August Adventures Await!
Although this time of the year is often referred to the "dog days of summer," that doesn't mean you have to stay inside! This might be the month where you choose to do a bit less hiking, but there are still plenty of great things to do at state parks. Remember to plan your hikes for either early or late in the day when it is cooler, hike in mostly shaded locations, keep hikes short or easy, bring along plenty of water and stay hydrated.
Here are a few great opportunities to check out in Maryland State Parks this month:
National Lighthouse Day - National Lighthouse Day is observed annually on August 7 to honor the historical and maritime significance of America’s lighthouses. It commemorates the signing of the first federal lighthouse law by President George Washington in 1789, which brought these vital nautical beacons under federal control.
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Recommended Lighthouse Hike from Ranger Tanner: Take a short (0.8 mile round trip) hike to visit the Turkey Point Lighthouse at Elk Neck State Park in Cecil County. The historic lighthouse tower sits on a one-hundred foot tall cliff overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. And if you happen to like learning about birds, starting on August 1, the Maryland Biodiversity Project will have a counter at Turkey Point for 2026 Fall Migration Morning Flight Bird Counts.
Perseid Meteor Showers - The 2026 Perseid meteor shower peaks overnight on August 12, offering up to 50 to 100 meteors per hour under exceptional, moonless dark-sky conditions due to a coinciding new moon. While you may not get to do a lot of hiking to see this, it is quite a sight to experience, especially in a dark sky location! Make your Camping Reservations to get the best view in a State Park or join one of these night sky programs:
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August 11: Perseid Meteor Shower Watch Party - Join us at Smallwood State Park (Charles County) for an evening under the stars with the Southern Maryland Astronomical Society on Tuesday, August 11 from 8:30-10:30 p.m. at the Tobacco Barn. Please RSVP using this online form.
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August 15: Perseids Meteor Shower Star Party 8:30-11 p.m. Join Maryland State Park Rangers and the Tri-State Astronomers at Fort Frederick State Park (Washington County) for a night under the stars. Please try to bring a red-light flashlight. Parking is at the fort parking lot.
Last Chance for the Ice Cream Trail - The Maryland's Best Ice Cream Trail runs through Labor Day weekend. Check it out before the summer ends! This sweet adventure encourages you to visit a local creamery for ice cream and hit a trail. Twelve of the featured trails just happen to be in state parks! Need another reason to check it out? The Ice Cream Trail counts as Bonus Points for the America in Miniature Challenge.
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Recommended Ice Cream Trail Hike from Ranger Cierra: The White Trail at Cedarville State Forest (Prince Georges County) is an easy, 3.5 mile loop trail that will get you warmed up for a sweet treat at nearby Miller Farms in Clinton, MD. This trail passes through hardwood forest and pine plantations. The White Trail follows the Orange and Blue Trails for some time, allowing you to easily extend your hike, if you'd like to get in a few more "Miles for Maryland". You will find the trailhead for the White Trail by the charcoal kiln parking lot.
Stop by the Maryland State Fair- Visit the Maryland Park Service in the DNR Building at the 2026 Maryland State Fair on August 27-30, September 3-7, and September 10-13. You might even find Myles, the Miles for Maryland squirrel mascot, hanging out there!
Be on the lookout for new "Track Your Trails" Photo Stations!
What are those new signs popping up on state land trails?
A new participatory science project across Maryland is hoping that YOU join the effort to track changing conditions on the trails and public lands we use and love! Track Your Trails (TYT) photo station signs encourage recreationists to take a couple of minutes and add their valuable trailside observations (and site photo) to the growing project database. Each photo station gathers site specific information and this information will help monitor changes to these special places. Observations will help monitor trail conditions, flora and fauna, and climatic impacts over time. You’re invited to contribute data every time you pass a TYT sign!
The data is free and publicly available via the data visualization platform, Fieldscope. It will help land managers make informed decisions, can be an excellent real-world resource for educators, and is available for the public to explore.
Where can you join the effort? Photo stations are live at Assateague and Rocky Gap State Park, with Cedarville State Forest and Janes Island, Rosaryville, and Swallow Falls State Parks going live by mid-August. Many more locations will be going live in early Autumn, so be sure to keep checking https://trackyourtrails.fieldscope.org/ to see where you can make a difference next!
