The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has announced they will officially open Savage Highlands State Park in Garrett County on Friday, August 28. The park will give increased access to tens of thousands of acres of state forest and natural areas. It will be managed as part of New Germany State Park.
Maryland DNR Secretary Josh Kurtz and Maryland Park Service staff dedicated the new park during a ceremony Saturday, August 21.
Formerly a privately-owned luxury lodge, Savage Highlands State Park includes a large central lodge, 18 cabins, eight yurts, and approximately 5.75 miles of trails. The complex serves as a gateway to the surrounding 55,000-acre Savage River State Forest and the nearby network of year-round outdoor activities including hiking, mountain biking, fishing, skiing, swimming, paddling, and hunting.
Maryland DNR Secretary Josh Kurtz said Savage Highlands amounts to one of the department’s most significant new park openings in decades.
When the property previously known as Savage River Lodge was available for sale, DNR moved to acquire it to protect the property from any commercial development inside the surrounding state forest.
“Most of the major state parks that attract the majority of our visitors opened before 1975,” said Secretary Josh Kurtz. “Today, Savage Highlands joins the ranks of New Germany, Patapsco Valley, and Assateague as a state park where generations of Maryland memories will be created. We’re excited to welcome you and your family to our new yurts, cabins, and campsites so you can launch your next adventure in the western Maryland wilderness.”
DNR purchased the property for about $8.7 million, through DNR’s Program Open Space-Stateside special funds, derived from a portion of the transfer tax, and dedicated specifically to the department’s purchase of land for public use.
The sale was approved by the Board of Public Works in 2024.
“Savage Highlands State Park is a tremendous addition to Maryland’s public lands and a wonderful opportunity for Marylanders to experience the natural beauty of Western Maryland,” said Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman. “By preserving this remarkable landscape and opening it to the public, we ensure that future generations can hike its trails, explore its forests and rivers, and create lasting memories here for years to come. I was proud to vote for the state’s acquisition of this special place from my seat on the Board of Public Works, and I’m excited to see it become part of Maryland’s state park system.”
The park is one of several openings and expansions the Moore-Miller Administration, DNR, and the Maryland Park Service are currently undertaking to meet growing public interest in Maryland’s public spaces.
Earlier this year the park service accepted donation of Catoctin Furnace Cemetery at Cunningham Falls State Park, dedicated Freedman’s State Park in Montgomery County, and celebrated the acquisition of Wetipquin Creek State Park, which will become the first state park in Wicomico County.
Funding for staff growth and planning to support this expansion was provided by the Great Maryland Outdoors Act of 2022, passed by the Maryland General Assembly.
Since purchasing the property in 2024, DNR staff, specialists, and partners have been working together to stabilize the property, preserve its existing assets, and prepare it for a phased reopening as safe, affordable and accessible accommodations for visitors of all ages.
“Surrounded by more than 55,000 acres of Savage River State Forest, this property provides an opportunity to permanently protect an important landscape while creating new opportunities for Marylanders to experience the outdoors,” said Maryland Park Service Director Angela Crenshaw. “Starting today, Savage Highlands State Park is a place that welcomes everyone. Under state ownership, children and families will experience this remarkable property together at a price point in line with what our Maryland state park visitors can afford.”
Savage Highlands State Park is being opened in phases to ensure this ecologically significant mountain landscape is stewarded for the long term and remains compatible with the surrounding Savage River State Forest trail and recreation network.
In the first phase of operation –beginning on August 28 – a limited number of yurts and newly developed backcountry campsites are available, with additional lodging and broader access introduced over time as development of safe infrastructure, ADA compliance, full staffing, and operational readiness allow.
The park will also be available for day-use visitors who would like to explore the park without staying overnight.
The trail system has been carefully evaluated, with new sustainable trail designs replacing routes that could not responsibly support long-term public use.
Construction continues on improvements to the lodge, cabins, and visitor facilities, while additional projects, including ADA-accessible improvements and expanded overnight accommodations, are already moving through design and construction.
The new park was previously the site of a luxury camping retreat known as Savage River Lodge. The state changed the name to Savage Highlands State Park to better reflect the landscape, character, and long-term vision for the property. “Savage Highlands” highlights the high-elevation terrain and its connection to the Savage River watershed.
The park will be managed as part of the New Germany State Park complex. Crenshaw also congratulated winners of a drawing from the Park Service’s “Miles for Maryland” hiking challenge to be the first members of the public to stay overnight at Savage Highlands State Park – Maggie Leathers and Nikki Martin.
The park is located at 1600 Mount Aetna Road in Frostburg
