At a Glance
Hours: Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Cost: Free.
Tips: Parking areas and access roads are gravel and may not be plowed in winter. ◾ Trails are maintained but not actively marked. ◾ This is an active hunting area; be aware of hunting seasons and plan your visit accordingly. ◾ No restrooms.
Best Seasons: Spring, summer, and fall.
Breeding Bird Atlas Blocks: Oakland NE, Oakland CE, Deer Park CW
Local MOS Chapter: Allegany-Garrett Bird Club
Mt. Nebo Wildlife Management Area
499 Mt. Nebo Road, Oakland, MD 21550
(301) 334-4255
The Mt. Nebo Wildlife Management Area is a 1,854-acre state-owned hunting area consisting of an extensive wetland complex containing two red spruce bogs, a rare habitat in Maryland. Mt. Nebo is one of the most outstanding natural areas in our state. Every birder should visit at least once in order to experience the unique mixture of habitats here, and after one visit, you’ll want to return again and again. Additional habitats include man-made and beaver-made ponds, thick alder wetlands, and isolated pockets of red spruce and hemlock forest. Approximately 90% of the WMA is dominated by mixed hardwood forest with trees of various ages.
About 400 acres of the WMA are being managed as the Aelred Geis Memorial Woodcock Habitat Demonstration Area; these areas include old farm fields, wetlands grown up with alders, and forest openings. The project is designed to provide habitat for species like American Woodcock and Ruffed Grouse.
The WMA is accessed via Mt. Nebo Road, which runs east-west through the WMA between Garrett Hwy/US Route 219 and Oakland-Sang Run Road. Mt. Nebo Road is not a public through-road; it is gated at both ends, each end providing access to a parking area for entry on foot.
There are several options for exploring the WMA. The portion of Mt. Nebo Road between the gates is about 1.2 miles long, and the simplest plan is to walk the road as an out-and-back, going as far as you like and then returning to your car.
Although Mt. Nebo WMA is ringed with hunter parking areas, most birders enter from the east end of Mr. Nebo Road, off MD Route 219. Walking west past the gate on this gravel road will take you through second-growth woodlands, teeming with warblers and vireos at the right seasons, to views of an extensive and red spruce wetland where you can find both Willow and Alder Flycatchers, Swamp Sparrows, and other wetland-associated species. Portions of the Aelred Geis Woodcock Habitat can also be accessed from Mr. Nebo Road, about 0.7 miles from the east end parking lot, where a spur trail on your right goes north to an open old field area.
To explore further into the heart of Mt. Nebo (highly recommended!), you can walk an old road, now mostly dirt and grass, that extends to the south from the gated portion of Mt. Nebo Road. Look for the intersection of this road on your left about 0.3 miles from the east end parking area; if you reach the wetland, you’ve gone too far. This old road goes about 2.0 miles to the south boundary of Mt. Nebo WMA, passing through forested areas, past a few wetlands, and crossing two powerline cuts, thus providing access to diverse habitats. This road provides a good opportunity for an encounter with Ruffed Grouse, perhaps only hearing their drumming from deep within the woods or, if you’re lucky, actually seeing a female with young scurrying along the grassy roadside. These moist woods are also good for a variety of warblers, vireos, and thrushes in season.
Birdlife:
eBird reports for the Mt. Nebo WMA hotspot include over 191+ species.
Mt. Nebo is especially known for its populations of signature breeding birds, including Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser, Wild Turkey, Ruffed Grouse, both Yellow & Black-billed Cuckoos, American Woodcock, both Alder and Willow Flycatchers, Blue-headed Vireo, Brown Creeper, Veery, Hermit Thrush, Wood Thrush, Swamp Sparrow, and numerous warblers.
Waterfowl such as Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, Gadwall, American Black Duck, Northern Pintail, and Bufflehead use the wetlands during the spring staging season before migrating to their breeding grounds.
Gulls of any species are seldom seen. A few species of shorebirds might be present during spring and fall migration, but can be challenging to see in the thickly vegetated wetlands. Rely on your ears for cues to their presence.
There is a good selection of raptors, some of which are year-round residents (Bald Eagle, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks) and others present only during the breeding season (Osprey, Sharp-shinned Hawk), or during migration (Northern Harrier). Sometimes American Kestrels can be found in the open areas, but they are absent in winter. Barred Owls are found year-round; other owl species only sporadically.
Small numbers of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers can be found in the summer, but breeding has not been confirmed. The breeding, year-round woodpeckers include Pileated, Red-bellied, Downy, Hairy, and Northern Flicker. Red-headed Woodpeckers are sometimes seen during post-breeding dispersal in summer or fall.
Apart from the aforementioned Willow and Alder Flycatchers, other breeding flycatchers include Eastern Phoebe, Great Crested, and Eastern Kingbird.
In addition to the robust population of breeding Blue-headed Vireos, you can expect breeding White-eyed and Red-eyed Vireos and migrating Yellow-throated, Philadelphia, and Warbling.
Common Ravens and American Crows are numerous all year-round. Large numbers, along with other scavengers such as Turkey and Black Vultures, apparently frequent the county landfill to the north of Mt. Nebo WMA, and flyovers are common.
