We randomly dropped by Calvert Cliffs park for an easy hike with our dog. The park is about 1.25-1.5 hours from the Silver Spring area...of course, this depends on DMV traffic, which is always unpredictable. The cost for entry for MD residents was five bucks per car. The park has free parking, but it appeared to be limited. For our trip, we managed to find a spot in the last parking area. So, I do not know if they close the park once the parking lots become full. We visited on a Sunday afternoon in early May, so I would imagine that the parking situation might be a bit more intense during the summer months. For our first visit, we hiked the easy Red trail, which is about 1.8 miles to the beach area. Also, the majority of the red trail was well-shaded so folks should not have too much of a problem with direct sun until hitting the beach. I thought this trail was pretty easy, and almost anyone from multiple age groups could complete this hike. The beach is a bit on the smaller side; however, we did not venture too far from the point where you complete the hike. So, maybe there are more spots on the beach. We though that the park was very dog-friendly. Although the park is dog-friendly, please keep your furry friends on a leash especially since families with young children use the Red trail. A couple of tips: -The park is trash-free so whatever you bring to park, you will have to dispose of it once you leave the park. I wished that the park had a few trash receptacles at the beginning and end of the trails. But I get that having these receptacles might result in visitors overfilling the receptacles with waste and/or the local wildlife eating things that they should not. -Although I'm not 100% sure, I think the entrance fee is cash only. read more

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My son has been really into fossils lately so we went on a hike to the beach. Had a great time! When you arrive, there will be a cash box to pay in. Parking wad easy! There are restrooms to use before going on your hike! Also a playground which was a huge bonus. We hiked the red trail which was 1.8 miles to the beach. Easy to find and walk! There were benches to sit and rest along the trail. I saw some families with strollers which was cool! Tons of wildlife on the walk! We saw snakes, bull frogs, turtles, cardinals, butterflies and eagles. When we arrived to the beach it was amazing! There was a big box with tons of toys to use to dig to find fossils. Loved all the educational information too. We laid down a blanket, pulled out the toys and had such a fun afternoon! Very very peaceful hike and location. read more

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Great local spot for a quick day hike. Plenty of trails for all levels. It does cost five bucks to park, but worth it! read more

Calvert Cliffs State Park - Parks Near Me

WELCOME! That's exactly how we felt upon arriving--warmly greeted and immediately charmed by how dog-friendly the park is. Wellington was thrilled to start our adventure with a treat just for him. "Take what you want from the beach," the ranger said, leaving us intrigued. What could that mean? We soon discovered that Calvert Cliffs State Park holds a treasure trove of surprises, especially for those who love a bit of mystery and history. The park was bustling for an autumn day, alive with treasure hunters and nature lovers alike. And why not? Calvert Cliffs is renowned for being a haven for fossil enthusiasts, with shark teeth hidden among the sand and pebbles along its shores and its water!! These ancient remnants, super old, are scattered gems, just waiting to be found. The trails leading to the beach are just as captivating--winding through the trees, but be careful - they aren't that well marked. The trail that we followed going to the beach went over bridges along the water line and on our return we ventured down a trail less traveled. Oh my. Watch them signs LOL So if you're ready to enjoy nature at its best, dig your hands into the sand and ocean uncovering teeth of sharks from long ago, Calvert Cliffs is the perfect place for a day of exploration and wonder. Don't forget to bring your furry companion--they'll love it just as much as you do! And so many landscapes!! read more

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In my quest to find shark's teeth, my friend and I decided to hit this park. We went early, which turned out to be an excellent decision; I think the beach must have been standing room only by the time we left. When you pull into the park, you pay $5, and find parking. We asked at the front gate for a sifter, and were pleasantly surprised to be handed one. To get to the beach, which is where the shark's teeth might be, you have a 1.8 mile trail hike on the red trail. You also pass signs for the blue trail, and the yellow trail, but we did not go on those. Because we were there so early, it was incredibly peaceful hiking on the trail. We saw a variety of birds, and lots of turtles sunbathing on logs. The trail was well maintained, but we did have to skirt some seriously muddy sections due to recent rains. Once at the beach, which is a pretty small area, especially since part of it is closed due to cliff avalanche, you are supposed to sift through the pebbles at the shore to potentially find shark's teeth. Only one person found a tooth while were were there, though, and she said she had been pretty far out in the water sifting. Even though we didn't score a tooth, it was still a beautiful Maryland day, and the hiking was a great way to get some exercise. read more

