Fall for Maryland’s true colours

Maryland might not be the first destination that springs to mind when mentioning the US’s stunning autumn colours, but the state has long attracted local ‘leaf peepers’.

The Catoctin Mountains of western Maryland form a 50-mile long section of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the hardwood trees that grow on their flanks create a kaleidoscopic array of colours every autumn as the temperatures cool.
Two great places to walk amongst the trees and experience the change of season first hand are Catoctin Mountain Park and Cunningham Falls State Park. Twenty-five miles of hiking trails wind through both parks, offering a variety of experiences ranging from easy to strenuous, and many leading to scenic vistas. Drivers in Catoctin Mountain Park can look forward to scenic drives under a canopy of trees.

Each October National Park Service Rangers conduct guided half-mile walks, teaching the secrets of autumn colour in the eastern hardwood forest.  The walks take one hour and are appropriate for all ages.  For more see www.nps.gov/cato

Cunningham Falls State Park is 32 miles from Catoctin Mountain Park, linked by the “Journey Though Hallowed Ground Byway” which takes visitors past verdant farmland and historic sites.  Here the Cunningham Falls, known locally as McAffee Falls, are well worth a visit as at 78 feet they are the longest cascade in the state.  www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/western/cunningham.asp  

As well as hiking, both parks offer wildlife watching, fly-fishing, canoeing, picnicking and swimming in the lakes and rivers. Overnight cabins at Camp Misty Mount are available until the end of October each year.