Updated October 2026
Best Time to Visit Maryland State Parks & 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.
The 46 Maryland state parks are listed in their own section below the national park table. Crowd levels are shown for national park units only; for state parks the best month reflects weather and daylight.
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
Best in SeptemberGeorge Washington
Memorial Parkway, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia
Appalachian
National Scenic Trail, Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia
Best in OctoberChesapeake & Ohio Canal
National Historical Park, District of Columbia, Maryland, West Virginia
Best in OctoberAssateague Island
National Seashore, Maryland, Virginia
Best in SeptemberHarpers Ferry
National Historical Park, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland
Best in OctoberFort Washington
Park, Maryland
| 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 | October | 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 | October | 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 | September | Jun | Jan | Where to stay → |
| AntietamNational Battlefield | 197,340 | September | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| GreenbeltPark | 130,314 | September | May | Jan | Where to stay → |
| MonocacyNational Battlefield | 116,902 | April | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| HamptonNational Historic Site | 48,158 | April | May | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Harriet Tubman Underground RailroadNational Historical Park | 15,348 | October | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Clara BartonNational Historic Site | 11,309 | October | Jun | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Thomas StoneNational Historic Site | 4,538 | June | Sep | Jan | Where to stay → |
Maryland State Parks
46 state parks, with the month that usually brings the most comfortable weather and the longest days, where a nearby weather record exists.
- Assateague State ParkUsually best in September · about 910 acresOfficial park page
- Big Run State ParkUsually best in June · about 190 acresOfficial park page
- Bohemia River State ParkUsually best in September · about 470 acresOfficial park page
- Calvert Cliffs State ParkUsually best in MayOfficial park page
- Casselman River Bridge State ParkUsually best in JulyOfficial park page
- Chapel Point State ParkUsually best in May · about 820 acresOfficial park page
- Chapman State ParkUsually best in May · about 61 acresOfficial park page
- Cunningham Falls State ParkUsually best in JuneOfficial park page
- Dans Mountain State ParkUsually best in August · about 480 acresOfficial park page
- Deep Creek Lake State ParkUsually best in July · about 1,200 acresOfficial park page
- Elk Neck State ParkUsually best in September · about 2,200 acresOfficial park page
- Fort Frederick State ParkUsually best in September · about 770 acresOfficial park page
- Gambrill State ParkUsually best in MayOfficial park page
- Gathland State ParkUsually best in JuneOfficial park page
- Greenbrier State ParkUsually best in SeptemberOfficial park page
- Greenwell State ParkUsually best in May · about 640 acresOfficial park page
- Gunpowder Falls State ParkUsually best in SeptemberOfficial park page
- Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State ParkUsually best in MayOfficial park page
- Hart-Miller Island State ParkUsually best in May · about 1,300 acresOfficial park page
- Herrington Manor State ParkUsually best in June · about 290 acresOfficial park page
- Janes Island State ParkUsually best in SeptemberOfficial park page
- Martinak State ParkUsually best in September · about 160 acresOfficial park page
- New Germany State ParkUsually best in JuneOfficial park page
- Newtowne Neck State ParkUsually best in MayOfficial park page
- North Point State ParkUsually best in MayOfficial park page
- Palmer State ParkUsually best in SeptemberOfficial park page
- Patapsco Valley State ParkUsually best in SeptemberOfficial park page
- Patuxent River State ParkUsually best in SeptemberOfficial park page
- Pocomoke River State ParkUsually best in MayOfficial park page
- Point Lookout State ParkUsually best in MayOfficial park page
- Rocks State ParkUsually best in SeptemberOfficial park page
- Rocky Gap State ParkUsually best in September · about 2,900 acresOfficial park page
- Rosaryville State ParkUsually best in SeptemberOfficial park page
- Sandy Point State ParkUsually best in MayOfficial park page
- Sang Run State ParkUsually best in July · about 81 acresOfficial park page
- Seneca Creek State ParkUsually best in SeptemberOfficial park page
- Smallwood State ParkUsually best in MayOfficial park page
- South Mountain State ParkUsually best in JuneOfficial park page
- St. Clement's Island State ParkUsually best in May · about 58 acresOfficial park page
- St. Mary's River State ParkUsually best in MayOfficial park page
- Susquehanna State ParkUsually best in SeptemberOfficial park page
- Swallow Falls State ParkUsually best in July · about 400 acresOfficial park page
- Tuckahoe State ParkUsually best in SeptemberOfficial park page
- Washington Monument State ParkUsually best in JuneOfficial park page
- Wolf Den Run State ParkUsually best in June · about 2,000 acresOfficial park page
- Wye Oak State ParkUsually best in May · about 29 acresOfficial park page
State park listings come from the Maryland state park agency. Boundaries and acreage come from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Best-month estimates use NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals and computed daylight.
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 Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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