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The whole place is beautiful! I had my gender reveal there and it was all a good experience

$5 to drive in and the shortest trail to the beach is about 2 miles. Trail can get muddy after a rainfall so be sure to wear grippy old sneakers/boots. Saw a family with a baby stroller at the beach - I think they went down the access road which leads you straight to the beach. There's a porta potty near the access road as well. A pelican flew right up to us and hung out for a bit. read more

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Red trail all the way to the beach! This is such an underrated state park, I am so glad we finally went for a beautiful day. Bring cash for entrance fee-$5 for MD residents or $7 for non MD. read more

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Easy to hike to! There's plenty of signs to guide you the right way! It's was about a 1 hour hike up & back for us! Too bad it was raining when we got there, but we still had a good time! Some people ride bikes up! Not much to see when you get there except water and a small strip of sand. But you could def have a cute little relaxing day there! read more

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This was a beautiful park to hike in. The park offers several manmade trails that are clearly labeled. All of the trails sort of intertwin with each other. The terrain is very flat. Coming from Hawaii, where the easiest trail would still be considered intermediate here, I would say all the trails at this park were easy. The signs say that the red trail is the easy trail, only 1.8 miles, one way. The orange trail being the hardest. Even though the orange trail is only 2.4 miles, one way. We started on the red trail but on the way back, we decided to go on the orange trail. It was only slightly longer. The red trail is the easiest but it was also the busiest. Our dog likes to be friendly. So, we wanted to go on a trail with less people on the way back. Parking is $5 per car. No in-state resident discount. The parking lot was huge. read more

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Calvert Cliffs State Park is a beautiful park on the Chesapeake Bay about an hour drive from Washington, D.C. As you drive to park, there's a historical marker that says explorer John Smith wrote about Calvert Cliffs in 1608. At the entrance is ample parking lots, a playground, and public restrooms. All Maryland state parks are litter-free so there aren't any trash cans anywhere (not even in the restrooms). You must carry out any trash you carry in. Once you cross the wooden bridge, you'll have several hiking trail options. We took the red trail to the beach. It's a decent hike along marshland that's beautiful. On the way back, we took the orange to white trail. It's all wooded, but still beautiful as well. There's some wildlife in the park from different kinds of birds to beavers and even four types of snakes (one is venomous). There are ticks as well so be mindful! read more

A picturesque state park featuring woods, wetlands, several boardwalks and of course--cliffs, overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. This is a great and convenient day trip from the DC area, and about a 1.30 hour drive from the DC area. Pros: Trails: Trails are well-defined, and there are 13 miles of trails to explore. I took the red-trail, which was s as about 4 miles long and led through the woods to the cliffs. Would recommend this trail for a manageable and beautiful experience, it was pretty flat and not too challenging. I walked on it, but one could definitely run. Beautiful scenery: The woods and cliffs are beautiful, as is the view of the Chesapeake Bay. The vegetation and trees along the wetlands is a nice background for the hike as well. Dog friendly: I brought my pups along in the hike and also spent a few hours under the cliffs and on the beach with them, and I encountered several other pups along the way! Not too crowded, but kid friendly: Not as many people as I expected overall, which was nice, especially on a shorter hike. I did see a few families and the families were largely young and had little kids, so I think this would be a good hike to bring younger kids on, (so long as you don't let them too close to the cliffs at the end!) Overall, this doesn't seem like a overly touristy spot, and is a peaceful get-away Cons: Cliffs eroding a bit: To be expected, but some of the more beautiful and cliffs were partitioned off a bit or too difficult to get to due to the erosion. Small beach: The beach is quite narrow, and the entire beach can be quickly covered by water as the tide comes right up to the cliffs. The water was quite rough the day I visited, so while the hike may be fun for kids, I'd be careful letting them swim on days where it is a bit rougher. Fun story: My friend and I brought our pups and a picnic of food, set everything up on a little area of beach under the cliffs. While we talked and ate, the tide came up, and in under 5 minutes, totally and aggressively flooded our picnic! We lost almost all our food and we felt very silly read more

