At a Glance

Hours: Grounds open to the public 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Advance reservations necessary for overnight stays; must be MOS members to stay overnight.

Cost: Free for the grounds; fee for overnight stay in farmhouse (overnights are limited to MOS members; advance reservations required). Donations to the MOS Sanctuary Fund are always appreciated.

Tips: Hunting is not allowed at the sanctuary, but there are active deer stands on neighboring land and perhaps on-site poaching. Be aware of hunting seasons and take precautions. ▪️ Timber Rattlesnakes may be on the property; watch where you step. Black Bears are also present, as they are throughout Garrett County.

Best Seasons: Spring, summer and fall. It may be difficult to reach Carey Run when there is snow on the ground.

Breeding Bird Atlas Block: Frostburg CW (Click on Atlas Block name for list of breeding birds from 1st and 2nd Atlases). Read about the MD & DC Breeding Bird Atlases.

Local MOS Chapter: Allegany-Garrett Bird Club

Carey Run MOS Sanctuary

160 Carey Run Road, Frostburg, MD 21532
Contact: MOS Sanctuary Chair sanctuary@mdbirds.org

Carey Run MOS Sanctuary was the first property to be purchased by the Maryland Ornithological Society (MOS), which now owns ten sanctuaries across the state. The original purchase in 1962 was a 52-acre farm, complete with a farmhouse, which had been abandoned for several years. In 1973, MOS purchased another 110 acres, bringing Carey Run to its current size of 162 acres.

The sanctuary is located in eastern Garrett County and is named for the stream, Carey Run, which flows through the property. Carey Run is a tributary of the Savage River and joins the river just outside the entrance to the sanctuary. Another stream, Hefner Run, flows into Carey Run within the sanctuary. The two stream valleys form a Y-shape that cradles the old farmhouse, built in 1887 from white pines grown on the property. A small freshwater pond, formed by damming Carey Run, is located a short distance from the house. The original dam was man-made but beavers occasionally assist in dam remodeling. There are also river otters at Carey Run, as well as black bears and coyotes.

Carey Run has diverse plant communities. The majority of the land is covered by mixed deciduous forest interspersed with Eastern Hemlock groves. The sanctuary also holds plantations of white pine and Douglas fir, planted when these species were important timber crops. There is a small meadow near the house; a large field and hedgerow combination, along with an old orchard, at the northwest border; and a set of wildlife hedges and grassy meadows in the southwest corner. The fields and meadows are mown once annually to maintain good habitat for a diverse assortment of grassland birds as well as for pollinators.

The many trails at Carey Run guide visitors through each of its habitats. See the trail map at the link in the At a Glance section of this webpage. The Old Braddock Road, which runs along the Sanctuary’s southern border, has significant historical importance as the route created by General Braddock’s troops during the French and Indian War in the mid-1700s. Interpretive signage marks a nature trail that parallels the historic road; the placards present a unique interweaving of the military history of the war, the natural history of the land, and the use of the land and its resources by the indigenous Native Americans. The trail and its signage were created by local resident T.C. Hager as an Eagle Scout project.

Bird feeders are located near the house and are kept stocked by Allegany-Garrett Bird Club members. Carey Run has an extensive bluebird nest box trail, which is maintained and monitored by local MOS members and by students from Frostburg State University. Research on use of the nest boxes by bluebirds and other cavity nesters has been conducted by Professor William Devlin (now retired) and his students since the late 1960s. Carey Run formerly hosted a bird banding station, run by a changing set of volunteer banders for many years. Records indicate that over 68 species were banded on the sanctuary.

MOS has partnered with Trout Unlimited to conduct tree plantings to buffer the streams in the sanctuary, in order to modulate water temperatures and protect habitat for native brook trout. MOS is grateful for the participation of student volunteers from Frostburg State University in the tree plantings and other projects. MOS is also partnering with the US Department of Agriculture, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and the forestry program at Garrett College in a program to control invasive Hemlock Wooly Adelgids, which are threatening the health of the hemlock groves and thereby the health of the entire ecosystem at Carey Run,

Carey Run occasionally hosts large gatherings, including an annual youth nature camp organized by MOS member Chuck Hager. The sanctuary also hosts annual work days each spring, and periodic blitzes by teams of naturalists who perform biological surveys of the flora and fauna. If you wish to participate in a workday or a bioblitz, please contact the Sanctuary Committee Chair (sanctuary@mdbirds.org).

The Carey Run farmhouse is available from spring through fall for overnight stays by MOS members or by organized groups engaging in natural history projects. The house has a modernized kitchen, three bedrooms with bunk beds, and a small parlor, and is heated with two wood stoves. Advance reservations are necessary. If you are an MOS member or project leader and wish to stay at the house, see the MOS website for details and to submit a reservation request.

Habitat Management at Carey Run. MOS has partnered with Trout Unlimited to conduct native tree and shrub plantings to enhance streams buffers in the sanctuary, in order to modulate water temperatures and protect habitat for native brook trout. The plantings also provide beneficial habitat for birds. MOS is grateful for the participation of student volunteers from Frostburg State University in the tree plantings and other projects. MOS is also partnering with the US Department of Agriculture, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and the forestry program at Garrett College in a program to control invasive Hemlock Wooly Adelgids, which are threatening the health of the hemlock groves and thereby the health of the entire ecosystem at Carey Run. Previously, MOS had partnered with other agencies to remove invasive Autumn Olive and Multiflora Rose.

For further reading on Carey Run MOS Sanctuary, see a selected list of published articles.

Birdlife:

Over 155 bird species have been reported at the eBird hotspot for Carey Run MOS Sanctuary, and there are 167 species on the official checklist maintained by MOS.

Carey Run is especially vibrant during spring and fall migration, when thrushes, warblers, flycatchers, and sparrows come pouring through.

The sanctuary and its immediate vicinity host a number of significant breeding species, as identified by the First and Second Breeding Bird Atlas for Maryland and the District of Columbia, as well as through preliminary data in the eBird portal for the Third Breeding Bird Atlas (BBA3). Confirmed breeders include Ruffed Grouse, Sharp-shinned Hawk, American Woodcock, Barred Owl, Alder Flycatcher, Blue-headed Vireo, Black-throated Green Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Field Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, and Purple Finch.

Wheelchair Access:

The trails and house are not wheelchair accessible. But there is good birding on the driveway to the house and near the house, allowing those who are mobility-impaired to bird from or near a car. The driveway north of the house leads through a hemlock grove and then to fields and hedgerows, offering further birding, but a 4-wheel drive car with high clearance is needed and even then, only recommended in dry weather and when the driveway is not muddy. The restrooms at the Carey Run house are outdoors, behind the house, and have a level approach, but may not have enough clearance to allow a wheelchair to enter.

Although not available at Carey Run Sanctuary, an all-terrain wheelchair – an amazing resource – is available for FREE loan, one day at a time, to mobility-impaired folks who would like to explore other natural-surface trails in Garrett County. The wheelchair is available thanks to a grant secured by Garrett Trails, Inc., a non-profit that promotes development and use of trails in Garrett County, and the Garrett County Lions Club, located near McHenry, MD. The chair is non-motorized and you must have someone to help you on steeper slopes. It disassembles and folds to fit in your car. You can read about how to borrow the wheelchair on the Garrett Trails wheelchair webpage, and view videos showing how to use it. Use of the loaner all-terrain chair is restricted to trails specified by Garrett Trails that are listed on the wheelchair webpage. Read more about Garrett Trails, Inc. under Special Features below.

Pet Policy:

Pets are permitted on the grounds but must be kept leashed and you must pick up after your pet.

Special Designations and Conservation Value:

Carey Run MOS Sanctuary is immediately adjacent to the Savage River Important Bird Area, as designated by the National Audubon Society. The Savage River IBA encompasses over 120,000 acres, mostly within Savage River State Forest.

Carey Run MOS Sanctuary lies within an area classified by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) as a Targeted Ecological Area. Targeted Ecological Areas are lands and watersheds identified by DNR as the most ecologically valuable areas in the State; they are considered the “Best of the Best” and receive priority for conservation by the State. For more information on how DNR prioritizes land for conservation, see the DNR information sheet “GreenPrint Lands Are Important.”

The sanctuary is in an area further categorized by DNR as an Upland Hub within the state’s Green Infrastructure Habitat Connectivity Network. The Habitat Connectivity Network identifies the State’s remaining large blocks of forest and wetlands (hubs) and the habitat pathways (corridors) that connect them. For more information on how DNR prioritizes land for conservation, see the DNR information sheet “GreenPrint Lands Are Important.”

