Latest news with #MarylandParkService
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Thousands flocked to Maryland state parks with new registration on holiday weekend
Thousands of visitors made reservations for Sandy Point State Park over the weekend, and Greenbrier State Park 'sold out' on Memorial Day, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The busy weekend for waterfront activities was the first that required visitors to pre-register before entering the two parks. DNR spokesperson Gregg Bortz said that 'rollout of the new day-use reservation system went successfully,' with feedback from visitors being 'largely positive.' Sandy Point in Annapolis had just under 1,200 visitors Sunday and over 1,400 on Monday, according to the DNR. Over 300 people came to Greenbrier, in Washington County, on both days, running out of all 365 reservations available for Monday. The day-use system is in effect for the two parks on weekends and holidays through Labor Day, with the number of reservations available each day are set by management depending on parking and other park activities that day. Reservations can be made through the Maryland Park Service's online reservation system. Later in the summer, the day-use system is coming to North Point State Park in Edgemere as well as Point Lookout and Newtowne Neck in St. Mary's County. Have a news tip? Contact Dan Belson at dbelson@ on X as @DanBelson_ or on Signal as @danbels.62.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Thousands flocked to Maryland state parks with new registration on holiday weekend
Thousands of visitors made reservations for Sandy Point State Park over the weekend, and Greenbrier State Park 'sold out' on Memorial Day, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The busy weekend for waterfront activities was the first that required visitors to pre-register before entering the two parks. DNR spokesperson Gregg Bortz said that 'rollout of the new day-use reservation system went successfully,' with feedback from visitors being 'largely positive.' Sandy Point in Annapolis had just under 1,200 visitors Sunday and over 1,400 on Monday, according to the DNR. Over 300 people came to Greenbrier, in Washington County, on both days, running out of all 365 reservations available for Monday. The day-use system is in effect for the two parks on weekends and holidays through Labor Day, with the number of reservations available each day are set by management depending on parking and other park activities that day. Reservations can be made through the Maryland Park Service's online reservation system. Later in the summer, the day-use system is coming to North Point State Park in Edgemere as well as Point Lookout and Newtowne Neck in St. Mary's County. Have a news tip? Contact Dan Belson at dbelson@ on X as @DanBelson_ or on Signal as @danbels.62.
Washington Post
22-05-2025
- Washington Post
Two popular Maryland parks will require reservations during peak days
Maryland officials are hoping that if a new crowd control plan works, visitors to some of the state's most popular parks will not have to camp out before busy days as early as midnight. Starting Memorial Day weekend, visitors hoping to enter Greenbrier State Park in Western Maryland and Annapolis's Sandy Point State Park, which has a beach looking out toward the Chesapeake Bay, will need to make reservations on weekends and holidays. 'You'd have people lining up for, say, Greenbrier at 4 a.m., 3 a.m. and even midnight in some cases. We'd open up the gates, we'd let a certain amount of people in, then we would have to close the park to new visitors for hours at a time,' said Tim Hamilton, business and marketing manager for the Maryland Park Service. The day-use pass system went live Monday and is aimed at reducing crowds and traffic backups and ensuring spots for visitors. Reservations for these parks will be mandatory during the peak periods of weekends and holidays from May 24 through Labor Day. No same-day access will be allowed during those times. Admission will be $5 per person. At Greenbrier, out-of-state visitors will be charged $7. Visitors can book their spots online up to seven days in advance of a visit. Reservations may be changed or canceled until 8 a.m. the day before the scheduled arrival. Confirmation emails, along with a QR code that is scanned for admission at the park, will be sent to visitors who successfully reserve a spot. Discussions about implementing a reservation system statewide began as early as 2019, Hamilton said. Officials ran a pilot program that year of the reservation system at Rocks State Park, which houses Kilgore Falls, a picturesque 17-foot-high waterfall. Hamilton said it was chosen because it was a popular destination, with a small parking lot that caused backups for locals and pulled park rangers away from essential safety duties. 'We introduced the system kind of quietly,' Hamilton said. 'People were not thrilled with it because this was change, and change is difficult for everybody. 'But after two or three weeks, people started to grumble a little bit less and they found out, 'Oh, now I know whether or not I can get in off the bat. I don't have to go and wait in line only to be told I can't get in and I turn around and I burned half the day.'' The need for reservations became more pressing after a spike of visitors to parks following the start of the coronavirus pandemic, said Gregg Bortz, a spokesman for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, which manages the state's Park Service. Park visitation rates increased from an average of 10.8 million per year from 2010 to 2019 to an average of 18.7 million per year from 2020 through 2024, Bortz said. Bortz and Hamilton pointed to similar, effective reservation systems used by other agencies, including the National Park Service. They did not specify what officials have determined as the capacity limit for these parks but said that the caps can vary based on parking availability, events and other factors. Sandy Point is a popular destination for Maryland residents and out-of-towners who want to set up cookouts and get a look at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge along the roughly one-mile-long stretch of sand. Greenbrier, located in Boonsboro, houses campsites and hiking trails that surround a 42-acre man-made freshwater lake and a white sandy beach. They were chosen as the first to require reservations because they were shut down for capacity reasons fairly frequently, Hamilton said. Traffic at Greenbrier would stretch two to three miles. Traffic jams at Sandy Point, which sits at the foot of the Bay Bridge, would snarl traffic for those looking to cross over to other Maryland and Delaware beaches. 