Trails
Camping
Fishing
Boating
Winter Recreation
Points of Interest
Trails
Savage River State Forest has more than 55,000 acres of terrain open to hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, snowmobilers, and ORV riders, depending on the trail and season. Not all trails are open to all uses. Contact headquarters at 301-895-5759 to confirm current conditions and restrictions before visiting.
A backpack camping permit is required for overnight backcountry use. Permits are available at headquarters or the outdoor kiosk, or by mail.
Backpack Camping Permit (PDF)
Metal detectors and artifact removal are prohibited under COMAR 08.07.01.18. Exceptions require a permit from the Maryland Historical Trust.
Trail Maps:
For a complete Savage River State Forest Trail Guide, contact headquarters at 301-895-5759.
Asa Durst Trail — 4.5 miles, loop, moderate Access off West Shale Road. Passes through upland hardwood forest reclaimed from former pasture, with stands of pine and spruce and rhododendron-rimmed valleys. Suitable for day hiking, backcountry snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.
Poplar Lick Trail — 6 miles, point to point, moderate Begins off New Germany Road, ends at Savage River Road. Hiking, biking, and camping trail with numerous stream crossings and limited bridges. The B-52 memorial site is located between campsites 154 and 155.
Monroe Run Trail — 4.6 miles, point to point, moderate Designated hiking only. No mechanized or motorized use. Parking off New Germany Road; trail ends near Big Run State Park. CCC-era bridge abutments remain along the route.
Margraff Trail System — approximately 10 miles, varied difficulty Located in the Accident area off I-68 Exit 219 south. Mountain biking trails ranging from beginner to advanced, including a 2-mile intermediate adaptive loop. Trails are also open to hikers. Gravel roads within the system accommodate snowmobiles and horseback riding. Four primitive campsites on site. Elevation 2,800 feet.
Adaptability Information (PDF)
Mt. Aetna Tract Trails — approximately 7.6 miles, moderate Located off I-68 Exit 29 near Savage River Lodge. Diverse loops open to birdwatching, mountain biking, and hiking. Heavy snowfall supports snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Approximately nine miles of cross-country ski trails in this area; no charge for use.
Meadow Mountain Trail — approximately 12 miles, moderate Runs along the Meadow Mountain ridgetop. The four-mile section near I-68 is open to ORV riding and licensed vehicles; access at Exit 22 off I-68. This section is closed to ORVs December 15 through March 15, during which time it is open to snowmobiles only. The remaining eight miles are closed to ORVs but open to hikers, bikers, backpackers, and snowmobiles. A DNR Off-Road Vehicle permit ($10 annually) is required for ORVs and snowmobiles. The final mile of the trail includes a ridgetop overlook of Monroe Run Valley with views to Mt. Storm, West Virginia on clear days.
Big Savage Hiking Trail — approximately 17 miles, difficult Designated hiking only. No mechanized or motorized use. Passes through upland oak and hickory forest, old pine farmsteads, and rocky terrain with wild azalea and rhododendron. Fire tower remnants at High Rock. Limited reliable water sources; carry sufficient water. A backpack camping permit is required for overnight use.
Bowman Hill North Trails — 8 miles, loop, difficult Located off I-68 Exit 19, south approximately seven miles to Dung Hill Road (becomes Bowman Hill Road). Challenging terrain for mountain bikers and hikers. Snowmobiling available in winter months.
32-Mile Backpacker Loop Incorporates the Meadow Mountain Trail, Monroe Run Trail, Savage River Road, Poplar Lick Trail, and New Germany State Park trail system. Rated difficult. Primitive campsites along Meadow Mountain and Monroe Run Trails; numbered campsites on Savage River Road and Poplar Lick Trail. A backpack camping permit is required.
Geocaching: Savage River State Forest has approximately 30 geocaches located throughout the forest. All caches must be submitted to headquarters for review and approval before placement.
Geocaching Guidelines (PDF) —
Geocaching Approval Form (PDF)
St. John's Rock ORV Trail — 13-mile off-road vehicle trail system with varying terrain for riders of all skill levels, including a 200-foot rock crawl. The trail utilizes Red Dog Road and St. John's Rock Road and is open to hunters, sightseers, and fuelwood cutters in addition to ORV riders. Restrooms are available on site. Eight campsites (4 large, 4 small) are available by reservation only through the
Maryland DNR online reservation system. Pricing varies by number of ORVs. A Maryland DNR Off-Road Vehicle permit is required ($10 annually). Access off I-68 Exit 19.
St. John's Rock ORV Trail
Camping
Savage River State Forest offers year-round primitive camping on 81 sites across ten areas. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. No electric, water, or sewer hookups at any site.
Three areas require advance reservations. All other sites are first-come, first-served and are available by self-registration at the bulletin board in each camping area or at the headquarters kiosk. Camping is $10 per site per night. Cash or check payable to DNR. Complete the self-registration envelope in full, deposit payment in the green pay pipe, and retain the perforated portion as your receipt. Place the receipt on your dashboard. List all campers' names, vehicle license numbers, and dates in and out.
Note: Big Run State Park campsites are located near some Savage River State Forest sites. All Savage River State Forest sites are numbered 100 and above.
Camp Loop Map (PDF)
Reservation-Required Sites
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Big Run — 18 sites. Reserve through the
Maryland DNR online reservation system. No walk-ins permitted.
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St. John's Rock — 8 sites (4 large, 4 small). Reserve through the
Maryland DNR online reservation system. Pricing varies by number of ORVs. No walk-ins permitted.
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Bear Pen Group Site (#111) — 1 group site, maximum 25 people, porta-pot on site. Located on Savage River Road. Reserve by calling headquarters at 301-895-5759. $25 per night.
First-Come, First-Served Areas
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Blue Lick Road — 5 sites. Off Lower New Germany Road on Blue Lick Road, north of headquarters.
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Savage River Road — 7 sites. Along the Savage River, off Savage River Road.
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Elk Lick — 6 sites. Off Westernport Road along the Elk Lick watershed.
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Whitewater — 9 sites. South of the Savage River Reservoir off Savage River Road. Porta-pot on site.
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Poplar Lick — 19 sites. South of New Germany Road approximately 3 miles from headquarters, or north of Savage River Road.
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Rabbit Hollow — 1 site. Off Rabbit Hollow Road north of Bowman Hill Road. No pay pipe; pay at headquarters kiosk.
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Margraff Plantation — 4 sites. Off Fratz Road in Accident. No pay pipe; pay at headquarters kiosk.
Backpack Camping Backpack camping is permitted throughout the forest. Register at the headquarters kiosk before your trip. Complete the self-registration envelope, include $10 per night, deposit in the green pay pipe, and retain the receipt for your vehicle dashboard. Camping is not permitted within 200 feet of any trail or stream. Campfires are permitted except during drought conditions.
Backpack Camping Permit (PDF)
Firewood for camping must be purchased from local vendors or gathered on site. Do not transport firewood into the forest from outside. Transporting firewood between geographic areas is a primary pathway for the introduction of invasive forest insects.
Fishing
Savage River State Forest provides fishing access to the 230-acre Savage River Reservoir and multiple sections of the Savage River, each managed under different regulations. A valid Maryland Freshwater Fishing License is required. Check stocking schedules and current regulations before fishing. Waders are recommended for the Savage River. Be prepared for strong currents, large boulders, and downed trees in the water.
A boat ramp is located in Big Run State Park off Dry Run Road/Savage River Road and off Savage River Road before the dam breast.
For regulations, creel limits, and special management areas, contact the Western Maryland Fisheries Office at 301-334-8218 or consult the
Maryland Fishing and Crabbing Regulations.
Upper Savage River — Stocked several times per year. Put-and-take fishery; 5 trout per day creel limit. Can be waded.
Savage River Reservoir — Stocked several times per year with trout. Also contains walleye, largemouth bass, crappie, yellow perch, bluegill, catfish, suckers, brook trout, rainbow trout, and brown trout. Trolling motors only; gasoline engines must be removed before launching. No gas cans permitted in the boat. Ice fishing permitted in winter.
Lower Savage River — Special management area. Fly fishing, catch-and-release, and trophy trout sections are posted along the route. Consult the Maryland Guide to Fishing and Crabbing for current regulations.
Native Trout Tributaries — Most tributaries of the Savage River and Savage River Reservoir contain native brook trout: Blue Lick, Black Lick, Little Savage, Elk Lick, Poplar Lick, Bear Pen, Big Run, Monroe Run, Dry Run, Middle Fork, and Spring Lick.
Boating
The 230-acre Savage River Reservoir is open to kayaks, canoes, small paddle boats, and electric-powered boats. Gas-powered motors are prohibited. Boats with a motor must be titled and registered through the
DNR Licensing Office. No swimming is permitted in the reservoir.
Below the breast of the Savage River Dam, controlled releases create Class V whitewater conditions. The Savage River hosted the 1989 World Whitewater Championships. Release schedules vary; contact headquarters for current information.
Winter Recreation
Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are available on approximately nine miles of trails off I-68 Exit 29, following signs for Savage River Lodge. No charge. Snowshoers must walk beside, not on, groomed ski tracks.
Snowmobiling is permitted when snow depth reaches six inches or more. A DNR Off-Road Vehicle permit is required ($10 annually). Obtain permits through
MD Outdoors, any DNR Licensing Office, or at headquarters. Have your driver's license, VIN/serial number, and make/model/year available when purchasing.
Snowmobile trails
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Meadow Mountain Trail — approximately 11 miles. Access at Exit 22 off I-68; turn left on Ellis Drive, proceed approximately one-half mile to the unloading area. Runs along East Shale Road, crosses New Germany Road, ends at Frank Brenneman Road. Not a loop.
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Margraff Plantation Roads — loop trail. Access off I-68 Exit 219 south toward Oakland. In Accident, turn onto Accident-Bittinger Road, then Fratz Road.
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Bowman Hill North Trails — loop trail. Access off I-68 Exit 19, south approximately 5.5 miles on Route 495. Turn left on Dung Hill Road (becomes Bowman Hill Road). Parking area on the right after approximately three-quarters of a mile.
Points of Intrest
Savage River Dam and Reservoir Construction began in 1939 and was completed in January 1951. Built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a flood control dam, the reservoir is owned by the Upper Potomac River Commission. The largest portion of the drainage area lies within Savage River State Forest.
1989 World Whitewater Championships The Savage River hosted the first World Whitewater Championships held in the United States, with approximately 600 athletes from 30 countries competing. The controlled dam release creates the Class V whitewater conditions required for competitive paddling. Historic bridge crossings remain accessible along the river.
Braddock's Trail A portion of the historic Braddock's Trail crosses the summit near St. John's Rock and passes through multiple locations on the forest. The route over the east slope of Big Savage Mountain was part of the British Army's 1755 campaign route toward Fort Duquesne.
B-52 Crash Memorial On January 13, 1964, a B-52 carrying five crewmen and two unarmed nuclear devices crashed during a winter storm. The pilot and co-pilot survived. A memorial to Navigator Major Robert L. Payne is located along Poplar Lick Run between campsites 154 and 155 on the Poplar Lick Trail. The Grantsville Historical Society maintains exhibits on the crash and the five-day search operation that followed.
For current trail conditions or permit questions, contact headquarters at 301-895-5759.
