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Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Visitors Flock To Maryland State Parks Over Labor Day Weekend
ANNAPOLIS, MD — Taking advantage of the long weekend, beautiful weather and excellent outdoor conditions, visitors thronged to Maryland’s 49 state parks over the Labor Day weekend. Many of the state parks filled to capacity each day over the three-day holiday weekend.

“The Labor Day weekend is normally a banner weekend for Maryland’s state parks as visitors traditionally view it as the end of summer before sending children back to school,” said Maryland Park Service (MPS) Superintendent Rusty Ruszin. “We know that visitors are coming to the parks not only for an unparalleled outdoor experience, but for the friendly customer service they’ve come to expect from our dedicated park staff.”

Considering the national concern for children connecting with nature, Maryland State Parks successfully offered outstanding outdoor recreational experiences to 345,951 visitors, including 32,187 overnight users over the holiday weekend. This well surpasses the 172,689 visitors over the 2006 Labor Day weekend. Based on the Economic Impact Study recently prepared by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, the estimated economic impact of overnight users for the weekend was over $1.9 million. This figure does not include activity from day users, secondary economic benefits, or tax revenue to the state and local governments generated from visitor expenditures.

The busiest parks in each of the four regions of the state were:

The Maryland Park Service, a division of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), manages more than 2,500 campsites and 131 cabins, encompassing more than 133,000 acres of land. Maryland’s 49 state parks are a vital component in Maryland’s economy and quality of life, offering some of the best outdoor recreational opportunities in the state.

For more information about Maryland state parks, camping reservations, or to purchase an annual park pass and trail guides online, visit us at www.dnr.maryland.gov.

September 7, 2007

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 449,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov