Wondering when the color of fall leaves will peak in 2022 near Hagerstown and where best to see them?
David Angotti can tell you. He is a statistical expert and the co-founder of the site SmokyMountains.com. His love for weather, travel, technology, and the autumn season led him to begin developing a nationwide fall leaf map in 2013 after one Smoky Mountains visitor too many inquired with him when the leaves would be at their fall best.
What started as a fun side-project quickly became the most respected nationwide fall leaf map and one of the best fall resources in the country. Now, tens of millions of people use his map each year to plan everything from photography trips to weddings. But the most common users are simply people wondering when the leaves will peak near them, just like you're wondering when leaves will be at their best fall color in Hagerstown!
While not an exact science, the predictive map uses a complex algorithm that carefully analyzes several million data points and outputs approximately 50,000 predictive data pieces to determine when leaves will peak in each part of the country.
Check out the map below to see when the leaves will peak near Hagerstown or another part of the country. Simply move the slider along the bottom to see when leaves are expected to reach peak color in Hagerstown.
Where to go leaf peeping in Hagerstown?
While at Macaroni KID Hagerstown we don't use scientific data to determine the best place to go in {Town} to see fall leaves, we think we have pretty good intel!
Here are my family's top five places near Hagerstown to go leaf-peeping:
 Elena Photo via Canva |
Catoctin Mountain Park
14707 Park Central Rd
Thurmont, MD 21788
If you find the time, load up the family and get lost on some backroads through Catoctin Mountain Park. Its a short drive from Hagerstown and offers some of the prettiest colors of autumn in the area. I mean, it's gotta be something special if the President of the United States built the getaway Camp David there. You can take a hike up a couple of the easy trails like Cunningham Falls or up to the Thurmont Vista. Or if you are feeling up to it, a few of the harder trails may be what you are looking for. Regardless, you will not be disappointed in the beauty of the fall foliage. Before you start your hike, visit the Park Rangers Station and be sure to get a map. It's easy to get lost in the hills when you are pre-occupied by all the pretty colors. You can also find out more information here before taking your trip.
 Ikostudio via Canva |
Hagerstown City Park
501 Virginia Ave
Hagerstown, MD 21740
The Hagerstown City Park, which is nationally recognized, offers beautiful wooded walking trails. Spend the day with the family enjoying the heart of Hagerstown walking the trails, taking a picnic lunch to enjoy in one of the picnic facilities. Take a stroll along the lake, or to the Jonathan Hager House, you will be in awe of the autumn colors they have to offer. It also is home to the Washingotn Co Museam of Fine Arts, which is a great place to visit. Take a packed lunch and make a day out of it. Fall in Washington County MD is one of the prettiest places to be in my opinion. If you've never been, take a look at the website and see what all of the hypes about.
 Gratisography from Pexels |
Antietam National Battlefield
302 East Main St
Sharpsburg, MD 21782
The battlefield at Antietam you can see the autumn beauty from your car, and on foot. But first things first, you have to stop and see the beautiful maple trees on Main St in Sharpsburg. Then you can go to the battlefield and enjoy an autumn stroll through the connected trail system. And then, be sure to "top off" your visit with a 360 degree view of the entire battlefield on top of the 60-foot-tall War Department Observation Tower at Bloody Lane. Be a tourist in your town for a day and truly take in the history of what once was the place where many soldiers fought in the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, but is now well kept, an honestly a beautiful piece of nature. You can learn more, and plan your visit here.
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C&O Canal National Historic Park
40 West Potomac St
Brunswick, MD 21716
Almost 190 miles of preserved nature to explore. You can take a beautiful bike ride, a drive around, or a hike along the trails. No matter which you choose, you will not be disappointed. I personally remember the first time I visited. It was a field trip in Elementary school during the fall. I've always been a person that loves nature and the changing of seasons. Especially the fall. The canal will touch all of your senses at once. You'll see the beautiful colors, smell the fresh autumn air, hear the leaves crunching, you can literally feel fall around you, and sometimes (so I've been told) you can almost taste pumpkin pie when you visit in the fall. Be sure not to forget to visit Ferry Hill Plantation on the bluffs of the Potomac River. It is wonderous this time of year. Interested in visiting, the canals website will have all of the information you'll need.
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