Calvert Cliffs State Park - Beautiful cliffs, minutes before the tide came in and engulfed this whole beach! - Parks Near Me

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Have been wanting to go to this park for a while now but was worried about crowding in the summer as well as warnings about the abundance of ticks. Now that it's fall finally decided to give it a try. On a late weekday afternoon, turned out the place was pretty deserted - we probably encountered about 20 people total (less than half masked or carrying one), including on the trails and the beach - during our two hours there - even though it was a cool and sunny day. So either it's emptier now because summer's over, or weekdays tend not be as busy. And also happy to report that it wasn't too buggy - I might have brushed off one tick from my shirt but otherwise no problems (of course we did spray profusely). It's a very nice little park with a few well marked and shaded trails from the parking lot to the beach - the red is the shortest - 1.8 miles one way - as well as the easiest, being flat and relatively wide, so not surprisingly the busiest. The beach is quite small and covered with broken shells and pebbles. The side towards the cliffs is closed and although a few people still crossed over there's not much of a beach to walk on with most of it under water. We took the red to the beach and returned via the orange and the white, connecting to the red again for the final bit. Both orange and white trails are narrower and not quite as flat (although nothing here has much elevation) - orange is also at least half mile longer if taking it all the way - so they offer just a bit more workout, plus we didn't encounter anyone else on them. However they were not as scenic - the red trail goes alongside the largest expanse of water lilies (not flowering right now however) whereas the orange/white just go through the woods. read more

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Fossils, beaches, swamps, hiking. This place has it all. All for just a $5 fee. We were looking for an easier hike on a rainy day with my older dog, and this fit the bill. It is a great 1.8 mile hike on the red trail to the beach through very picturesque swamps, with water lillies, turtles, and potentially snakes. It's great that there is a boardwalk in the muddier areas. The red trail is not the only trail (it is the easiest) and it branches off to other trails that offer a more challenging terrain (http://dnr2.maryland.gov/publiclands/Documents/CalvertCliffs_map.pdf). I could spend a day just hiking here. In total there are 13 miles of hiking trails in this park. Once you get to the beach there is a wooden box filled with shovel, screens and sifters to borrow for exploring. I'm a pretty bad geologist so I had about a two second attention span with sorting through the sand and spent the rest of the time in the water. Plus, I don't know what I would do with a megalodon tooth, I'm a little over the puka shell necklace with the sharks tooth accessory wearing part of my life. I did see several fossils just looking down. Now some reviewers say that the beach is small. This is true and it gets crowded on weekends with several families, but this is the type of beach that dogs and little kids (and me) love exploring. If you're expecting freaking Malibu with the cliffs and ocean, you might feel a slight tinge of disappointment. The park can fill to capacity in summers (especially weekends) as a note. A couple of things to remember: It is swampy woodlands so bring bug repellant. The cliffs here are doing what cliffs do, and they are eroding so no access is allowed.It is illegal to collect fossils beneath the cliffs. Pack in, pack out park. No trashcans Entrance fee ($5) is cash only. read more

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Awesome state park with a lot of hiking trails. The trails were cleared out and very nice to walk on, one goes along a stream that is very relaxing. There are benches along the trails to enjoy the environment or take a break. It could be a little wet in places depending on the recent weather. Cannot wait to come back and try out the other trails! read more

Loved this park. It was a long hike to the beach (for my kids) but I was fun. It was 2 miles from the parking lot to the beach. The beach is not big as the cliffs are closed. The cliffs are closed due to the possibility of them falling. We found some fossil teeth but they were not shark. We think they were dolphin. There is a sign posted by the beach to help identify what you found. We also found a few fossil Sand dollars. Back by the parking was the most amazing playground ever. It was huge and had everything. Friendly staff and It was $5 for the entrance (per vehicle). There was bathroom facilities at the parking. And port o johns down by the beach. read more

