05/08/2026
Thank you Albert Feldstein for a great write up on last nights meeting on WILLS MOUNTAIN STATE PARK
Wills Mountain State Park Public Meeting – A public meeting was held at Rocky Gap State Park by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on May 7, 2026, on the status of Wills Mountain State Park. About 100 people, either in person or via Zoom, attended the public meeting. They represented such “interest” groups as trail and mountain biking, rock climbing, campers, adjacent property owners and nearby neighborhood residents, hunters, economic development people, environmentalists and others. Maryland Department of Natural Resources staff present included:
- Angela Crenshaw, via Zoom Secretary of the Maryland DNR,
- Sarah Milbourne, Western Regional Manager, Maryland Park Service
- Cliff Puffenberger, Manager Wills Mountain and Rocky Gap State Parks, DNR
There were numerous other DNR personnel in attendance, either in person or via Zoom, from various divisions including Wildlife and Heritage Service, Land Acquisition and Planning as well as others. Unfortunately, I was unable to get the correct spelling for most of their names or their correct titles/positions after the meeting. These folks answered numerous questions during the presentation and many people were lined up afterwards to talk to them of their concerns, so figured it best I leave and not interrupt.
Rather than give a formal narrative I felt it would be easier to simply list below some highlights, bullet-points and take-a-ways from the meeting. If I am mistaken on any of this, please correct me. This was a good meeting, and I was impressed with the professionalism and responsiveness put forth by the DNR personnel. They have put forth a great deal of work over the past year in what is a complicated project with a lot of moving parts so to speak. Hopefully the media will provide more detail and contact information where needed. The slides attached here are presented in the order they were shown:
- As noted in the newspaper recently an additional 196 acres have been acquired and added to the park
- By June 13th the Maryland Park Service in cooperation with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and I believe the Maryland Environmental Service (MES) will be finalizing a report pertaining to the environmental remediation and clean-up of the site. Among other things this has involved soil testing, hazardous materials reviews and on-site contamination findings. I think this is called a RAP, or Remedial Action Plan A public meeting, which will be well advertised, will be held within 40 days after that.
- Following this funding will need to be secured by DNR in cooperation with MDE for the remediation of the Artmor Plastics site
- I have attached a series of slides that accompanied the presentation given by the DNR Wildlife and Heritage Service – main points, concerns and strategies to ensure public use and access were reviewed – the slide series are self-explanatory
- DNR seeks to balance recreation and public access with conservation. They will be meeting with various user groups; cliff-climbers, hikers and mountain-bikers, tent-camping enthusiasts, hunters, birdwatchers, etc. There are no plans for public ATV use or access
- DNR will be working with the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) as it pertains to area archeology investigation. DNR has also recently hired an archeologist who will be visiting the location. DNR is also interested in researching additional cultural and historic resources pertinent to the site, including indigenous peoples activity.
- A major goal of DNR is to utilize the park as much as possible to contribute to the economy of the area and to have an economic impact
- Although DNR’s concern is with environmental protection and conservation they cannot image any scenario when public access would be prohibited – except in specific areas or at times when an endangered species requires it, i.e. the Peregrine Falcons nesting and resting habitats which are subject to disturbance
- DNR’s Land Acquisition and Planning is looking for other possible public access points other than Wills Mountain Road off of Piedmont Avenue
- Buffer areas as it pertains to any impact upon nearby neighborhoods and others will be secured, particularly as it pertains to hunting and biking. DNR considers this to be a site for “passive recreational” type activities, no loud concerts or stuff like that
- DNR is big on “trails” and hope to and will look at possibly extending the Wills Mountain trail system into Pennsylvania as well as connecting in some way to the Great Allegheny Passage and Rocky Gap State Park
- If I understand correctly, they will also be looking down the road to establish varied “work groups” of local interest groups to provide input and assistance
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