The entire sanctuary lies with an area identified by DNR as important for Forest Interior Dwelling Species. Parts of the sanctuary is in a Sensitive Species Project Review Area, meaning that any planned development or disruption of the habitat undergoes extra scrutiny by the state.
Carey Run Sanctuary is located in an area classified by MD DNR as Tier 4 – Moderately Significant for Biodiversity Conservation and Tier 5 – Significant for Biodiversity Conservation under their Bionet – Biological Diversity Conservation Network initiative.
MD DNR offers a Parcel Evaluation Tool that provides an analysis of conservation benefits for a particular parcel of land. Using this tool, the Carey Run MOS Sanctuary scores
  • 4 stars out of 5 for providing “Habitat Connectivity.”
  • 3 stars out of 5 for providing “Rare Species and Wildlife Habitat.”
  • 5 stars out of 5 for “Support of Aquatic Life.”
  • 5 stars out of 5 for “Forests Important for Water Quality Protection.”
  • 5 stars out of 5 for “Proximity to Other Protected Lands,” presenting conservation opportunities that contribute to landscape scale protection which is key for conserving healthy aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
The parcel evaluation tool shows that the ecosystem services provided by the Carey Run MOS Sanctuary are valued at $1,795.11 to $1,915.60 per acre per year, or $290,807.82 to $310,327.20 annually for the entire 162-acre tract.

Special Features:

  • As described above, the house at Carey Run is available for overnight stays by MOS members or by organized groups engaged in nature study or research projects. See details and request reservations on the MOS website.
  • Picnicking is allowed on the grounds. There are two picnic tables near the house. Take your trash with you when you leave.
  • Carey Run is a good place to look for lepidoptera, odonates, other insects, reptiles and amphibians, native plants, fungi, lichens, and more. See an article from Maryland Birdlife with lists of taxa resulting from a blitz conducted in partnership with the Maryland Entomological Society in July 2019.
  • Garrett Trails is a nonprofit, volunteer organization dedicated to the development of high-quality, sustainable trails that provide access to Garrett County’s historic, municipal, and natural areas. The organization grew out of a task force that was appointed by the County Commissioners in 1998 to work with the Chamber of Commerce on a county-wide trail plan. The organization was formally incorporated as a stand-alone non-profit in 2008. The Garrett Trails website includes descriptions and maps of hiking/biking trails throughout the county, including some that are not in our Birder’s Guide but that may be interesting to explore.

Local MOS Chapter:

The local chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society is the Allegany & Garrett Counties Bird Club, which hosts activities from time to time at Carey Run MOS Sanctuary. MOS holds annual work weekends; an annual summer youth nature camp; and occasional group events such as bioblitzes.

Multimedia:

A short video “A Closer Look – Carey Run” takes you on a quick tour of the sanctuary, featuring footage of the beautiful habitats at Carey Run, including some overhead footage shot with a drone. Also shown are the volunteers who dedicate their time to caring for the sanctuary and its historic house.

Parking:

Small gravel parking area for 2 cars outside of locked entrance gate; parking on grassy lawn near house for about 12 cars.

Directions:

From I-68 in Garrett County, take Exit 29 for MD Route 546/Finzel Road and Beall School Road. Turn south onto Beall School Road. Continue south on Beall School Road for about 1 mile to a T-intersection. Turn right to go west on Old Frostburg Road. In 1⁄4 mile, at a fork in the road, bear right to continue west on Old Frostburg Road. In 1⁄2 mile, at another fork, turn right onto Carey Run Road and follow around a bend to the right, going over the bridge over the Savage River. On the other side of the bridge, turn left. Then make a quick right into the gravel lane leading to the Sanctuary. There will be a yellow No Hunting sign on a large post on the right. Continue down the lane to the gated entrance to the Sanctuary. If you have the combination to the gate lock, open the gate and drive to the house, where you can park on the adjacent lawn. Otherwise, park outside the gate and walk in.

Nearby Sites:

Garrett County: Broadford Lake  ■ Caroline W. Wilson MOS SanctuaryCunningham Swamp Wildlife Management Area ■ Finzel Swamp Preserve ■ Herrington Manor State Park ■ Loch Lynn Heights Wetland Trail ■ Mt. Nebo Wildlife Management Area ■ Piney ReservoirRobbins MOS Sanctuary at Red Run ■  Swallow Falls State Park ■ Youghiogheny River Reservoir

Allegany County: Frostburg Cross Country Trail ■  Green Ridge State Forest & Town Hill Overlook ■ Rocky Gap State Park

Habitats:

Bottomland Deciduous ForestsConifersHedgerowsUpland Deciduous Forests Lawn, Ballfields, Golf Course Hay Meadows, Pasture, Grass FieldOld Fields, Shrubby Meadows Freshwater Marsh or FloodplainFreshwater Pond, Lake, or ReservoirRivers & Streams

Features:

Bird Feeding StationCampingFree - No Entry Fee at Any TimeHabitat Restoration ProjectHiking/Walking TrailsNative Plant Garden or Meadow/Pollinator PlantsOvernight Lodging or CabinsParkingPets AllowedPicnic AreaRestroomsWater ViewYoung People / Families

Type:

MOS SanctuariesPrivate Sanctuaries and Preserves