My girlfriend and I had a blast hiking and searching for shark teeth at Calvert Cliffs. I had never been to the park before and we traveled about an hour and a half to get here, so I was really excited to check it out. The cliffs were blocked off, but we decided to hike the red trail which takes you to the beach. The beach is right on the bay and is FULL of shells, shark teeth, and other fossils. It's a really neat experience and a family fun kinda place. They even have a sign next to the beach where you can determine what kind of shark tooth you found! The walk was about 2 miles each way and very pleasant. The scenery is nice and it is fairly quiet. There is plenty of parking when you arrive at the park, but they do ask for a donation. I however could not find the actual donation box. Lots of fun to be had here!! read more

What an awesome park! At the entrance there's a huge tire playground complete with tire swings, tire cars, a little wooden playhouse, slides, and swings :) my daughter loved it, and I did too! Very fun and relaxing too :) There are many trails you can hike that go for miles! We took the shortest trail to the beach which was 1.8 miles. It's very scenic with wooden bridges going over the water so we can look down and see cool wildlife! We saw turtles, lizards and fish and of course bugs, but there weren't that many, probably because it was such a hot day! When we got to the beach, it was small, but cute. This is not a beach I would recommend swimming in however. I tried to go in but there were rocks all over the floor and I kept hurting my feet. Also the water was very murky so I was scared I'd run into a jellyfish! Other than that it's a-okay! Good for taking in the view after a hike :) Bottom line, this place is awesome! read more

Calvert Cliffs State Park - That part of the beach was closed today, but the view is gorgeous! :) - Parks Near Me

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Nice to hike the paths and explore the beach and find occasional sharks tooth. :) part is dog friendly. They have a pond to fish at up front of the park. read more

The hiking looks good. However one of my companions to the beach was bitten by a copper head snake and needed hospital attention. Super scary and warning signs about copperheads would help. read more

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Calvert Cliffs State Park in Calvert County, Maryland is an awesome place to explore the Western Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Two of us came here last weekend to soak up some fall foliage and explore the legendary cliffs. It is $5 per car to get in that park and it is on an honor basis in the off-season. (This means that there is no one manning the gate, you just put your cash in a safe box and go in.) This is a very well used and maintained park. I think they get a lot of traffic from the DC area. We came from Baltimore and it took about an hour and half to get here. Be aware that you should wear appropriate hiking shoes/boots and bring water. The hike to the cliffs is about two miles in and some of the paths are underwater. The path is very well marked and you will see lots of people, families, and dogs coming in and going out. The beach area itself is not very big. One side is closed due to cliffs that may or may not collapse. There are picnic tables and sifting tools/toys for kids and adults to look for the fossils that are plentiful here. I found a barnacle fossil from the Jurassic period! This park is a really excellent example of well-spent government funds. The wetlands are pristine and beautiful. We had an excellent afternoon here and enjoyed the fall foliage. Thanks, Calvert Cliffs State Park, we will be back! read more

Such a beautiful park. We went right after it rained and it was so beautiful. We chose the red trail. 1.8 miles to the beach area. Not many people there. No success in finding shark teeth but it was fun time for my family read more

Absolutely beautiful park! We made a picnic and hiked down the red trail to the beach and ate on picnic tables overlooking the bay. Then we hiked back on the orange trail. It's only an hour out from DC making it a great little short day trip - we went on a Sunday even more fun! There were many turtles and marsh lands. Easy hike not much elevation but totally worth the drive! If you park farther north you also don't have to pay the state park fee but also it's only $5! read more

Calvert Cliffs State Park - Orange trail - Parks Near Me

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Diverting off I-95 to avoid DC traffic on the way to Baltimore, the road to Calvert Cliffs State Park was a nice reprieve from the miles of interstate we had already travelled. We came specifically to look for fossils; being a Floridian, we hunt for teeth and other goodies on the beaches and rivers frequently. We didn't come prepared for a hike to the beach (I believe 4 miles round-trip), and we didn't come prepared with bug spray (the mosquitos and horse flies were terrible in June), we still enjoyed a brisk hike through the woods and traversed muddy pathways to see if we could find some fossils! Granted, we didn't spend a whole lot of time searching, but we didn't find as much as much as we typically find in Florida. Regardless, the views of the cliffs were pretty spectacular and we still had a great time. Bottom line: come a bit more prepared then we did, spend some more time searching, and you'll have yourself a fine afternoon here! read more

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Dog-friendly beach! Go early because this beach gets crowded quickly, even during a pandemic. They often reach capacity before noon on summer weekends and close down. I visited recently and was disappointed to see how much of the beach has eroded since I visited a few years ago. The water is shallow so you can walk a long ways out without the water going above your hips so it's not an ideal beach for actual swimming. Water shoes wouldn't be a bad idea because there are lots of pebbles and shell pieces to step on in the water. Otherwise, step lightly! The parking lot is a 1.8 miles from the beach via a hiking trail. read more

Fun little park. Grandkids always have a good time. If you have time, try fossil hunting at the beach.

