Leaf peepers looking for peak color this weekend will have to drive west. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Oct. 15 fall foliage report shows Garrett County at peak and Allegany County close behind, while the rest of the Western Shore, which includes Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties, sits at about the midpoint of the change.
The Eastern Shore has only begun to turn. Foresters expect cooler weekend temperatures to bring out brighter colors statewide.
This week’s report did not include a field update from a Southern Maryland forester, so the regional picture comes from DNR’s statewide map. For Southern Maryland residents, the forecasts from Frederick and Washington counties suggest the best drives in the central part of the state are still a week or two away.
Where the color is now
In Garrett County, forester Melissa Nash reported that wind and rain stripped some leaves, but plenty of color remains. The northern end of the county is at peak, and the south is changing quickly. DNR pointed to the Western Maryland 4-H Center as a spot to see it. Allegany County is near peak, and Rocky Gap and Swallow Falls state parks were recommended.
In Washington County, forester Aaron Cook said some woods are near peak, especially atop South Mountain, where birches have turned gold. Oaks are mostly green, with hints of purple, red and orange. He suggested hiking the Appalachian Trail or the South Mountain parks this weekend and expects the county to peak the last week of October.
Frederick County forester Dakota Durcho said nearly every tree has started changing, pushed along by steady moisture and cool weather. Blackgum and black walnut turned first and are nearly bare. Flowering dogwood is deep reddish purple, red maples glow at the crowns, some hickories are fully gold and oaks are just starting. He expects peak in about two weeks and brighter colors than last year.
Baltimore County is not near peak. Forester Nathan House reported yellows on dogwood, ash, maple, persimmon and blackgum, with sumac, Virginia creeper and blooming saltbush adding color along highways.
At Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area in Cecil County, ranger Lesley Leader reported plenty of red and orange mixed with green, with red maples gone orange and black gums deep red. It has also been a strong year for goldenrod and aster, which are drawing bees. In Somerset County, forester Rachel Egolf said trees are still mostly green, with a few starting to turn.
Color for everyone, and a sky show
DNR highlighted an EnChroma viewfinder by Clopper Lake at Seneca Creek State Park in Montgomery County, which helps people with red-green color blindness see fall hues. Visitors can park in the lower Boat Center lot near the self-launch ramp and follow the gravel path to the shoreline.
The report also flagged two sky events that will be visible from Southern Maryland on clear nights. The Orionid meteor shower peaks Oct. 21-22, with up to about 20 meteors an hour from debris left by Halley’s Comet. A bright moon may wash out fainter ones, so DNR suggests watching in the early morning after moonset at 2:20 a.m. The Hunter’s Moon rises at 6:13 p.m. Oct. 26 and may look large and orange near the horizon.
The state’s Helmets and Harvest AgriTrail also runs through the season, awarding points for check-ins at bike paths and agritourism businesses that can be traded for prizes. Details are on the Maryland’s Best website.
