With cool evenings and crisp mornings you can feel the change in the air. The leaves are responding to this change in the weather, and colors are starting to show. This week we even have some citizen reports and it’s looking like there’s a taste of fall across Maryland. The October forecast is calling for above average temperatures so we will see how this impacts the situation. Regardless, we’ll keep you updated. Keep checking back each Thursday for the latest information.
October’s Bright Blue Weather – Helen Hunt Jackson
O suns and skies and clouds of June,
And flowers of June together,
Ye cannot rival for one hour
October’s bright blue weather;
O suns and skies and clouds of June,
And flowers of June together,
Ye cannot rival for one hour
October’s bright blue weather;
Join us as we follow the transition each week with reports from our experts at our state forests and parks. This year for the first time, we welcome all of Maryland’s outdoor enthusiasts to send in photos capturing the beauty of the fall season. Please use the submission form to submit your entries directly to us. Your photo might be selected to appear in a future edition of the Fall Foliage Report!
Sign up to receive this report to your email inbox every week in fall.
Garrett County, Maryland
Cunningham Falls and Gambrill state parks
The native red maple leads the charge with its red hues declaring the arrival of fall at Cunningham Falls and Gambrill State Parks. Ranger Mark Spurrier, Cunningham Falls and Gambrill state parks
Deep Creek Lake State Park
A young black gum stakes its claim to the fall season with eye-catching scarlet leaves. Ranger Roy Musselwhite – Deep Creek Lake State Park
Frederick County, Maryland
Fort Frederick State Park
Fort Frederick picnic area, September 30, 2021 Check back each week, we’ll be posting an updated photo of this spot so you can see the leaves changing week to week. |
|
[TD]
European Chestnut
[TD]
Black Oak
Flowering Dogwood
Leaves in rich browns and yellows are beginning to adorn the black oak at Fort Frederick State Park, while the dogwood greets us with shades of pinks and purples, dusted with flecks of gold. Bob Study – Fort Frederick State Park Complex
Photo Submissions for the Week
We’d like to thank all the folks that continue to send in photos of fall scenes from around Maryland. Glimpses of fall and shorter days can be seen from all parts of the state thanks to your participation. Please send us your fall foliage photos, including the names of any tree species listed, using our easy online form!
|
|
|
Fall Recreation Spotlight
| October 2: Hispanic Heritage Environmental Festival at Sandy Point In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Sandy Point State Park will host a Hispanic Heritage Environmental Festival on October 2. Presented by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Chesapeake Conservancy, Corazón Latino, the National Park Service, and Defensores De La Cuenca, the event runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and features boat rides, Zumba classes, fishing demonstrations, food trucks, and more. Governor Larry Hogan proclaimed Sept. 15-Oct. 15 Hispanic Heritage Month, to honor and celebrate Maryland’s Hispanic population, a key part of the fabric of our state. | 
|
Watch the sky
October is a busy month for celestial events, kicking off with both an asteroid and a meteor shower! On October 1, the asteroid 40 Harmonia, which is about the size of Delaware, will be in the constellation Cetus and visible most of the evening. At midnight, it will be at the highest point in the sky and you will need a telescope or binoculars to see it. The Camelopardalid Meteor Shower (just say Ca·mel·o·par·da·lid) peaks October 5. It won’t be raining meteors – the average is about five an hour – but with a new moon and a clear sky the viewing conditions will be perfect. | 
Camelopardalis constellation (photo from NASA-Eric Coles and Mel Helm) |
