Poll Shows Marylanders Love Their State Parks

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- A new survey shows that Marylanders love their state parks.

The information comes from Goucher College's annual Maryland State Parks Poll.

The random sample of 708 residents found that 71 percent had visited a state park in the past year.

Seventy-six percent of park visitors gave their experience high marks. They rated their overall experience either a 4 or 5 on a scale of 1 to 5.

The survey found strong interest in visiting state parks for relaxation, picnicking, exploring historical sites and hiking or walking. Camping, fishing and canoeing were the least favorite activities.

The poll was funded by the school's Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center endowment. The visitor experience portion had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.