Updated July 2026
Best Time to Visit Maryland National Parks
Maryland has 16 National Park Service units that report visitation. Below, each is ranked by annual visits, with the month our data recommends for the best balance of light crowds, comfortable weather and daylight. Crowds peak in summer almost everywhere — the recommended months show where the quieter shoulder seasons fall.
Maryland parks on the map
Click a marker for the park page, or use Where to stay in the table.
Ways to pick a Maryland park
Quietest months
- Harpers Ferry — January
- Antietam — January
- Assateague Island — December
- Fort McHenry — January
Most-visited
- George Washington — 6,732,932 visits
- Appalachian — 6,215,118 visits
- Chesapeake & Ohio Canal — 4,579,704 visits
- Assateague Island — 2,325,195 visits
Most-visited parks in Maryland
George Washington
District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia
View George Washington →Appalachian
Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia
View Appalachian →
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal
District of Columbia, Maryland, West Virginia
View Chesapeake & Ohio Canal →
Assateague Island
Maryland, Virginia
View Assateague Island →
Harpers Ferry
West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland
View Harpers Ferry →
Fort Washington
Maryland
View Fort Washington →| Park | Annual visits | Best time | Busiest | Quietest | Stays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George WashingtonMemorial Parkway | 6,732,932 | September | Aug | Jan | Where to stay → |
| AppalachianNational Scenic Trail | 6,215,118 | September | Jul | Feb | Where to stay → |
| Chesapeake & Ohio CanalNational Historical Park | 4,579,704 | February | Jun | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Assateague IslandNational Seashore | 2,325,195 | October | Jul | Dec | Where to stay → |
| Harpers FerryNational Historical Park | 537,876 | September | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Fort WashingtonPark | 502,171 | January | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Catoctin MountainPark | 460,857 | May | Oct | Feb | Where to stay → |
| Fort McHenryNational Monument and Historic Shrine | 394,175 | October | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| PiscatawayPark | 275,070 | January | Jun | Jan | Where to stay → |
| AntietamNational Battlefield | 197,340 | September | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| GreenbeltPark | 130,314 | January | May | Jan | Where to stay → |
| MonocacyNational Battlefield | 116,902 | April | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| HamptonNational Historic Site | 48,158 | January | May | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Harriet Tubman Underground RailroadNational Historical Park | 15,348 | January | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Clara BartonNational Historic Site | 11,309 | October | Jun | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Thomas StoneNational Historic Site | 4,538 | February | Sep | Jan | Where to stay → |
Maryland park crowd calendar (16 parks, all 12 months)
Download the full best-months table for all 16 of Maryland's national parks — each park's month-by-month crowd index (1.0 = its average month), busiest and quietest months, and Best-Time-to-Visit score. Built from NPS visitation data. Enter your email to download. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Where to stay near Maryland's national parks
Find hotels, cabins and vacation rentals across Maryland to base your national-park trip — live availability and prices.
Top-rated places to stay near Maryland national parks
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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