Fall Foliage 2016: Color Nears Peak in Central Maryland

UPDATED Oct. 22 — The leaves have begun to turn to glorious hues of orange, flame-red and yellow across central Maryland, although the colorful show is still a week or so away from its peak in the central part of the state. Favorite places to get out and leaf peep in the state include Patapsco State Park, the Billy Goat Trail and Swallow Falls State Park.

A weekly fall foliage and fall festival report by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources says that if you’re heading west to Garrett County this weekend, be sure to head to Gunpowder State Park in Baltimore County on Saturday between 12 and 8 p.m. for some early Halloween fun at The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at Jerusalem Village, a fall celebration transforming the historic village into Sleepy Hollow. Make your own scarecrow, get your face painted, participate in games, visit the storybook Hessian camp and stay for the Haunted Trail. The Haunted trail is family-oriented and will be spooky but not horrifying. Call the park for more information at (410) 877-3679.

Celebrate the Great Pumpkin this weekend: Near Germantown in Montgomery County, the 36th Annual Butler’s Orchard Pumpkin Festival will be held on weekends throughout October. In addition to pumpkins a’ plenty, hayrides, pony rides, hayloft jumping, food, crafts, animals, entertainment, the Twisted Pumpkin Corn Maze, pedal tractors and Spider Web will be part of the fun.

And over on the Eastern Shore, Martinak State Park in Caroline County will host its annual Fall Fest event on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Children and adults can celebrate the joys of autumn with park staff and Caroline County Recreation & Parks. Activities include an apple butter boil, corn shelling, Scales & Tales display, pumpkin decorating, bicycle rodeo, games, Scarecrow Wizardry, local crafters, live music and food. Call (410) 820-1668 for more information.

In Western Maryland visit: Rocky Gap State Park and Green Ridge State Forest, both in Allegany County, where the oak-hickory forest’s foliage is approaching peak. Green Ridge is located in the Ridge and Valley Province of the Allegheny Mountain chain, and elevations within the forest vary from 475 feet along the Potomac River to over 2,000 feet at the top of Town Hill. Magnificent views of the leaves can be seen from Point Lookout, Banners, Logroll, Warrior Mountain and No Name Overlooks.

If you’re thinking about a get-away to Western Maryland, cabins are still available for the season in state parks. Reserve one by calling the Maryland Park Service’s Reservation Line at 1-888-432-CAMP (2267).

In general, the farther south you go, the later leaves turn; also the windy coast will shed its leaves faster than the rest of the state. Trees at higher elevations hold on to their leaves longer.

»Find the online fall foliage predictor here.

Wonder how and why the leaves change color? It all starts with photosynthesis. Leaves typically are bright green from spring through summer into early fall through the constant creation of chlorophyll, which lets plants turn sunlight into glucose, which in turn feeds the trees. Many millions of these chlorophyll cells saturate the leaves, ultimately making them appear green to human eyes.

As the amount of sunlight decreases as fall days shorten, the production of chlorophyll slows to a halt, eventually giving way to the "true" color of the leaf, says SmokyMountains.com.

Scenic walks and drives in Maryland suggested by Visit Maryland:

• The C&O Canal National Historic Park offers numerous hiking options, such as the strenuous Billy Goat Trail for advanced hikers. The trail rewards hikers with vistas of the surging Potomac River flanked by forests bursting with color.
• Elk Neck State Park located on a peninsula between the Chesapeake Bay and the Elk River combines colorful forests with sandy beaches for great viewing. From the Turkey Point parking lot off Route 272 South, it’s an easy one-mile walk to the historic 1833 Turkey Point Lighthouse atop a 100-foot bluff at the southern tip of the Elk Neck Peninsula. Climb 35 feet to its top for a spectacular view of the Bay waters and brilliant fall foliage.
• Patapsco Valley State Park, covering 32 miles of the Patapsco River in Howard County, offers great fall foliage views from the comfort of your car if that's a better fit for you. Drive to Valley Overlook in the Hollofield area right off Route 40. From there you can venture into Ellicott City’s Main Street, which has shops and restaurants open even as it recovers from fatal August floods.
• In the heart of Baltimore County’s horse country, Oregon Ridge Park near Cockeysville has hiking trails that showcase a tree-scape of yellow, orange and red.
• Swallow Falls State Park in Garrett County is located nine miles north of Oakland and contains part of the Youghiogheny River, which flows along the park's borders, passing through shaded rocky gorges and creating rippling rapids, and Muddy Creek Falls, a 53-foot waterfall. The 1 1/4 mile trail through Swallow Falls guides hikers to Western Maryland's breath-taking scenery.
• Other areas to visit close to the Baltimore-Washington metro area: Gwynnbrook Wildlife Management Area in Owings Mills, Baltimore County; Sugar Loaf Mountain Natural Resource Area in southern Frederick County; Seneca Creek State Park just southwest of Gaithersburg; and Dierssen Wildlife Management Area situated between the C&O Canal and the Potomac River in Montgomery County, offering first-rate opportunities for waterfowl watching and quiet interludes for strollers along the Canal Tow Path.

»Did we miss a great leaf-peeping spot? Tell us in comments below.

»Patch file photos by Beth Dalbey, Department of Forestry