'Wherever you have water in Maryland parks, that's where people want to be,' Hamilton said. The reservation system will be rolled out to three other state parks this summer: Point Lookout, Newtowne Neck and North Point. But officials did not specify a timeline for when changes would take effect at those locations. Bortz said exact dates would be announced in the coming weeks. Hamilton said patience will be key for anyone looking to spend a day by the water at these Maryland state parks. That goes for him and his team, too. 'If there are some bumps along the first couple of weekends, which we expect there to be here and there, we are watching them carefully with the mind that we are going to react to that and make some changes if we have to,' Hamilton said.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- The Independent
Secret's out! The once-hidden U.S beach that's now so popular that reservations are needed
The secret is out. A Maryland state park with a beach once considered a hidden gem is now so popular that a reservation system has been introduced. From this Saturday, May 24, visitors to Greenbrier State Park will need to book a day-use reservation for weekends and holidays through Labor Day, the first Monday in September. Last year 504,262 people visited Greenbrier State Park, in the Appalachian Mountains, and lines to gain entry formed as early as midnight, according to with visitors desperate to secure a prime spot next to its 42-acre man-made freshwater lake and white sandy beach. A reservation system has also been introduced for Maryland's Sandy Point State Park, located along the northwestern shore of Chesapeake Bay. In 2024, it received more than one million visitors, its popularity partly down to the one-mile-long strip of sand there that offers views of Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Day-use entrance fees ranging between $3 and $7 for both parks are already in place. However, Tim Hamilton, Maryland Park Service marketing manager, told that "something had to be done" about crowds that sometimes ballooned to a point where they became a safety issue. Park rangers in place to keep an eye on hikers and swimmers ended up being stretched thin as they managed swelling visitor numbers. The Maryland Park Service said: "This new system requires all visitors to reserve their day-use passes in advance during peak times, to reduce overcrowding, limit traffic backups at park entrances, reduce the frequency of capacity closures, and ensure that every visitor knows they have a space before arriving." Maryland Park Service Director Angela Crenshaw said: "The goal of this new day-use reservation system is making our parks more welcoming and accessible to all. "By allowing visitors to plan ahead, we're helping families make the most of their time outdoors — with less stress and more confidence that they'll have a great day in our state parks." Reservations can be made up to seven days prior to arriving. The system at Maryland isn't a first, with Lake Tahoe's Sand Harbor State Park introducing a reservation process in April following a trial run in 2024.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Maryland's Greenbrier State Park requires reservations due to high demand
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Md. () — Before we know it, the holiday weekend will be here and we'll be off to our state parks for Memorial Day — but in western Maryland, one state park is dealing with an unusual issue: it's too popular. Due to the Greenbrier State Park's popularity, officials are requiring reservations to prevent overcrowding. At peak times, it's not unusual for cars to line up outside of the main gate to the park off Route 40. Some start lining up at midnight, waiting for the park to open at sunrise. The park is popular for 'grilling and having a picnic, camping, boating, hiking and mountain biking,' said Assistant Park Manager Jeremiah Corbin. 'But the main attraction is really the beach.' George Washington Memorial Parkway to reopen after severe weather causes 'extensive damage' Chloe visited from Frederick on Tuesday afternoon and loved the endless opportunities at the park. 'It's a beautiful park,' she said. 'There is so much to do. You can hike, go to the beach and have a beach day. And it's really family friendly.' It's a perfect way to spend the day, agreed Chloe's friend, Anastasia. 'After you hike a few miles, you can enjoy the lake. It's like a reward. It's really nice,' Anastasia said. The popularity of the park has compelled the State of Maryland to put a reservations system in place for summer weekends and holidays. 'It's unfortunate when you have folks waiting in line,' explained Sarah Milbourne, western regional manager for the Maryland Park Service. Flooding cleanup, repairs along C&O Canal underway as DMV region prepares for more rain 'They'll drive two or three hours and wait in line for another two hours only to be turned away because we're filled to capacity,' she continued. To prevent disappointment, 'we want people to show up with confidence that they're going to get in and they're going to have a great weekend,' she said. The new reservations policy applies to weekends and holidays throughout the summer season. Phone reservations are available at 410-541-6991 or online . Some things to know: Reserve up to 7 days in advance. There is no same-day drive-up access without a reservation. Standard day-use fees apply; no extra cost to reserve. Annual Pass, Golden Age, Veterans, and Disability Passes: Still need a reservation—but no fee charged. Sandy Point Boat Ramp: Open 24/7; reservations required between 7 a.m. and sunset on weekends/holidays. This summer, the reservation system expands to Point Lookout State Park, Newtowne Neck State Park and North Point State Park. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
