West of the Eastern Continental Divide and within the Mississippi River watershed, the park is home to black bears and wild turkeys. One mile of shoreline along Maryland's largest lake, has public boat access ramps.
Maryland Bears Black bear are located primarily in Garrett, Allegany, Washington, and Frederick counties. Populations are highest in Garrett and Allegany counties, with numbers continuing to rise throughout the western region of Maryland. Although evidence of a breeding population is confined to the western four counties, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources receives several bear sightings and complaints in central and southern Maryland counties each year. Bears are the largest mammals in Maryland. Adult bears[...]
Bear activity is increasing throughout western Maryland as the black bear population continues to expand eastward. With its rural landscape and vast forested land, western Maryland holds some prime bear habitat, much of which is found on public lands open for hunting. A Guide to Planning a Black Bear Hunt in Maryland There are a limited number of bear hunting permits available each year in Maryland and they are awarded through a lottery drawing. The[...]
1) Duck and Goose Hunting on the Eastern Shore There’s a reason the state dog is the Chesapeake Bay retriever. Located right in the middle of the Atlantic Flyway, Maryland is steeped in duck and goose hunting tradition, and the Eastern Shore is home to some of the best waterfowl hunting anywhere. 2) Surf Fishing at Assateague Island National Seashore The barrier island of the Maryland coast is home to amazing surf fishing, so pitch[...]
Nearly 50 miles in length and straddling the Maryland-West Virginia borders, the North Branch of the Potomac was first surveyed under a British sovereign’s land grant to Thomas Lord Fairfax in the first half of the 18th century. The Fairfax Stone survey marker, dated 1746 and located at a small spring, still designates the headwaters, and can be visited today. Lord Fairfax was awarded all of the lands between the Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers, and[...]