I LOVE this park! It's $5 entry and After the 5th time I realized I was addicted to the great walk and got the $30 annual membership! For $5 extra you can get additional passes for your other cars . After moving to Calvert Co I wasn't able to find a workout spot I loved so when I started walking this place became my new addiction! The paths are awesome, there are always ppl walking and smiling or saying hi. The paths lead you to the beach and in the summer you can get in and enjoy the water too. My son and I usually just walk to the water and back but one day I'm sure we will test the beach out. Plenty of parking and clean bathrooms at the entrance and 2 port a pots when you reach the beach read more

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Excellent small State Park with miles of hiking trails. It's about two miles from parking to the beach on the Bay where you can search for fossils. Five dollars per car load. At age 62 you can get a lifetime pass from the state for only ten dollars. The park has rest rooms and picnic tables as well as hunting and fishing. read more

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Thoroughly enjoyed the peace and serenity of 1.8 hike to the beach at Calvert Cliffs State Park. My 8-year-old daughter loved seeing the animals; especially seeing the trees that the beavers (which are nocturnal so we didn't see any beavers specifically). Beautiful and peaceful. Digging for fossilized shark teeth was also a big hit! read more

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It can be difficult to remember just how beautiful the Earth is, especially this past year with lockdowns due to the coronavirus, which is why a trip to this state park is refreshing. I went on a Sunday afternoon when it was in the 80s, temperature wise. It is $5 to park your car there and they accept cash and credit cards. It might be wise to get the annual membership since this hidden gem is relatively close to the city. The red trail had plenty of shaded areas, benches for resting/scenic views, and was relatively flat. It took only about 40 minutes to get to the beach area. It was a bit muddy at times and you have to keep your eyes peeled for copperheads. The wetlands and the Calvert cliffs were absolutely beautiful making it a photographers dream. The beach was relatively crowded but everyone maintained their social distancing to the best of the their abilities and it was great to see everyone out and about and enjoying themselves. All in all, a wonderful way to spend a weekend afternoon and perfect to fight off the Sunday scaries! read more

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Calvert Cliffs is a small, seemingly obscure state park, but it is a very interesting destination for many. Apparently, it is ideal for budding paleontologists! People drive considerable distances to arrive here in hopes of scoring a rare find. The park is set just off the Chesapeake Bay and much of the fossil hunting is done along a very narrow stretch of beach adjacent to the Calvert cliffs themselves. Short of a rare find, you can certainly walk away with a shark's tooth; so it's worth a look if that's your thing. Now, I only came to know about all of this after visiting here and seeing treasure hunters in action. Of course, the park itself is still very much amenable to traditional hiking and birdwatching. Hiking to the bay allows for some refreshing downtime, and the cliffs are beautiful to look at. Unfortunately, you can't have a closer look at the cliffs as access to them is restricted due to issues of erosion. The hiking in the park is pretty easy by any standard. Heading all the way out to the bay along the Red Trail and returning along a different route (Orange Trail, White Trail, Blue Trail, and Yellow Trail), was meandering, scenic, and still only totalled a paltry 4.6 miles. The paths are flat, well-graded, and very well maintained. They are definitely child-friendly and date-friendly. The bird-watching is worthwhile here too with more than 160 species present. Recommend for an easy hike, lazy day getaway. read more

