Ongoing Updates On Selected State Forests And Parks, Public Lands Reopening

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced the following openings of state forests, parks, natural resources management areas, natural environment areas and wildlife management areas.

Due to the volume of site-specific damage, new campground reservations will not be accepted for Sept. 23 through Sept. 30, but instead campsites will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at the park. The SFPS will honor reservations that were made prior to Sept. 17, and that have not already been cancelled. The Reservation Service continues to accept reservations for the period May 1, 2004 through September 30, 2004. The phone number for the Reservation Service is 1-888-432-2267.

While many forest and park trails are open for recreational use, visitors are cautioned that the tropical storm winds and saturated soils may have left behind hazardous trail conditions. Visitors should be extra observant of overhead hanging limbs, unstable tree crowns and trees leaning over paved and natural surface trails that could fall and cause severe injury. In addition, trails may be partially blocked by fallen trees and limbs until clean up and repair efforts are completed.

All visitors are also reminded to practice Leave No Trace ethics and avoid walking or riding on trails if they are wet and muddy. Recent excessive rainfall has saturated soils, making them highly vulnerable to erosion and damage from recreational use.

All Wildlife Management Areas have reopened, with the exception of Deale Island and Fairmount, and all Wildlife & Heritage Service (a division of DNR) managed islands on the Potomac River.

**A full list of State Forests & Parks that are open follows. If a facility is not listed, it has not yet reopened. You can also bookmark the public lands home page, where updates are made frequently: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/.

Central Region

• Elk Neck State Forest - Day Use, Campground
  
• Elk Neck State Park - Day Use, Campground
  
• Fair Hill NRMA
  
• Gunpowder Falls State Park - Day Use Central Area, Northern Central Rail Trail & Hammerman Areas. {Dundee Marina remains closed} Dundee boat ramp re-opened Saturday, Steptember 27, 2003.
  
• Morgan Run NEA
  
• Patapsco Valley State Park - selected day use areas only at Avalon, Glen Artney, Hilton, Hollofield, Pickall & McKeldin and Hollofield Campground,
  
• Rocks State Park - Day Use
  
• Seneca Creek State Park - Pavilion rentals, Disc Golf Tournament {undeveloped area only} Day Use remains closed.
  
• Soldiers Delight NEA - Day Use
  
• Susquehanna State Park - Day Use, Campground

Eastern Region

• Assateague State Park - Day Use, Campground
  
• Choptank River Pier - Day Use
  
• Janes Island State Park - Day Use, Campground, Cabins
  
• Martinak State Park - Day Use, Campground, Cabins
  
• Pocomoke State Forest
  
• Pocomoke River State Park - Day Use, Campground, Cabins
  
• Somers Cove Marina
  
• Tuckahoe State Park - Day Use, Campground, Cabins
  
• Wye Island NRMA - Day Use, Lodge
  
• Wye Oak State Park - Day Use

Southern Region

• Calvert Cliffs State Park - Day Use
  
• Cedarville State Forest - Day Use
  
• Chapel Point - Day Use
  
• Greenwell State Park - Day Use
  
• Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary - Day Use
  
• Purse State Park - Day Use
  
• Rosaryville State Park - Day Use
  
• Sandy Point - Day Use {caution for debris on beach and in Bay}
  
• St. Mary's River - Day Use
  
• Severn Run - Day Use
  
• Tawes Garden - Day Use
  
• Smallwood State Park - All services, including camping

Western Region

• Cunningham Falls State Park - Manor Area Day Use & Manor Area Campground {Houck Area remains closed}
  
• Dans Mountain State Park - Day Use
  
• Deep Creek Lake State Park - Day Use, Campground
  
• Fort Frederick State Park - Day Use, Campground
  
• Gambrill State Park - Day Use & Campground
  
• Greenbrier State Park - Day Use, Campground
  
• Green Ridge State Forest - most of the forest accessible - a few roads are blocked and Bonds Landing Camping area is still closed
  
• Herrington Manor State Park - Day Use, Cabins
  
• New Germany State Park - Day Use, Cabins, Campground
  
• Rocky Gap State Park - Day Use, Campground
  
• Savage River State Forest - Day Use, Campgrounds
  
• Sideling Hill Visitor Center - Day Use
  
• Swallow Falls State Park - Day Use, Campground
  
• Washington Monument Staet Park - Day Use

Posted: 10-1-2003