May 2026 — Shooting Range: The rifle and shotgun ranges remain closed for safety upgrades. No reopening date has been set. The pistol and archery ranges are open during regular hours. For full details and alternative range locations, visit the Shooting Range page.
Contact: 410-287-5675
Cecil County
Office:
Elk Neck State Forest
717 Irishtown Road
North East, MD 21901
Office Hours:
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday – Friday
Mailing Address:
Black Hill Ranger Station
130 McKinneytown Road
North East, MD 21901
GPS:
39.578086
-75.916939
Elk Neck State Forest is an approximate 3,571 acre parcel of land situated in central Cecil County consisting of four separate tracts of land. Elk Neck State Forest is open to the public for hunting, hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking. Shooting ranges for bow, hand gun, shotgun and rifle are also available to the public. Permits are accessed from a self-service honor system located at the Maintenance Complex. The forest supports a diverse habitat with mixed deciduous and evergreen trees and an understory of mountain laurel, azaleas and other native shrubs. Birdwatchers, including members of the Cecil County Bird Club, enjoy seasonally observing the forest's abundance of migratory birds. For those interested in wildflowers, the Forest is home to an abundance of natural fauna.
The Forest is open from sun rise to sun down each day. During periods of inclement weather, forest roads may be closed temporarily until they are safe for public use. The Forest will remain open with public parking available at the Main Entrance off of Irishtown Road.
On bad weather days, please call the Forest Office for current road conditions and temporary closures.