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I once heard that beauty is where you find it, but the same can be said about having fun and having a sense of adventure. FOSSILS: If you're reading this post hoping to get the scoop on fossil hunting- we need to talk. Finding fossils is all about weather conditions, cliff erosion, number of people in attendance and is also dependent upon what the tide brings in. Frankly, it's anyone's game. According to the park rangers, it's best to go during low tide after a big storm. *Should you go home empty handed, there is a guy selling sharks teeth off the main drag. But that's cheating. * HIKING: It's a nice hike from the parking lot to the beach. Expect to see plenty of wildlife (and mosquitos!) along the freshwater and tidal marshland. Things can get a little muddy, so appropriate attire is recommended. The red trail is well marked and is about 3.6 miles round trip. There are bathrooms by the park entrance and you can find a port-a-potty and water jugs as you near the beach. (yes, there is hand sanitizer.) The park rangers walk along the beach and are great resources for information on fossil hunting and for answering questions about the surrounding landscape. BEACH: The beach is small and could potentially get crowded during good weather. An early overcast June morning yielded plenty of space for digging and sieving. The water was warm, but a good respite at the end of a humid hike. PACKING: Consider bringing a towel, hiking shoes, a shovel, a sieve (an old mesh colander worked for me), snacks, water, BUG SPRAY, a waterproof cover for your camera and maybe your water shoes. Seriously, do not leave home without bug spray- this is marshland. Verdict: Come for the hiking, come for the wildlife, come for the fossils and come for the views. Best experienced with a friend, a loved one, the kids or just you and the pooch. Makes for a great day trip from the Washington, D.C. area. read more

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We went for a ride this weekend and ended up at Calvert Cliffs... and it was a blast. The parking was fairly easy and there seemed to be more than enough on this fall day, but I can imagine in summer months that might not be true. The hike from the parking lot to the beach where the cliffs are is 1.8 miles and it snakes through forest and marshland before arriving at the beach so you get a good mix of wildlife and birds. There is another trail that is about 3 miles to the beach and there supposedly was another trail that went along the cliff line, but has since been closed because of the erosion and instability of the cliff's edge (more on that in a minute). Once on the beach we found a few small fossils. Unlike Nick B. that wasn't the purpose of our visit so we weren't disappointed to find only a few. However, part of the beach has been CLOSED off. There is a sign warning individuals not to go any further along the cliffs because of erosion and fear that the cliffs may fall. It is in this area that is suppose to be the best fossil hunting. There had also been what looks like caution tape that had been removed or blown off. I will also say that the bathrooms in the parking lot were also great. If you have spent the day at the beach and had a chance to go swimming these bathrooms would be great. They were clean and well stocked (minus the lack of soap). I can't wait to go back! read more

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The cliffs are closed with warning signs and tape. They do not want the Clifts to fall on you. See picture 18 They should rename the park as Calvert hike, swamp and beach, If you cannot access the cliffs. Nice 2 mile hike each way. this was my 1st time there to see the cliffs, SO I was a little let down. read more

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My girlfriend and I needed a day-cation that was relatively close to home. A few google searches later and we were on our way to Calvert Cliffs! I didn't know what exactly to expect, especially because it's the off season, but we winged it and just showed up with little research. Thankfully, everything is laid out nice and clearly marked. There are bathrooms, a playground, and plenty of parking. The beach and cliffs are a 1.8 mile walk with a well cleared trail to follow (Red Trail). This is the shortest one, there's a Blue and Yellow trail that are longer. Once you arrive, it is absolutely worth the walk. There's a perfectly untouched beach area with tons of shells, shark teeth, and fossils to uncover. It's incredibly clean with little to no litter which is hard to come by these days. I had a ton of luck with my findings! I found quite a few shark teeth just by sitting through the pebbles on the beach. I can't wait to come back when it's a little warmer so I can stay longer to dig around. read more

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Park attendants are helpful and friendly. National Park service should give this beautiful park a little more attention and spend a little more money on it. $5 entrance fee could be spent on trail restoration, and taking back some of the swamp land to make it better visiting experience. This State Park is 70 miles away on two-lane drive from Washington DC and its northern burbs. Items needed to enjoy this park 1. Insect repellent (Avoid ticks & Lyme disease) 2. Water 3. Snacks 4. Digging tools & sieve (If looking for fossils) 5. Shoes & socks to avoid stepping on snakes etc. The beach is small, insect repellent is mandatory and you need to bring digging tools to find any fossils. Stay away from the cliffs, as trees, rocks could fall anytime. The trails are good exercise, and the beach is only 15 ft wide and at most 60 ft in length. The beach is backed by the swamp . The nature viewing and small wildlife is abundant including tree snakes and frogs. If you come with very little expectations you will enjoy and don't forget to have water with you. The park has put two water coolers close to the beach but it is better to have you own just in case. read more