Black-capped Chickadees (not Carolina!) and Tufted Titmouse are common year-round. Other small woodland birds include Ruby-crowned Kinglet (spring and fall) and Golden-crownded Kinglet (fall, winter, and spring), White-breasted Nuthatch (year-round), Red-breasted Nuthatch (fall and spring), Brown Creeper (year-round), and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (spring, summer, and fall).
Summertime brings Chimney Swifts and swallows to the wetlands (Tree, Barn, Northern Rough-winged), and there may be Cliff Swallows or Purple Martins from time to time.
Northern House Wrens and Carolinas breed here, and Winter Wrens are present most of the year but apparently are not breeding here.
Gray Catbirds and Brown Thrashers are present in good numbers fro spring through fall, but Northern Mockingbirds are not so prevalent.
The thrush family is well represented, with breeding Eastern Bluebirds, Veery, Hermit Thrush, Wood Thrush, and American Robins, and migrating Gray-cheeked and Swainson’s. Cedar Waxwings often hang out with thrushes in mixed feeding flocks, and are present from May through December.
House Finches and Purple Finches are primarily present in the fall, with some stragglers earlier in the year. Red Crossbills and Pine Siskins may be present in the fall or winter in irruption years. American Goldfinches are here from March through December but disappear in the dead of winter.
Thirteen sparrow species have been reported from the WMA: year-round we have Song Sparrows; breeding season species are Chipping, Field, Swamp, and Eastern Towhee; wintering species include Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, and American Tree Sparrows; and in migration there may be Fox, White-crowned, Vesper, Savannah and Lincoln’s Sparrows.
Yellow-breasted Chats are present in small numbers, but only over a short time span in late May and into June.
Among blackbirds, there are breeding Baltimore Orioles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and Common Grackles, Rusty Blackbirds are easy to find during fall and spring. Bobolinks, Eastern Meadowlarks and Orchard Orioles are sporadic.
The warblers – 35 species in all! Confirmed breeding populations of many species, some so numerous that they are dripping off the trees: Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush (a rare breeder in Maryland), Black-and-white, Common Yellowthroat, Hooded, American Redstart, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Green; maybe also Northern Parula, Magnolia, Black-throated Blue, Canada. Plus migrating Worm-eating, Louisiana Waterthrush, Golden-winged, Blue-winged, Tennessee, Nashville, Connecticut, Mourning, Kentucky, Cape May, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, Blackpoll, Palm, Pine, Yellow-rumped, and Wilson’s. And rarely, Prothonotary, Orange-crowned, Cerulean, Yellow-throated, or Prairie .
There are also robust breeding populations of Scarlet Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Indigo Bunting.
Wheelchair Access:
The east-west Mt. Nebo Road through the WMA is gravel-surfaced; some parts of it might be negotiable in a wheelchair, but help would be needed getting around the gate, and the surface would be bumpy, with occasional puddles and perhaps a small log or two. The north-south old road through the forest could not be managed in a wheelchair. No restrooms.
Although not available at Mt. Nebo, 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 should be kept on a leash; pick up after your pet. Do not allow pets to enter the wetland areas where they could damage rare plants.
Special Designations:
Mt. Nebo WMA is included in the Youghiogheny Valley Important Bird Area (IBA), as designated by the National Audubon Society.
Special Features:
- Mt. Nebo WMA protects two red spruce bogs, one of the most unique wetlands in Maryland. More than 18,000 years old, these are among the oldest peat bogs in eastern North America, complete with wild cranberries and a host of rare and endangered plants.
- 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 most widely used parking is on the east end of Mt. Nebo Road, about 0.25 miles off US Route 219. Parking is also available on the west end of Mt. Nebo Road, about 0.75 miles off Oakland-Sang Run Road. See trail map at the link at left for additional parking areas.
Directions:
To reach the parking lot at the east end of Mt. Nebo Road, take Garrett Hwy/US Route 219 south from Deep Creek Lake toward Oakland. The east end of Mt. Nebo Road is located along the west side of US Route 219, approximately 3 miles north of Oakland. Mt. Nebo WMA is across the highway from the DNR Mount Nebo Work Center located at 1728 Kings Run Road; Oakland, MD 21550. Turn west onto Mt. Nebo Road and drive approximately 0.25 miles to the parking area.
Nearby Sites:
Garrett County: Broadford Lake ■ Carey Run MOS Sanctuary ■ Caroline W. Wilson MOS Sanctuary ■ Cunningham Swamp Wildlife Management Area ■ Finzel Swamp Preserve ■ Herrington Manor State Park ■ Loch Lynn Heights Wetland Trail ■ Piney Reservoir ■ Robbins MOS Sanctuary at Red Run ■ Swallow Falls State Park ■ Youghiogheny River Reservoir
Habitats:
Bottomland Deciduous ForestsConifersHedgerowsUpland Deciduous Forests Hay Meadows, Pasture, Grass FieldOld Fields, Shrubby Meadows Forested SwampFreshwater Marsh or FloodplainFreshwater Pond, Lake, or ReservoirRivers & Streams
Features:
Bicycle Trails (Bikes may be prohibited on some trails)Free - No Entry Fee at Any TimeHabitat Restoration ProjectHiking/Walking TrailsHuntingNative Plant Garden or Meadow/Pollinator PlantsParkingPets AllowedWater ViewType:
Audubon Important Bird AreasHunting Areas