Indian Springs Wildlife Management Area

Indian Springs Wildlife Management Area

14038 Blairs Valley Road, Clear Spring, MD 21722
(301) 842-2702

Indian Springs Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Washington County is a 6,400-acre tract of state-owned hunting land managed by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The WMA abuts the Pennsylvania state line to the north. The WMA is in the Ridge and Valley province of Maryland and the elevation varies from about 700 feet at Blair’s Valley lake to highs of 1,400 to 2,000 feet at the peaks in the mountains of the WMA. The WMA is managed to provide habitat for forest and upland wildlife.

Indian Springs is a wonderful birding destination for spring and fall migrants. Most of the habitat is upland deciduous woodlands of oak and maple, with numerous streams and a 32-acre man-made lake (Blair’s Valley Lake) built in 1967-68 and stocked for fishing. A smaller fishing pond (see Google Map) lies west of the headquarters area, near a designated handicapped hunting area off Mooresville Road. There are wetlands upstream from the larger lake and below the lake’s dam. Agricultural fields at Indian Springs are planted to provide habitat and winter food for game and non-game species. There are areas of shrub-scrub that can be good locations to find birds that favor that habitat, such as Prairie Warbler and Blue-winged and Golden winged Warblers.

The area around Blair’s Valley Lake, located just north of the intersection of Blair’s Valley Road and Hanging Rock Road, contains the headquarters for Indian Springs WMA. A foot-trail circumnavigates the lake, and there are several other trail that start here, including a trail that heads north from the lake into scrubby habitat. Most of the trails are not named or actively marked, but there is a self-guided nature trail. Wandering around the roads and trails within the WMA can be very rewarding for the avid birder and naturalist. There are vast areas of intact upland hardwoods and fields to explore. The lake area also has a campground, boat launch, and restrooms. There are remains of historic homesteads and family cemeteries scattered through the WMA.

There are numerous parking areas and access points for Indian Springs (see Trail Map at link in the At a Glance section of this webpage). Even if you don’t plan to hike any trails, the numerous roadside parking spots make roadside birding easy and convenient. Public roads run along the south edge of the WMA and provide access to gravel side roads that that run north into the WMA.

Start your birding at Blair’s Valley Lake headquarters area, scanning for birds on the water; check the Purple Martin house near the lakeside parking area. Then explore north along Blair’s Valley Road to the Pennsylvania line. There are a pair of roadside parking areas just south of the state line that will provide you with access to some scrubby old fields. Then return south to the headquarters area, and turn right to go west on Hanging Rock Road.  At the next intersection, turning north onto AT&T Road takes you into a bird-rich valley with a stream along the western edge of the road. Return to Hanging Rock Road and turn right (west) again. Farther to the west along Hanging Rock Road will bring you to Catholic Church Road (turn right), with numerous “birdy” spots along the road and the side roads off of it. Moving further west  along Catholic Church Road will bring you to an intersection with Mooresville Road and Indian Springs Road. Turning right onto Indian Springs Road will take you north to a parking area for the WMA; bearing left onto Moorsesville Road will take you to the small fishing pond and the shrubby handicapped hunter grounds. And west of that, Kuhn’s Ridge Road (turn right) runs almost due north to the Pennsylvania line, with at least 5 roadside parking spots along its length.

Notice on the trail map that there is also a long, narrow section of Indian Springs WMA on the south side of Hanging Rock Road. This little-visited section is accessed via a foot-trail that extends south from Hanging Road Road, marked by a yellow metal gate just east of a house at 11746 Hanging Rock Road, on the north side of the road [see Google Map and Streetview). There is enough room there to park one or two cars but do not block the gate. The trail follows old logging roads for about 2 miles into the mountains, skirting to the east of the ridge of Abe Mills Mountain, then continuing into the Bear Pond Mountains, eventually petering out near the peak of Fairview Mountain (elevation 1687 feet). Make sure someone knows where you are going if you venture into this remote territory.

When exploring the side roads and foot trails, just be careful to heed “No Trespassing” signs and do not go beyond closed gates onto private lands. The landowners take their privacy seriously and you may be arrested.

Birdlife:

There are seven eBird hotspots covering Indian Springs WMA and the adjacent public roads, with an aggregate total of over 203 species to date. It’s the #2 hotspot in Washington County, right behind Fort Frederick State Park/Big Pool.