Congratulations on 250 Miles!
Congrats, Trailblazers!
We are starting to see Miles for Maryland tallies coming in totaling 250 (and more) miles! Congratulations, if you have completed the challenge, but don't stop now! Completion prizes will be awarded after December 31. If you're not up to 250 miles yet, don't worry- you still have plenty of time to complete your miles. Fall is a fabulous time to go hiking and explore a new-to-you trail. The Miles for Maryland contest runs through the end of the calendar year.
"My partner and I have completed the Miles for Maryland Challenge. We hiked everything together and didn’t realize at first that BOTH our miles counted, so we’ve actually done 500+, not 250! This was such a fun challenge. Thank you!!!"
Kate
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Thanks to everyone who has submitted photos while tracking their miles. Don't forget to submit your best photos - look for them on social media or in the next newsletter!
photo credit to Tom Newton
New Trail Alert at Patuxent River State Park
Working with our partners from Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts (MORE), Patuxent River State Park is thrilled to open a new route in the central area of the park. Tentatively named New Cut, the new trail compliments existing paths between Annapolis Rock and Mullinix Mill Roads and extends the system an additional 2.5 miles upstream to Long Corner Road. New Cut features numerous timber bridges and great views over the river. Currently unblazed, staff intend to mark this one Yellow to continue the river-parallel route in Montgomery County.
August Guided Hike Opportunities
Every Monday: Healthy Parks Healthy People Hikes at Rocky Gap State Park
Join Healthy Parks Healthy People volunteer, Missy Martz, for a hike around the Lakeside Loop trail (approximately 5.2 miles). Hikes start at 5 p.m. at the amphitheater every Monday evening. For additional information, please email Ranger Emily: emily.hendershot@maryland.gov
Every Monday in August: Monday Night Hikes at Seneca Creek State Park 6 p.m. at the Peony Garden
Explore the park's unique peony field, home to a variety of plants, insects, and wildlife, including monarch butterflies, dragonflies, and box turtles. This leisurely hike is 1.5–2.5 miles round trip. Bring water. Bug spray is recommended. Find more hikes offered at Seneca Creek State Park online.
Ranger-led Foraging Hike at Deep Creek Lake State Park: August 7 at 1 p.m. Meet at Cherry Creek Parking Lot
Learn to be one with nature, while learning the basics of foraging and how to identify local plants and mushrooms.
Freedman's State Park Heritage Trail Tour: August 8 at 10 a.m. Tour starts at the Elton Farm Parking Area
Come learn about the incredible life of Enoch George Howard, who rose out of slavery to become a prominent landholder and an influential member of the local community. Tours start at Heritage Trailhead at 10 a.m. Advance registration is required. Email: karen.whitehair@maryland.gov for more information.
Miles for Maryland Challenge Hike at Seneca Creek State Park: August 9 at 10 a.m. at the Boat Center
Work toward your 2026 Miles for Maryland Trail Challenge goals! Hikes are 2–5 miles at a relaxed pace. Please bring water. Rain cancels the hike. Find more hikes offered at Seneca Creek State Park online.
Take-a-Hike Tuesday: August 11 at 10 a.m., meet at the Lake House at New Germany State Park
Join Ranger Hanna on this challenging 4-mile hike and experience the revitalizing effects of outdoor exercise. This is a great way to rack up miles for the Miles for Maryland Trail Challenge! Find all of the programs offered at New Germany State Park.
Lakeshore Trail Loop Hike at Seneca Creek State Park: August 15 at 5 p.m. at the Quail Ridge Parking Lot
Join a volunteer naturalist for a 3.7-mile hike around Clopper Lake. Learn which fish and aquatic mammals live in the lake. Visit a beaver lodge and look for the brownish purple flowers of the American Groundnut, a staple of Indigenous diets. Find more hikes offered at Seneca Creek State Park online.
Mindfulness Hike at Seneca Creek State Park: August 18 at 3 p.m. at Quail Ridge Picnic Area
Join Park Office Manager, Alicia Norris, for a 1-mile hike to practice stepping away from your worries to enjoy the present. The hike includes potentially uneven, muddy, and steep trails. Wear closed-toed shoes and bring water and bug spray. Rain cancels. Find more hikes offered at Seneca Creek State Park online.
