Western Maryland is at or near its fall color peak this week, while the leaves closer to the Chesapeake Bay are only starting to turn, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Oct. 8 foliage report. Sunny days, cool nights and a heavy frost have sped the change in Garrett County, where some areas around Meadow Mountain, Savage River Reservoir and Big Run should peak this week and others into next week.
Farther east, Washington County’s ridges are mostly unchanged, with glimpses of gold and red as black walnut, hackberry and black locust turn yellow. In Frederick County, red maples are turning a vibrant red, and the greatest change is expected over the next two to three weeks. In Baltimore County, red maples, Virginia creeper and black gum are giving vibrant pops of red, and Fair Hill in Cecil County has bright red black gums and brilliant orange Norway maples after crisp nights.
Nothing in the report covers Charles, Calvert or St. Mary’s counties, but two Lower Shore stations offer a hint of what is coming. At the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center in Dorchester County, young Atlantic bald cypress and sweet gum trees lead the color change in a landscape that is still mostly green, a ranger reported. In Somerset County, a forester said sweet gums are showing yellow in the canopy, black gums have occasional red leaves and bald cypress needles have hints of orange. Cooler nights and shorter days should bring more color in the weeks ahead.
The state is also pointing leaf-peepers to events. The 59th Autumn Glory Festival in Garrett County runs through Sunday, Oct. 11, with parades, craft shows, music, turkey dinners and foliage driving tours (details at autumnglory.com). Closer to Southern Maryland, Cedarville State Forest in Prince George’s County hosts a woven-bookmark workshop on historical textiles Sunday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; registration is by email to michelle.burchfield@maryland.gov. Later this month, the Deep Creek Lake Discovery Center holds an after-dark open house Oct. 17 from 6 to 8 p.m., and New Germany State Park in Grantsville offers a free 1.5-mile self-guided haunted hike Oct. 17 from 7 to 9 p.m. that may not suit young children. Pocomoke River State Park’s Fungi Fest, with a 5K and a farmers-market-style festival, is Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to noon. Seneca Creek State Park in Montgomery County also has a viewfinder at Clopper Lake with lenses that help people with red-green color blindness see foliage hues.
The report also has a night-sky outlook. The Draconid meteor shower is active through Oct. 10 and the Southern Taurids peak that night, with a new moon making for dark skies; look to the eastern horizon from 10 p.m. to dawn. The Orionids follow Oct. 21-22, with up to 20 meteors per hour, and the October full moon, the Hunter’s Moon, rises at 6:13 p.m. Oct. 26.
The Chronicle published DNR’s previous foliage report on Sept. 27.
