Sideling Hill Wildlife Management Area & Woodmont Natural Resources Management Area

Sideling Hill Wildlife Management Area & Woodmont Natural Resources Management Area

Sideling Hill: 1829 Riser Road, Hancock, MD 21750; (301) 842-2702
Woodmont: 11761 Woodmont Road, Hancock, MD 21750; (301) 842-2155

Sideling Hill Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and Woodmont Natural Resources Management Area (NRMA) are side-by-side state hunting areas located in Washington County on the eastern side of Sideling Hill Creek, which forms the boundary between Washington and Allegany Counties. A third state property, Sideling Hill Creek State Park, was created in 2022 by carving out of a part of Sideling Hill WMA on the west side of the creek, in Allegany County, and is covered separately in this Birder’s Guide.

Sideling Hill WMA (2,668 acres) and Woodmont NRMA (3,430 acres) are located south of I-68 on the rugged parallel ridges that run down to the north shore of the Potomac River, in the Ridge and Valley Province of Maryland. Most of this area is covered with mixed oak forest with scattered stands of Virginia Pine and is a must for birders who love mountain scenery. All of those more than 6,000 acres are just filled with birds. In the spring, Wild Turkeys and maybe a few Ruffed Grouse can be heard calling and seen displaying in forest clearings. Forest interior dwelling songbirds abound during the warm months.

The topography varies from rolling to steep hills and mountains, with elevations of 500 to 1,500 feet. Old logging roads are scattered throughout Sideling Hill WMA and Woodmont NRMA, creating both easy and challenging walks for birders, hunters, and hikers. Dramatic rock formations include cliffs and rocky outcrops of shale and sandstone. The steep shale barrens along sections of Sideling Hill Creek support a number of rare endemic plants and rare plant communities.

In all, both properties are quite rural and do not have visitor amenities; for example, there are no restrooms and no visitor centers. Pack a lunch and bring plenty of water if you plan to spend the day.

Sideling Hill is a notable area from an ornithological perspective, as it is the easternmost boundary for breeding populations of three iconic western Maryland species: Ruffed Grouse, Blue-headed Vireo, and Black-capped Chickadee. Ruffed Grouse previously had a wider distribution in Maryland, being found not only in the western mountains and the Ridge and Valley Province but also through the Piedmont and part of the Coastal Plain. But their range had begun to contract in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and further contraction was documented in the Maryland Breeding Bird Atlas projects; in the Third Atlas, the easternmost confirmed breeding site was in Greed Ridge State Forest, just west of Sideling Hill. Although Blue-headed Vireos are widely seen throughout Maryland on migration, almost all breeding is confined to the two counties west of Sideling Hill. And Sideling Hill is the dividing line for breeding chickadees: Carolinas to the east and Black-capped to the west, although Black-cappeds may occur in the eastern part of Maryland in winter, especially when pushed down by cold weather in Pennsylvania and further north.

Sideling Hill WMA is managed to protect water quality in Sideling Hill Creek, which is a tributary of the Potomac, as well as to provide forest wildlife habitat for game and non-game species including Wild Turkey, Ruffed Grouse, and songbirds. Agricultural fields and small herbaceous wildlife openings are planted and maintained to provide feeding and brood rearing habitat for a variety of birds and other wildlife. A remote section of Sideling Hill WMA, about 1,555 acres, has been designated as a State Wildland, with special protections to keep it in a natural state and to preserve it for passive recreation.

Woodmont NRMA has similar management goals, and the habitat diversity at Woodmont provides birders with a mix of mature and young forests and fields. The property was formerly a private hunting club (read about the club’s history here) and came under State of Maryland ownership in 1995. Within the NRMA, about 2,000 acres are open to the public year-round; an additional 1,400-acre Limited Use Area is open to the public only from April 1st to September 30th. The remainder of the year, the Limited Use Area is closed to the public under a lease with the Woodmont Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America. Yellow signs mark the boundaries of the limited use parcel and the boundary is shown with a yellow line on the trail map (see link in At a Glance section of this webpage). The NRMA is used for hunting, and for safety, several areas around buildings and game pens are off-limits, and are marked with green “No Trespassing” signs.

Sideling Hill WMA and Woodmont NRMA may be explored through roadside birding or by walking the trails, or a mix. The map for Sideling Hill WMA shows a number of parking areas, and trails can generally be accessed from these areas, but the trails themselves are not well shown on the official map, and they are not marked or maintained on the landscape. You might want to use a handheld GPS or smartphone app to assist in exploring.