• Indian Springs WMA (overall) – 140+ species
• Indian Springs WMA–Blairs Valley Lake – 197+ species
• Indian Springs WMA–Blairs Valley Rd. north of Blairs Valley Lake – 128+ species
• Indian Springs WMA–fishing pond – 108+ species
• Hanging Rock Rd.–ATT cutoff – 37+ species
• Catholic Church Road – 104+ species
• Mooresville Road – 88+ species

As mentioned above, a great starting point is Blair’s Valley Lake and the WMA headquarters. Bird the lake and the trails around the lake, which offer a mix of field and woodland habitats. Several species of swallows can be found at the lake in the warm months, and there may be a few shorebirds about, the most likely being Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, and Solitary Sandpiper, but maybe also some Yellowlegs or, in the fall, Pectoral Sandpipers. Both Alder and Willow Flycatchers can be found in wet areas with emergent vegetation.

Next, cover the lands on either side of Blair’s Valley Road north of the lake and south of the Pennsylvania state line. To the east, a small parking area allows access to overgrown fields that are well into secondary successional growth, supporting White-eyed Vireo and Gray Catbird as well as Whip-poor-will and Chipping Sparrow.

The west side of Blair’s Valley Road contains a large wetland/field and wooded swamp where American Woodcock display in late winter. Breeding birds include Blue-winged Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Indigo Bunting, Scarlet Tanager, Yellow-breasted Chat, and others.

Following the trail to the west takes you up the east face of Bear Pond Mountain. Listen for Common Ravens that nest in the rock outcroppings along the ridge. Wood Thrush, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Parula, American Redstart, Black-and-white Warbler, Ovenbird, Worm-eating Warbler, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Acadian Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and many others breed in the rich woods of this mountain, along with Pileated, Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and Northern Flicker. Ruffed Grouse can be heard running in early spring, and Wild Turkeys are found from March through the fall.

Along AT&T Road, there are Louisiana Waterthrush as well as other breeding songbirds. Exploring further west along the route described above will take you into rich habitat for a wide variety of forest interior dwelling species.

Wheelchair Access:

The foot-trails are not wheelchair-accessible, but this is a great place for mobility-impaired birders because of the scattered parking areas and the many opportunities for roadside birding. There are handicapped-accessibel restrooms at the headquarters area at Blair’s Lake.

Pet Policy:

Pets permitted. Non-hunting dogs should be kept leashed; pick up after your pet. Indian Springs WMA holds field trials and provides areas for field training of hunting dogs; be sure that your pet doesn’t interfere with that.

Special Designations:

Indian Springs WMA is the core of the Indian Springs Important Bird Area (IBA), as designated by the National Audubon Society.

Special Features:

• Hunting, fishing, and boating are popular activities. There is a soft launch for canoes and kayaks as well as a boat ramp for larger boats (electric motors only). Bring your own boat/canoe/kayak; no rentals.
• Hunting dog field trials are held in the dog training area on the west side of Blair’s Valley Road several times a year. See map of dog training area. Consult local newspapers  or the DNR Facebook page for schedules; the field trials can be noisy with barking dogs and it may be best to pick another time to visit, or go to another part of the WMA.
• Restrooms are located in the headquarters area near Blair’s Valley Lake.

Local MOS Chapter:

The local chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society is the Washington County Bird Club, which offers field trips and meetings with information presentations, all free and open to the public.

Multimedia:

A short YouTube video produced by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources shows aerial views of Indian Springs WMA and will give you a sense of the habitat.

Parking:

Paved and unpaved roadside lots, as indicated on the trail map at the link in the At a Glance section of this webpage.

Directions:

From I-70 at exit 18, go north on MD Route 68 through the town of Clear Spring to Broadfording Road. Turn right and continue 0.6 miles and turn left onto Blair’s Valley Road. Continue 4.2 miles, staying on Blair’s Valley Road to reach the eastern parking lot at the north end of the WMA, near the Pennsylvania state line. At 2.6 miles from Broadfording Road, you may want to stop at the headquarters building near the lake to get a map of the area and trails, unless you have printed a Trail Map from the link at left.  The lake area is also a good place to start your birding visit to Indian Springs.

Nearby Sites:

Washington County: Antietam National Battlefield ■ Fort Frederick State Park/Big Pool ■ Greenbrier State Park ■ Sideling Hill Wildlife Management Area & Woodmont Natural Resources Management Area

Habitats:

ConifersHedgerowsUpland Deciduous Forests Lawn, Ballfields, Golf Course Agricultural Crop Fields or Fallow FieldsOld Fields, Shrubby Meadows Freshwater Marsh or FloodplainFreshwater Pond, Lake, or ReservoirRivers & Streams

Features:

Birding By CarBoat or Canoe/Kayak LaunchCampingFishingFree - No Entry Fee at Any TimeHiking/Walking TrailsHuntingParkingRestroomsWater ViewWheelchair Accessible Features

Type:

Audubon Important Bird AreasHunting AreasPonds, Lakes, and Reservoirs