'Best Fall Color Maryland Has Seen In Years' Peaks In 6 Counties

MARYLAND — "The best fall color Maryland has seen in years" is on display in several counties this weekend. Peak leaf colors of vivid yellow and scarlet red are showing in two counties this week, while leaves are near peak color in four other counties, said the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

The weekly 2020 Maryland Fall Foliage Report issued Oct. 22 said Washington and Frederick counties have reached peak leaf color. Foliage in Harford, Baltimore, Carroll and Cecil counties is near its peak, according to the DNR.

Many counties — including Anne Arundel, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's, Kent and Queen Anne's — are at the midpoint of their autumn show.

Garrett and Allegany counties are past their prime, with walnut already done, and oak trees just starting to show colors.

“Everywhere I look in Washington County seems to be at peak color or very close," said Aaron Cook, forester, Clear Spring, Washington County. "This is definitely the time to take a drive on country roads, or go for a hike along the Western Maryland Rail Trail, or visit the South Mountain State Park complex. In Frederick County, Cunningham Falls State Park or Catoctin Mountain Park would be great destinations to take in the best color in years. If the weather stays calm, the color should linger for a little while longer, so get out and enjoy this amazing fall color.”

Emily Bard from the South Mountain Recreation Area near Boonsboro, said in the report: “Well leaf peepers, I think this is it! This weekend will probably be your best opportunity to see the fall colors at South Mountain Recreation Area. We are expecting good weather for the weekend, but keep an eye on that, as rain could cause the leaves to drop. Otherwise, get out there and enjoy it before it’s too late!”

Elk Neck State Park is still in the midpoint range for fall foliage, but nearing peak, the DNR said.

Ranger Diana Marsteller at the Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area said, “We are at peak colors here, or quite close to it. A full spectrum of autumn colors can be seen in our forest canopies. This is a great time for wildlife viewing at the park as many creatures are getting ready for the upcoming winter."

Patapsco Valley State Park is starting to change colors and the park is extremely busy on weekends, so the DNR suggests visitors come see the leaves on weekdays.

“The spectrum of autumnal colors is quickly emerging in full splendor in Montgomery County," said ranger Ryan Keller at Seneca Creek State Park.

While the weather is becoming cooler, deciduous trees and shrubs are showing warmer tones of red, orange, yellow, purple, and brown. Although some pockets of green still remain, oaks, often the last to change, are shedding their acorns and turning colors, signaling the final fleeting stages of autumn’s kaleidoscopic metamorphosis, he said.

In Southern Maryland, the DNR said Smallwood State Park has just recently begun to show some changes in color.

On the Eastern Shore, the leaves are just beginning to change in Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park.

Our state offers some stunning vistas, including several in state parks suggested by Visit Maryland:

• The C&O Canal National Historic Park offers numerous hiking options, such as the strenuous Billy Goat Trail for advanced hikers. The trail rewards hikers with vistas of the surging Potomac River flanked by forests bursting with color.
• Elk Neck State Park located on a peninsula between the Chesapeake Bay and the Elk River combines colorful forests with sandy beaches for great viewing. From the Turkey Point parking lot off Route 272 South, it's an easy one-mile walk to the historic 1833 Turkey Point Lighthouse atop a 100-foot bluff at the southern tip of the Elk Neck Peninsula. Climb 35 feet to its top for a spectacular view of the Bay waters and brilliant fall foliage.
• Patapsco Valley State Park, covering 32 miles of the Patapsco River in Howard County, offers great fall foliage views from the comfort of your car if that's a better fit for you. Drive to Valley Overlook in the Hollofield area right off Route 40. From there you can venture into Ellicott City's Main Street, which has shops and restaurants open even as it recovers from fatal August floods.
• In the heart of Baltimore County's horse country, Oregon Ridge Park near Cockeysville has hiking trails that showcase a tree-scape of yellow, orange and red.
• Swallow Falls State Park in Garrett County is located nine miles north of Oakland and contains part of the Youghiogheny River, which flows along the park's borders, passing through shaded rocky gorges and creating rippling rapids, and Muddy Creek Falls, a 53-foot waterfall. The 1 1/4 mile trail through Swallow Falls guides hikers to Western Maryland's breath-taking scenery.
• Other areas to visit close to the Baltimore-Washington metro area: Gwynnbrook Wildlife Management Area in Owings Mills, Baltimore County; Sugar Loaf Mountain Natural Resource Area in southern Frederick County; Seneca Creek State Park just southwest of Gaithersburg; and Dierssen Wildlife Management Area situated between the C&O Canal and the Potomac River in Montgomery County, offering first-rate opportunities for waterfowl watching and quiet interludes for strollers along the Canal Tow Path.

The updated Fall Foliage Prediction Map from SmokyMountains.com provides peak leaf change predictions for the entire continental United States.

In Maryland, the week of Oct. 26 looks good for a trip into the great outdoors.

The major factors that determine the fall foliage peak are sunlight, precipitation, soil moisture and temperature. The map takes in 50,000 predictive data sets, then churns out a county-by-county analysis of when the fall peak will occur, according to SmokyMountains.com co-founder David Angotti, an expert on statistics.