Patuxent River State Park
- Status
- Open (per official listing)Daily sunrise – sunset
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed
- Camping
- None listed
- Official site
- dnr.maryland.gov(443) 962-0216
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
Covering about 6,700 acres, Patuxent River State Park lies in Montgomery County, about 10 miles northeast of Gaithersburg.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Daily | sunrise – sunset | — |
| Daily | 1 hr before sunrise – 1 hr after sunset | — |
Official wording
Sunrise to sunset Hunters are allowed in the woods 1 hour before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset during deer season Certain activities are permitted outside of the regular park hours (e.g. fishing, boat launch, hunting where permitted). Please check with the park before your visit if you plan to engage in an activity which requires you to be in the park before or after the posted hours.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/New York).
Fees and passes
Many parks charge no fee. Veterans and active-duty military have day-use waivers. Per-park amounts:
Statewide fee rule from Maryland's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.
Maryland park passes
- Maryland State Park and Trail Passport (annual) — $75 resident / $100 non-resident. Unlimited day-use entry for everyone in the vehicle (up to 10 people), unlimited boat launching, 10% concession discount Details
- Golden Age Pass (62+) — $10 processing fee, lifetime. Free day-use entry, half-price camping Sun–Thu, waived boat launch fees Details
- Universal Disability Pass. Free lifetime entrance to DNR public lands for holder + one person Details
- Youth Group Pass. Youth-group day use (not peak weekends) and youth group camping; valid two years Details
From the Maryland state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- Maryland State Park Reservation Service (parkreservations.maryland.gov); day use via parkdayuse.maryland.gov
- Phone
- 888-432-2267
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
Dogs allowed
All leashed pets are welcome.
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Getting there
- Address
- 11950 Clopper Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20878 - Nearest town
- Gaithersburg — about 10 mi northeast (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 39.2374, -77.0557 (from Wikidata)
- Phone
- (443) 962-0216
- patuxentriver.statepark@maryland.gov
Google Maps directionsApple Maps
Directions from the park
Taking I-70 west from Baltimore. Take Exit 76, or Route 97 south, and continue south to the point where Route 97 crosses the Patuxent River. A parking lot is available on the right. For other access points, contact Seneca Creek State Park, which manages this facility.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Maryland State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- Maryland Park Service 'Find a State Park' directory (SharePoint HTML, links to /publiclands/Pages/{region}/{park}.aspx)
- Wikidata
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology