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Why You Should Visit
A window into ice ages past, Cranesville Swamp is located in a "frost pocket," an area where the surrounding hills capture moisture and cold air that conspire to create a landscape more reminiscent of habitat found much further north in Canada. An information booth identifies several trails, one of which includes a quarter-mile boardwalk over the swamp. Admission is free.
Location
Four hour drive from Baltimore and Washington, D.C., just past Deep Creek Lake.
Hours
The preserve is open year-round during daylight hours.
How to Get the Most from Your Visit
- Before you visit, please download the Cranesville Swamp Brochure and the Cranesville Swamp Trail Guide for further information
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Bring plenty of drinking water, sun protection (sunscreen, hat, sunglasses), rain gear, and bug protection. Binoculars, field guides, and a camera may be useful.
- Pets are not allowed on Conservancy preserves or field trips.
- Smoking is not permitted.
- Please do not remove any plants, animals, or rocks.
- Wear socks and waterproof shoes. Wearing light colors will help you spot and remove ticks.
Please help us maintain this unique natural environment by taking home everything that you bring, including biodegradable materials.
What to See: Plants
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The southernmost tamarack (or larch) forest in the United States.
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Red spruce and eastern hemlock.
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There are 19 distinct plant communities that include Sphagnum moss, cranberries, insectivorous round-leaved sundews, and other plants typical of a Canadian climate.
What to See: Animals
- Northern water shrew.
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State-rare breeding birds found here are the golden-crowned kinglet, alder flycatcher, Nashville warbler, and saw-whet owl.
Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
In 1965, Cranesville Swamp was one of the first National Natural Landmarks designated by the National Park Service. The mountain peatlands created by this rare mix of altitude, temperature, and precipitation are home to a spectacular range of plants, birds, and mammals.
What the Conservancy Is Doing Here
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1,774 acres purchased by The Nature Conservancy since 1960
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since 2002, have planted 13,000 red spruce and 1,550 white pines over 250 acres
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volunteer Weed Watchers monitor the preserve for new weeds
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trail enhancement project, May 2002
Directions
From Baltimore/DC (approximately 3.5 hours): From either I-270 or I-70, head to western Maryland, in Hancock, take I-68 west to exit 14/Keysers Ridge and follow Route 219 south for 19 miles. From Route 219, turn right (west) on Mayhew Inn Road, and after 1.4 miles turn left on Bray School Road. In 1.6 miles at a T intersection, turn right on Oakland/Sang Run Road (Route 15). After 1 mile, turn left on Swallow Falls Road and follow for 2.6 miles to a sign for Youghiogheny Mountain Resort. At the sign, take a hard right on Cranesville Road. After approximately 4 miles, turn left onto Muddy Creek Road and immediately park on the gravel behind the red house at the corner of the intersection. Our informational kiosk with brochures, trail guides, and other information can be found here. To get to the trail head for the swamp, visitors must take a left back onto Cranesville Rd. and take the next left onto Lake Ford Rd. Take a sharp right curve in the road and stay to the right at the fork. Stay to the right at the next fork in the road, and Cranesville Swamp is 0.2 mile down the gravel road. Park in the lot.
Tick and Mosquito Alert
When you get home, plan to drop your clothing directly in the laundry and do a tick check before you shower. Deer ticks, the type that carry lyme disease, are about the size of a pinhead and tend to attach in hair, under ears, underarms, trunk of the body, groin, and backs of the knees. Remove them by gently pulling with tweezers and wipe the skin near the bite with a mild disinfectant. If, within 7-10 days after exposure, you experience a rash (especially an expanding "bull’s eye" rash), chills, fever, headache, stiff neck, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes and/or aching joints and muscles, contact your doctor. You can find more information on lyme disease at www.lyme.org or www.aldf.com, or by calling the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at (404) 332-4555.
Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © David Dadurka/TNC (Cranesville Swamp); Photo © David Dadurka/TNC (Pines at Cranesville Swamp).
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