On the other hand, the trails are well marked on the Woodmont NRMA trail map, which shows two obvious main hiking trails:

• The Eastern Overlook Trail (purple blaze, end-to-end length = 5 miles, not a loop), an L-shaped trail at the north end of Woodmont NRMA. The two trail heads/parking areas are off Riser Road and Woodmont Road. The trail is moderate to difficult with a 550-foot change in elevation that follows an old logging road.
• The Wildlife Heritage Trail (red blaze, 4 miles long, figure-8 loop), accessed from a parking lot on the east side of Woodmont Road. The north part of the figure-8 goes through rolling hills and includes a wet stream crossing. The south loop takes birders through a mature oak forest before crossing into an early succession growth area with scrub-shrub habitat.

In addition, as shown on the trail map, there are miles of unmarked fire roads spanning nearly the entire Woodmont property, including within the Limited Use Area; just remember that the Limited Use Area is only open to the public from April 1 to September 30 each year.

At their south ends, both Sideling Hill WMA and Woodmont NRMA abut the C&O Canal National Historic Park; the towpath there is a long-distance hiker-biker trail from Washington, DC to Cumberland, MD and provides access to the Potomac River. In addition, the Western Maryland Rail Trail parallels the C&O Canal towpath, running for about 28 miles from Fort Frederick/Big Pool in Washington County to Little Orleans in Allegany County. The Rail Trail provides access to the same habitat as the Canal towpath, and is a paved, level surface that is wheelchair accessible. There are cross-connections between the towpath and the Rail Trail, allowing birders to switch back and forth.

There is also good birding along public roads in the nearby countryside. This is a rural area with minimal traffic and beautiful mountain and countryside views. See below for directions that include instructions for a driving route that has good shoulders on most roads and lots of places to stop on back roads where you can walk as well. Henline Road and Willow Road are particularly good and run through old abandoned orchards.

Nearby at Mile Marker 74 on I-68 is the Sideling Hill Welcome Center, where the geology of the area can be explored. The Sideling Hill road cut but is considered to be the deepest road cut east of the Mississippi River and is famous among professional and amateur geologists. The Maryland Geological Survey calls Sideling Hill “one of the best rock exposures in Maryland and indeed in the entire northeastern United States.” Almost 810 feet of strata are exposed in the cut that was made through the mountain when I-68 was put through. Although the Welcome Center building with its geological exhibits is now permanently closed, there are still outdoor exhibits, paved walkways, an observation bridge, and public restrooms centered around a paved parking lot. The Maryland Geological Survey has provided an informative webpage about Sideling Hill as well as a nicely illustrated pamphlet.

Note of caution: Black Bears may be seen in the area; know what to do if you see a bear. The MD Department of Natural Resources recommends that if a bear comes into view: DON’T PANIC! DON’T APPROACH IT! Instead, back away slowly and wait for the bear to leave; most bears fear people and will leave when they see you. If a bear woofs, snaps its jaws, slaps the ground or brush, or bluff charges: YOU ARE TOO CLOSE.

Birdlife:

Over 155 species have been reported on eBird from the Sideling Hill-Woodmont area of Washington County. There are a  number of eBird hotspots that cover this area; note that none of them area specifically labelled for Woodmont NRMA as yet:

• Hancock–Willow Road – 106+ species
• Henline Road – 103+ species
• Sideling Hill Creek–McFarland Rd.  – 65+ species
• Sideling Hill Creek (TNC) – 89+ species
• Sideling Hill WMA–Long Ridge – 123+ species (although labeled as Sideling Hill WMA, this hotspot is actually located on Woodmont Road, along the eastern boundary of Woodmont NRMA)
• Sideling Hill WMA–Old Rt. 40 – 119+ species
• Sideling Hill Visitor Center – 96+ species
• C&O Canal–Woodmont – 111+ species
• C&O Canal–Pearre Station – 109+ species

The forests of Sideling Hill WMA and Woodmont NRMA are especially good for warblers, such as Northern Parula, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Green, American Redstart, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Worm-eating; Cerulean and Blue-winged Warblers are specialties of the area. Vireos include Blue-headed, Yellow-throated, and Warbling. Other highlights include Black-billed Cuckoo, Black-capped Chickadee (NOT Carolina), Wild Turkey, Eastern Whip-poor-will, and American Woodcock.

Wheelchair Access:

Although the terrain at Sideling Hill WMA and Woodmont RNMA is rough and the trails and old logging roads are not wheelchair accessible, this can be a good place to visit for those who are mobility-impaired, because of the opportunity of birding from the car and/or roadside. Although there are no restrooms in either of the hunting areas, there is a seasonal portable restroom at the Pearre Road parking area for the Western Maryland Rail Trail, and there are year-round public restrooms at the Sideling Hill Welcome Center on I-68.

Pet Policy:

Non-hunting dogs should be kept leashed; pick up after your pet and take the bagged waste home with you. Remember to carry water for your pet.

Special Designations:

Sideling Hill WMA is contained within the Green Ridge Important Bird Area, as designated by the National Audubon Society. A portion of Sideling Hill WMA, with 1,555 acres, has been designated as a State Wildland, with special protections to keep it in a natural state and to preserve it for passive recreation.

