Cunningham Swamp Wildlife Management Area

Cunningham Swamp Wildlife Management Area

9085 Bittinger Road, Swanton, MD 21522
(301) 334-4255

[Note: This description is for Cunningham Swamp Wildlife Management Area in Garrett County. Do not confuse it with the similarly named Cunningham Falls State Park, which is in Frederick County.]

Opened in 2014, the 329-acre Cunningham Swamp Wildlife Management Area has exceptional habitat for wetland and bog-related bird species. In addition to the swamp and bog habitat, there are open fields and upland forests with patches of conifers. The WMA is in the headwaters of the Casselman River, and lies tucked between the North and South Branches. The wetlands of the Main Tract of the WMA are associated with Pleasant Valley Run, a tributary of the North Branch of the Casselman.

The Main Tract of Cunningham Swamp WMA is on the west side of Route 495 and contains 257 acres. The majority is wetland with a core area centered around fields at the base of a hillside; the fields contain three mowed paths that lead away from the parking lot. See the trail map at the link in the At a Glance section of this webpage. Near the informational sign at the parking area, the first path leads northwest about 0.25 miles to a small pond and the edge of a wetland, passing near woods and through scrub-shrub habitat before emerging at the edge of the field. A second path leads across the field to the top of a small wooded hill; a third path exits the parking area at a yellow metal gate and leads west along the field edge for 0.37 miles to another small pond. A connector trail that goes through the woodlot at the top of the hill forms a 1.5 mile loop. Note that the trails through the fields consist of simple mown paths, and the exact routes may vary from season to season. The open fields contain scattered nest boxes that host Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows during breeding season, and there are Wood Duck boxes at the ponds; be sure to check these for Screech-Owls in the winter. The scrub-shrub that lies between the fields and more mature woods holds many songbirds. The woodlands, especially the coniferous areas, may host Evening Grosbeaks and Pine Siskins during irruption years.

On the opposite side of Route 495/Bittinger Road is the more recently acquired East Tract, offering an additional 72 acres of habitat. The outline of this section is irregular, like a kidney bean, with a north portion and a south portion joined by a narrow waist where the entrance lane and parking area are located. The entrance lane may be named “Lee Brenneman Road” on some maps. There is a small gravel parking area on the left that can hold four or five cars. The northern portion of the East Tract is upland covered with conifers, deciduous woods, and scrub-shrub. The only access is by a faint foot-trail that heads north from the parking area, paralleling Bittinger Road. The trail is about 1/4 mile, one-way. There is no loop trail, so when you reach the end, turn around and return to the parking area.

The larger, southern portion of the East Tract is accessed by continuing on foot past the yellow gate that blocks the entrance lane. This grass and gravel lane will take you uphill through mixed deciduous and conifer forest. Watch for a side trail on the right and DO NOT CONTINUE straight ahead on the main lane as it would take you onto private property. The side trail will take you southeast through conifers and scrub-shrub toward a small pond and wetland area at the south corner of the property. It’s about 0.3 miles to the pond from the parking area, one-way. Another side trail, branching to the left, will take you on a loop around an upland field with scrub-shrub habitat, and rejoins the original trail near the pond. The loop trail will add another 0.4 miles to the walk.

An exciting feature has recently come to the East Tract: at the south end, there is a new, handicapped-accessible boardwalk and viewing platform that provides an overlook at a wetland area. This short boardwalk is reached from its own dedicated parking area off the east side of MD Route 495/Bittinger Road, about a half-mile south of the entrance to the Main Tract. This new boardwalk provides access for all of us to a section of the WMA that was formerly unreachable, and will bg especially welcome to those who are mobility-impaired.

Birdlife:

Over 155 species have been reported on eBird since Cunningham Swamp WMA first opened in 2014; there is one eBird hotspot that covers both the Main Tract and East Tract.

