and horseback riding |
| Pocomoke River State Park | Worcester | 916 acres | 371 ha | 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 | 1,079 acres | 437 ha | 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 | 1,060 acres | 430 ha | 1949 | Deer Creek |  | Fishing, hiking, picnicking, wading, canoeing and tubing, bow hunting, rock climbing, repelling |
| Rocky Gap State Park | Allegany | 3,119 acres | 1,262 ha | 1963 | Lake Habeeb |  | Boating, camping, fishing, hiking |
| Rosaryville State Park | Prince George's | 1,039 acres | 420 ha | 1976 |  | Mount Airy Mansion; trails for hiking, biking and equestrians | |
| Sandy Point State Park | Anne Arundel | 786 acres | 318 ha | 1948 | Chesapeake Bay |  | Swimming, fishing, crabbing, boating, picnicking, windsurfing |
| Sang Run State Park | Garrett | 81 acres | 33 ha | 2017 | 1800s homestead and store | ||
| Seneca Creek State Park | Montgomery | 6,313 acres | 2,555 ha | 1958 | Seneca Creek |  | Black Rock Mill, Seneca Schoolhouse; boating, fishing, picnicking, disc golf |
| Sideling Hill Creek State Park | Allegany | 865 acres | 350 ha | 2022 | Potomac River | Forest land, trails, rare species | |
| Smallwood State Park | Charles | 984 acres | 398 ha | 1958 | Mattawoman Creek |  | "Smallwood's Retreat" historic site; marina, picnicking, camping, nature trails |
| South Mountain State Park | Frederick, Washington | 7,520 acres | 3,040 ha |  | 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 | 62 acres | 25 ha | 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 | 2,643 acres | 1,070 ha | 1968 | St. Mary's Lake | Hiking, horseback and biking trails, picnicking, boat launch, canoeing, fishing, hunting | |
| Susquehanna State Park | Cecil, Harford | 2,753 acres | 1,114 ha | 1958 | Susquehanna River, Upper Chesapeake Bay |  | Rock Run Historical Area; fishing, camping, picnicking, boating, hiking trails |
| Swallow Falls State Park | Garrett | 257 acres | 104 ha | 1930s | Youghiogheny River |  | Camping, hiking, picnicking, nature programs |
| Tuckahoe State Park | Caroline, Queen Anne's | 3,949 acres | 1,598 ha | 1963 | Tuckahoe Creek |  | Hiking, biking and equestrian trails, canoeing, picnicking, camping, cabins, hunting, archery |
| Washington Monument State Park | Frederick, Washington | 191 acres | 77 ha | 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 | 371 acres | 150 ha | 1998 |  | Undeveloped | |
| Wolf Den Run State Park | Garrett | 1,986 acres | 804 ha | 2018 | Three parcels near Kitzmiller | ||
| Wye Oak State Park | Talbot | 29 acres | 12 ha | 1939 |  | Site of celebrated oak tree lost in 2002; picnicking | |
| Name | County | Area [1] | Estab- lished | Image | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| acres | ha | |||||
| North Point State Battlefield | Baltimore | 9 acres | 3.6 ha | 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 | 2,465 acres | 998 ha | 1984 | Civil War historic site of Battle of South Mountain in the Maryland Campaign, September 1862 | |
| Name | County | Area [1] | Estab- lished | River / lake / other | Image | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 [3] | Monocacy River |  | Hunting, fishing, hiking and horseback riding |
| Morgan Run Natural Environment Area | Carroll | 2,000 acres | 809.4 ha | 1975 [4] | |||
| 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 | ||||||
| Name | County | Area [1] | Estab- lished | Image | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| acres | ha | |||||
| Helen Avalynne Tawes Garden | Anne Arundel | 5 acres | 2 ha | |||
| Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum | Calvert | 560 acres | 226.6 ha | 1983 [5] |  | Hiking, exhibits, educational programs |
| Western Maryland Rail Trail | Allegany, Washington | 1998 |  | 26-mile paved trail from Big Pool to Little Orleans | ||
Deep Creek Lake State Park is a public recreation area occupying more than 1,100 acres (450 ha) on the northeast side of Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County, Maryland, in the United States. The park features water activities, camping facilities, and recreational trails and is located about 18 miles (29 km) south of Interstate 68 on U.S. Route 219.
Point Lookout State Park is a public recreation area and historic preserve occupying Point Lookout, the southernmost tip of a peninsula formed by the confluence of Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River in St. Mary's County, Maryland. The state park preserves the site of an American Civil War prisoner of war camp and the Point Lookout Light, which was built in 1830. It is the southernmost spot on Maryland's western shore, the coastal region on the western side of the Chesapeake Bay.
Fort Frederick State Park is a public recreation and historic preservation area on the Potomac River surrounding the restored Fort Frederick, a fortification active in the French and Indian War (1754–1763) and the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). The state park lies south of the town of Big Pool, Maryland. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal runs through the park grounds. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973.
