Fall Foliage Report: Western Maryland hits peak

BALTIMORE, MD—Western Maryland is near peak, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Fall Foliage Report for this week. The central part of the state is close to the midpoint, and the Eastern Shore is just changing.

The department said that while some parts of the state are experiencing “peaks” in foliage for certain tree species, overall, foresters and rangers continue to report a lackluster leaf show for 2024 due to recent wind and rain, which have knocked down dry leaves.

According to the department, areas of hickory, maple, birch, and black gum are peaking in the Bear Pond Mountains in Washington County.

“This weekend would be a fantastic time to hike the Appalachian Trail in Washington County, or explore neighboring Frederick County at Catoctin Mountain Park, Cunningham Falls State Park, or Gambrill State Park,” said forester Aaron Cook.

In Garrett County, however, the recent wet weather and wind have brought down many of the changing leaves.

“Current conditions are spotty, with the majority of the maple trees (red and sugar) along with beech and birch either showing good color or bare from recent weather while the oaks remain mostly green or just starting to change,” said Sean Nolan, forest manager for Savage River State Forest. “Trees on the ridge tops are bare compared to those on the slopes and in the hollows that were better sheltered from recent wind.”

Nolan predicted a second wave of color change to occur in the coming one to two weeks, given the changing oak tree colors and the forecasted low temperatures.

Meanwhile, in Allegany County, leaves are starting to change but are not at peak yet.

“As expected, the drought this summer has left most of the leaves to dry and fall without much vibrancy this year,” said Samantha Dixon, park ranger at Rocky Gap State Park. “Most gums and hickories are already past peak, while oaks are still completely green.”

View photos of fall foliage from around the state online here at the Maryland DNR.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.