Specialties include Ruffed Grouse, American Kestrel, Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoos, American Woodcock, Purple Finch, and Swamp Sparrow. The open skies at the Main Tract make it a good spot to watch for overhead raptors. Both Alder and Willow Flycatchers may be present, with Alder more prevalent. There are also Least Flycatchers. Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireos are both present in breeding season. This is a good place to look for breeding Brown Creepers. House Wrens are another common breeder, and Carolina Wrens might be found sporadically from spring through fall. Gray Catbirds and Brown Thrashers are easy to find. Breeding thrushes include Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, and Hermit Thrush, and possibly Veery and Wood Thrush. Cedar Waxwings are abundant.

There is a great selection of breeding sparrows: Grasshopper, Chipping, Field, Song, Swamp, and Eastern Towhee. Wintering sparrows include American Tree, White-crowned, White-throated, and Dark-eyed Junco.  Blackbird family members present in breeding season include Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, and Common Grackle. Also present are Yellow-breasted Chats, now stuck in a taxonomic no-man’s-land between blackbirds and sparrows.

The breeding season warblers include Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Golden-winged, Black-and-white, possibly Nashville, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Yellow-rumped, and Black-throated Green. Additional warblers pass through during migration. Rose-breasted Grosbeak is another breeder.

Wheelchair Access:

The trails in the main tract of Cunningham Swamp are not wheelchair accessible, but there is fairly good birding from the car along the entrance road and at the gravel parking area. Recently, DNR constructed a short, handicapped-accessible boardwalk and viewing platform at one of the wetlands areas in the East Tract. The boardwalk has its own parking area on the east side of MD Route 495, about a half-mile south of the entrance to the Main Tract. See photos of this area on the Garrett Trails website.

There is no restroom in either the Main Tract or East Tract.

Although not available at Cunningham Swamp, 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:

Apart from hunting dogs during hunting season, pets must be on a leash at all time; pick up after your pet and take the bagged waste with you when you leave.

Special Designations:

Cunningham Swamp is contained within The Glades Important Bird Area (IBA) as designated by the National Audubon Society.

Special Features:

• Black bear, white-tailed deer, beaver, and small fur bearers such as fisher may be present but are seldom seen.
• 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 field trips in the region and meetings with informative presentations, all free and open to the public.

Parking:

The small parking lot for the Main Tract is accessed via a gravel road located on the west side of MD Route 495/Bittinger Road. If coming from the north, the Main Tract entrance road will be 1.1 mils south of the intersection with Rock Lodge Road; if coming from the south, the Main Tract entrance will be 1.2 miles north of the intersection with Easy Street, and will be the next left past 4-H Camp Road.

The even smaller parking lot for the East Tract is accessed from a grass and gravel lane marked as Lee Brenneman Road on some maps; it’s on the east side of Route 495/Bittinger Road and is just 435 feet south of the entrance for the Main Tract. Both entrance roads – Main Tract and East Tract – are marked by green and tan Wildlife Management Area signs.

There is a separate parking area for the handicapped-accessible boardwalk at the south end of the East Tract. The entrance to the parking area is on a gravel lane on the east side of MD Route 495, a half-mile south of the entrance to the Main Tract.

Directions:

From I-68 in Western Maryland, at Grantsville take Exit 19 for MD Route 495/Bittinger Road south toward Swanton, MD. The Main Tract of Cunningham Swamp is on the west side of MD Route 495, approximately 11 miles south of Grantsville, 3 miles south of Bittinger, and just north of the Western MD 4-H Center. The East Tract is on the opposite side of the road just 435 feet south of the Main Tract entrance. Look for the WMA signs along MD Route 495.

Nearby Sites:

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

Habitats:

Bottomland Deciduous ForestsConifersHedgerowsUpland Deciduous Forests Agricultural Crop Fields or Fallow FieldsHay Meadows, Pasture, Grass FieldOld Fields, Shrubby Meadows Freshwater Marsh or FloodplainFreshwater Pond, Lake, or ReservoirRivers & Streams

Features:

BeginnersFree - No Entry Fee at Any TimeHiking/Walking TrailsHuntingParkingPets AllowedWater ViewWheelchair Accessible Features

Type:

Audubon Important Bird AreasHunting Areas