Freedman's State Park Heritage Trail Tour: August 22 at 10 a.m. Tour Start at the Elton Farm Parking Area
Come learn about the incredible life of Enoch George Howard, who rose out of slavery to become a prominent landholder and an influential member of the local community. Tours start at Heritage Trailhead at 10 a.m. Advance registration is required. Email karen.whitehair@maryland.gov for more information.
The Simplest Loop Hike in the Park at Seneca Creek: August 30 at 4 p.m. at the Park Office
The Old Pond loop takes you from the parking lot on a 1.3-mile loop right past the prettiest creek view in the park and back to the park office. The terrain varies from deep forest to open scrub. Located before the entrance booth, this hike is available without the weekend entrance fee. Find more hikes offered at Seneca Creek State Park online.
Upcoming Park Events:
August 8: Junior Rangers Family Festival at Seneca Creek State Park
Noon - 3 p.m. at the Expo Field
Free and fun for all ages! All are welcome!
Click to learn how to become a Junior Ranger
Celebrate what it means to be a Junior Ranger with an afternoon packed full of hands-on nature exploration, games, and cool discoveries alongside real park rangers and wildlife experts. Whether your kids are looking to earn an official Junior Ranger badge, level up their outdoor skills, or just enjoy an afternoon of sunshine and games, this festival has something special for every family.
Find more programs offered at Seneca Creek State Park online.
August 15: Friends of Smallwood State Park Presents: America 250th Ceremony- Remembering General William Smallwood & The American 400
11 a.m. with House Tours from 1-5 p.m.
Join us as we honor the legacy of General William Smallwood and the heroic Maryland 400 during America’s 250th commemoration. Revolutionary War static displays, living history interpretation, and historic house tours. Free and open to the public. Park entrance fees apply.
August 15: New Germany State Park- Historic Schoolhouse Open House
1-3 p.m. at the Schoolhouse
Come experience what it was like to be a student in the 1930s in this newly-restored one-room schoolhouse. Teacher docents will share interesting stories and demonstrate instructional methods and period games. The history of the Civilian Conservation Corps and New Germany State Park will be explored with hands-on activities in the school yard. The program is free. Handicap-only parking at the Schoolhouse. Regular parking at Lot No. 5 by the Lake.
Find more programs offered at New Germany State Park.
August 22: Stickin' Around- Walking Stick Class at Patapsco Valley State Park
1-3 p.m. at Soldiers Delight Visitor Center (5100 Deer Park Road, Owings Mills, MD)
Join us in Red Dog Lodge for an afternoon of crafting the perfect walking stick just for you! Learn about some of the historic uses of walking sticks as well as a bit about the trees they came from. Sign up required, limited to 15 participants. $10 per stick. Rain or shine.
Plan and Prepare for Your Hike...
By bookmarking the Park Status Dashboard on your internet browser!
Summer is in full swing! Plan ahead and prepare for your hike by checking the Maryland Park Service Park Status Dashboard before you leave to visit the parks. Remember that many areas in Maryland State Parks often fill to capacity on weekends with nice weather. Each closure and re-opening is noted in real time on the Dashboard. Save yourself time in line and check before you leave!
Plan Ahead... Make a Day-Use Reservation
Day-use reservations are required on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day at:
CLICK HERE TO MAKE A RESERVATION
Here’s What You Need to Know:
- Reservations are required at these parks on weekends and holidays—no same-day drive-ups.
- Make your reservation online up to 7 days in advance.
- Pay the regular day-use fee at checkout using a credit card or online payment method.
- Check in with a QR code when you arrive (and park pass, if applicable)
- Annual Park Pass holders, Golden Age Pass holders, veterans, and individuals with disabilities still receive discounts! The passholder must present pass at check-in.
- You can modify or cancel your reservation until 8 a.m. the day before your visit.
Maryland’s Story is America’s Story
Experience Maryland
To truly know Maryland is to experience it firsthand. That’s why we’re inviting you to visit historic places and attend events that celebrate all that our state has contributed to America’s 250 years.
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