The Maryland Park Service will kick off its “25 in 2025” challenge on Jan. 1, inviting outdoor enthusiasts to visit 25 different state parks next year to promote recreation, education and healthy living.
Maryland has 53 general state parks (as of 2023), and the agency hopes the yearlong quest will push residents and visitors to sample the widest possible mix of coastal beaches, mountain vistas and historic sites. Completing the assignment requires each stop to be unique, encouraging travel across all regions of the state.
To make those stops memorable, the park service is organizing ranger-led hikes, historical reenactments, nature workshops and community clean-ups to support the challenge. These activities are designed to spotlight the individual character of each site and deepen visitors’ connection to Maryland’s natural and cultural heritage, but they are not required for challenge completion.
Anyone who meets the 25-park threshold will earn a certificate, a commemorative patch or similar keepsake. Participants are also urged to chronicle their progress on social media with the hashtag #MDParks25in2025, helping the agency build a digital community around the effort.
The statewide push could also translate into new business for nearby private campgrounds and RV parks. Operators can capitalize by bundling overnight stays with printed or QR-code route maps, asking the agency to list their properties on “how to complete the challenge” pages, offering unofficial passport stamps at check-in, running shoulder-season rate specials and surveying guests about whether the challenge influenced their booking.
Those tactics position private parks as logical basecamps for travelers who plan to knock out two or three state parks in a single weekend, turning a public-sector promotion into higher occupancy and ancillary sales.
A full list of participating parks and a calendar of special events are posted on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website; early trip planning is advised because popular sites are expected to draw heavier traffic once the challenge begins.
Increased park visitation often spills over into private facilities, so operators may need to scale up ahead of the rush. Digital self-check-in, text-based concierge services and QR-linked trail information help handle larger crowds without adding staff.
Additional upgrades—such as installing Level-2 electric-vehicle chargers, improving wayfinding signs, hosting low-cost evening programs that mirror state-park themes and boosting waste-collection capacity—can protect guest satisfaction scores while delivering a fast return on investment.
The initiative also supports the park service’s long-range goals of nurturing healthy lifestyles, advancing environmental stewardship and strengthening tourism, benefits the agency says extend well beyond state land.
Rural communities that border multiple parks stand to gain fresh visitor spending on fuel, groceries, gear and dining, reinforcing the parks’ role as economic engines as well as recreation hubs.
Registration, official rules, park maps and frequently asked questions are available on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources site, and the first slate of ranger-guided outings is scheduled for the opening weeks of 2025.