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The kids and I love Calvert Cliffs State Park. We live locally I should add. It's clean, has ample parking and trails are well maintained and clearly marked. It costs $5 which helps maintain the park. You can also get an annual pass. To those out of towners who don't know southern MD do NOT forget GOOD bug spray. You will get bit in late spring and summer especially. No see um and chiggers are bad around here. Also, please don't come expecting to walk out on a large beach littered with rare fossils. Like anywhere else you have to dig. The cliffs are blocked off due to safety. They are eroding due to environment and the endangered Tiger Beetle. We like the red trail that is 1.8 miles through wooded paths. There are small cricks and nice benches to sit on along the way. The marsh is very cool. You can hear various frogs singing. The red trail does get muddy in spots after rain. It takes a couple days to dry up. The kids ran right through of course but its not hard to walk around. Porta potties are located close to beach and are VERY clean. Another kid favorite is the tire park. I am a history fanatic so its also cool to think about the natives and colonial ppl who used to live on the land thats now the park. I highly recommend visiting for a nice relaxing hike. read more

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This is a world-class park location, due to the fossils. But it feels like it's not being run by professionals. Visiting during the pandemic, I was concerned to see that most people were not wearing masks. I realize outdoors is lower risk, but people are chatting loudly and breathing hard on narrow trails (where it's hard to social distance; and the day I visited no breeze reached the trail). Public health reminders at the gate would be advisable (regardless of people's personal opinions). The park opens at dawn, and some people were leaving at 9. The tiny beach was quite full by 11, with more people arriving constantly. I was surprised to see the (women's) bathroom wasn't cleaned (very messy at 9 am on a weekday and still untouched by noon), let alone sanitized. The park has no trash cans, so plan to carry your trash out with you. Unfortunately, no one has cleaned up the noticeable amount of litter (plastic, discarded food) left by visitors along the trail to the beach. Large signs naming side trails stand at junctions, but lack arrows to indicate which trail is which. It's a bit ambiguous. Each beachcomer seemed to bag about a handful of treasures every 30 min. They use sieves, small rakes, or simply stand in the water sorting through gravel in the palm of their hands. Beware of a spot on the highway, heading south about 10 miles north of the park entrance, where it's hard to not get caught up in locals speeding, and police target the out-of-state folks for tickets. Come very early on a bad weather weekday to get the best experience of this "local attraction". read more

I can't really say that Calvert didn't meet my expectations. Picture this: You are watching TLC or Discovery and you see a show on fossil and gem hunting. A segment of the show is about finding huge shark teeth on a beach. You haven't gone on a vacation in a long time so you decide to drive to the shark tooth/fossil hunting place in the middle of August and search for fossils. Yes, that was me and intrepid partner. We planned an entire vacation around fossil hunting. It didn't seem like a bad idea really. Kinda quirky and what not. Although the drive through NJ was atrocious we were prepared to come back with fossils and sharks teeth made into huge pendants and what not. We first decided to scope out the state park before we were greeted by a man with the largest shark tooth I had ever seen. Clearly it was a great white. I was prepared to come back the next day and find one of them... Nope, in came the oppressive heat. We trudged it slowly only to realize that the mecca of fossils would require us to dig and that fossils were simply not laying on the ground... Shocking, huh. We didn't bring any of the correct equipment which would allow us to hunt fossils with efficiency. We stayed for a few hours and went back after finding some other "fossils". I use the term "fossils" loosely though. We didn't explore much else of the park. It was certainly different than what I am used to. But fossilers beware. read more

Calvert Cliffs State Park - Cliffs - Parks Near Me

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Such a nice park! We haven't been in a few years but it's nice to see how the rangers and staff do such a great job at the upkeep of the park. The trails were clean and the muddy spots on the trails had boarded walkways so we didn't get too dirty. It was nice to see a water jug and a box of toys for those near the beach. We didn't spend too much time there since it was too windy for us, but people were on the beach finding fossils. This park is an excellent value for families and hikers. We even brought our dog and the woman at the parking booth gave him a treat, which he loved. read more

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