St. Clement's Island State Park is a publicly owned historic preservation and recreational area that encompasses St. Clement's Island, an uninhabited Potomac River island lying one-half mile southeast of Colton's Point, St. Mary's County, Maryland. The state park features a 40-foot stone cross dedicated to the beginnings of freedom of religion in the United States as well as a reconstruction of the historic Blakistone Island Light. It is the central feature of the St. Clement's Island Historic District that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
Assateague State Park is a public recreation area in Worcester County, Maryland, located at the north end of Assateague Island, a barrier island bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and Sinepuxent Bay on the west. The state park is bordered on both its north and south sides by Assateague Island National Seashore and is reached via the Verrazano Bridge which carries Maryland Route 611 across Sinepuxent Bay. The park offers wildlife viewing, beach activities, and camping facilities. It is managed by the Maryland Park Service of the larger Maryland Department of Natural Resources with the support of volunteers working under the auspices of the non-profit Friends of Assateague State Park.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) is a government agency of the U.S. state of Wisconsin charged with conserving and managing Wisconsin's natural resources. The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board has the authority to set policy for the WDNR. The WDNR is led by the Secretary, who is appointed by the Governor of Wisconsin. The WDNR develops regulations and guidance in accordance with laws passed by the Wisconsin Legislature. It administers wildlife, fish, forests, endangered resources, air, water, waste, and other issues related to natural resources. The central office of the WDNR is located in downtown Madison, near the state capitol.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is a government agency in the state of Maryland charged with maintaining natural resources including state parks, public lands, state forests, state waterways, wildlife, and recreation areas. Its headquarters are in Annapolis.
Sandy Point State Park is a public recreation area on Chesapeake Bay, located at the western end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The state park is known for the popularity of its swimming beach, with annual attendance exceeding one million visitors. The park grounds include the Sandy Point Farmhouse, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The historic Sandy Point Shoal Lighthouse stands in about five feet of water some 1,000 yards (910 m) east of the park's beach.
The Casselman Bridge is a historic transportation structure on the Casselman River, located immediately east of Grantsville in Garrett County, Maryland, and preserved by the state of Maryland as Casselman River Bridge State Park. The bridge was built in 1813–1814 as part of the National Road. Historic markers posted at each end read:
Erected 1813 by David Shriver Jr.,
Sup't of the "Cumberland Road". This 80 foot span
was the largest stone arch in America
at the time. It was continuously
used from 1813 to 1933.
Gunpowder Falls State Park is a public recreation area comprising six non-contiguous areas covering 18,000 acres (7,300 ha) in northeastern Baltimore County and western Harford County, Maryland. The state park is primarily made up of the stream valleys of the Big and Little Gunpowder Falls and the Gunpowder River; its natural features range from tidal marshes to rugged interior slopes. The park has over 120 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing plus facilities for picnicking, tubing, canoeing and kayaking, tide-water fishing and crabbing, fly fishing, and hunting, among other activities. It is managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Fort Tonoloway State Park is an undeveloped Maryland state park located near present-day Hancock. Fort Tonoloway was a frontier fort built in 1755 by Lt. Thomas Stoddert and men from the Maryland State Militia. The fort was also known as Stoddert's Fort. It was abandoned in 1756 when Fort Frederick was constructed.
Greenwell State Park is a public recreation area located on the Patuxent River in St. Mary's County, Maryland. The state park features the historic Rosedale Manor House as well as the Bonds-Simms tobacco barns complex. Park activities include hiking, cycling, horseback riding, fishing, picnicking, hunting, swimming, and canoeing.
Jonas Green Park is a public recreation area on the Severn River owned and operated by Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The park sits at the east end of the Naval Academy Bridge on Maryland Route 450 just outside the city of Annapolis. The former state park bears the name of Jonas Green, Maryland’s public printer during the colonial period. It was turned over to the county in 2009. The park offers a visitors center, cartop boat launch site, and fishing pier. It is the southern terminus of the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail.
Martinak State Park is a public recreation area located on the Choptank River and Watts Creek, immediately south of Denton in Caroline County, Maryland. The park bears the name of George Martinak, who deeded his land to the state in 1961. The park opened in 1964. Site improvements including the addition of campsites, roads, and park office took place from 1964 to 1974. The park features boating access, fishing, campsites and cabins, hiking trails, a nature center, and painted rocks.
Patuxent River State Park is a public recreation area located along the upper reaches of the Patuxent River in Howard and Montgomery counties in Maryland. The state park features hunting, fishing, mountain biking, horseback riding, and hiking on unsigned and untended trails. Planning for the park began in 1963, with the Maryland General Assembly funding land purchases in each year from 1964 to 1968. It is part of the Northeastern coastal forests ecoregion.
Smallwood State Park is a public recreation and historic preservation area located on Mattawoman Creek near Marbury, Charles County, Maryland. The state park preserves Smallwood's Retreat, the plantation home of former Continental Army officer and Governor of Maryland, Major General William Smallwood. The park's 984 acres (398 ha) include a marina, boat ramps, picnicking facilities, campsites, cabins, trails, and nature center.
Wills Mountain State Park is an undeveloped public recreation area on Wills Mountain overlooking the Cumberland Narrows in Allegany County, Maryland. The state park occupies 357 acres (144 ha) on the northwest edge of the City of Cumberland. It is under the control of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Tuckahoe State Park is a public recreation area along Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline and Queen Anne's counties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, United States. Adkins Arboretum, a garden and preserve maintaining over 600 native plant species, occupies 500 acres of the park. The arboretum provides classes to the public in horticulture, ecology and natural history.
Maryland Wildlands are a group of public properties that are protected from logging or other activities in the state of Maryland.
A Natural Environment Area (NEA) is a unit of the Park Service of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. These public lands are generally 1,000 acres (4 km2) or more in extent and are judged to constitute a "significant natural attraction or unique geological feature". Development within an NEA is generally confined to trails, interpretive facilities and limited support facilities.