Special Features: 

• At the Sideling Hill Welcome Center at Mile Marker 74 on I-68, a fenced walkway and a pedestrian bridge over the interstate provide a close view of the spectacular rock formations as well as a beautiful mountain vista.
• A number of special seasonal events are held at Woodmont NRMA or nearby; see the events calendar on the DNR website.
• Sideling Hill Creek is stocked with trout for fishing. Fishing is also available in the Potomac River.
• Canoeing or kayaking is possible on Sideling Hill Creek during the spring melt, but the water may be too shallow at other times. The Potomac is another site for paddling.
• To the south, Sideling Hill WMA and Woodmont NRMA border the C&O Canal National Historic Park. The Canal Trust has produced a mobile app, the C&O Canal Explorer, with over 600 points of interest mapped  in a searchable format, allowing you to find hiking trails, campgrounds, history, trailheads, parking, and more at a glance, along the entire length of the Canal.  The app is available to download for 99 cents and runs on Android and IOS devices.
• Wake up with the birds along the Canal: through the Canal Quarters Program, visitors may arrange for overnight stays at seven historic lockhouses along the Canal: five in Montgomery County, one in Frederick County, and one in Washington County. S
• Sideling Hill WMA  and Woodmont NRMA are adjacent to a portion of the Western Maryland Rail Trail, a paved surface open to hikers, bikers, and wheelchairs. The Rail Trail runs parallel to the C&O Canal for about 28 miles from Fort Frederick/Big Pool in Washington County to Little Orleans in Allegany County.

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.

Parking:

Designated WMA and NRMA parking lots and roadside shoulders. See trail maps provided in the At a Glance section of this webpage. Do not block private lanes and driveways.

Directions:

To reach the northern section of Sideling Hill WMA, take I-68 to Exit 77 for US Route 40, MD Route 144 and Woodmont Road. Turn right (west) onto MD Route 144 (National Pike). At the top of the mountain, where National Pike makes a hairpin turn, make a left (south) onto Riser Road into Sideling Hill WMA. Look for a gated forest road that forks left off of Riser Road; there is a designated parking lot beyond the gate. You can park there to hike south into the WMA along the forest road.

To reach the southern section of the WMA, from I-68, take Exit 77 for US Route 40, MD Route 144 and Woodmont Road. At the end of the exit, turn left to go east on MD Route 144/National Pike for a short distance, then make an immediate right (south) onto Woodmont Road. Follow Woodmont to Pearre Road (which runs parallel to the C&O Canal and Potomac River) and turn right (west). At Allegany Line Road, make another right to go north. Follow this road into the WMA. The road eventually comes to a dead-end within the WMA.

To reach Woodmont NRMA from I-68, take exit 77. Turn left onto US Route 40, then turn right onto Woodmont Road. Follow Woodmont Road north to two marked parking areas, one on the right (east) and one on the left (west). An additional parking area is along Riser Road at the ridge of Sideling Hill.

Directions for a suggested birding-by-car route (a good printed road map and/or GPS is essential):

1. Take I-68 to Exit 77 for US Route 40, MD Route 144 and Woodmont Road. Turn right (west) onto MD Route 144 (National Pike).
2. Bear left (west) off of National Pike onto Western Pike.
3. Take the second left to go south on Henline Road (just past Mt. Olivet Church on the right).
4. Travel Henline, stopping to bird where you see good habitat.
5. Then turn left (south) onto Exline Road. Bird along Exline Road.
6. After approximately 1 ¾ miles, Exline will come to a T-intersection at Woodmont Road; turn right to go south on Woodmont Road.
7. Stay on Woodmont to the Potomac River and turn left (east) onto Pearre Road.
8. Take Pearre to Deenen Road and Deneen to a left (north) onto Willow Road.
9. Continue north on Willow to Western Pike (Md Route 144); turn left (west) to return to I-68 at Exit 77.

Nearby Sites:

Washington County: Antietam National Battlefield ■ Fort Frederick State Park/Big Pool ■ Greenbrier State Park ■ Indian Springs Wildlife Management Area

Allegany County: C&O Canal – North Branch Recreational Area ■ C&O Canal – Spring Gap & Oldtown ■ C&O Canal Terminus ■ C&O Canal – Town Creek Aqueduct to Fifteen Mile Creek Aqueductl ■  Green Ridge State Forest & Town Hill Overlook ■ Rocky Gap State Park

Habitats:

Bottomland Deciduous ForestsConifersHedgerowsUpland Deciduous Forests Old Fields, Shrubby Meadows Rivers & Streams

Features:

Birding By CarFishingFree - No Entry Fee at Any TimeHiking/Walking TrailsHuntingParkingPets AllowedWater ViewWheelchair Accessible Features

Type:

Audubon Important Bird AreasC&O Canal AccessDriving Tour (Roadside Birding)Hunting AreasState Natural Areas & Wildlands