For a State Forest, the park is not special; it has nice, easy to navigate flat trails which is…read morenice especially for novice hikers/trail walkers, but the park can be confusing to drive around, and during off season you need to call a park ranger for assistance. The park specializes in camping and seems like it would be nice for camping, but the park should have more signage for instructions/procedures during off season for more clarity. There are pretty trees and fall foliage to take advantage of. There should be more defined trailway and signs though for the different pathways. There is potential, but I would say that the park is average. I like the abundance of trees, (State Forests) and the pretty leaves during the fall time and the fact that this park is a lot better than Rosaryville, as the trailways are flat and not hilly and as dangerous as Rosaryville. There are regular parks that may not be state parks or forests that are more worth the experience. This is cool, if you are local to Brandywine or live in maybe Waldorf, Accokeek, Upper Marlboro or someplace, but if you are driving over half an hour coming from Bowie, Greenbelt, or other areas, than for a walking trail/hiking forget about it just not worth it. I don't know how the camping experience is never camped her but for trails nope.

What a gem of a campgrounds, so glad I found this spot in PG County…read more The online reservation system is great and easy to use. I like how there are pictures of each campsite so we were able to select a site that was just right for us. Checking in the day of the our trip was a breeze also, since we paid ahead for the site we just had to sign a few documents and get on our way. I will say, that charging $1 for a trails map caught us a bit offguard -- $1 hardly broke the budget but why charge us for a map if we're already paying for a campsite for the weekend? All the general family campsites are found in nice sized loop towards the back of the park. We went in early October and were pleased to see a good number of families and couples also out camping for the weekend. Generally, folks abode by quiet hours so no issues there but man were the kid campers chatty in the mornings. Neighboring kids seemed to get up an sunrise full of energy which woke us up a couple of times. Our site was clean and free of debris and we were able to set up camp within an hour or two. As we were setting up, the friendly camp ranger made rounds to come say hello and to ask if we needed anything which was a nice touch. The ranger made a few rounds around the camp loop each night just to make sure things were swell. Cedarville is great in that you don't have to buy wood only from the camp ranger (as is the case with many other sites that we tried to stay at). We were allowed to use fallen wood for campfires. We did buy one bundle of wood for $5 (got about 8 pieces) just to have as backups but our site was a goldmine of fallen limbs. I had a bow saw with me, so I just spent about an hour ear day cutting wood for the morning and evening fires. Feels so much more like camping when you gather and cut your own wood! We went for a long hike on Saturday through the blue, white, and orange trail areas. Remember to pack some water and a snack for those long hikes. The trails were well cleared and decently marked -- there were a couple of times where we were unsure exactly which trail we were on but we soon figured it out (with the help of that $1 map). The views from the trails were quite nice, definitely stopped to take a photo or two! Overall, a great camping experience for a getaway weekend. Just out of the way enough to allow you to take a break from it all, but still close enough to major roads like 301 to stock up on food, drinks, ice, etc. Definitely check Cedarville out!

Very friendly helpful staff…read more Reasonable boat rental rates 2 mile hike around the lake Beautiful beaver dam at far end of the park's lake

I was in the need of water therapy and found this hidden gem! The location is not too far, but far…read moreenough so that it's not a crowded, heavily populated park. They have ample parking all over, depending on where you choose to be, which I loved. Limits walking, especially if you are coming with grills etc, children. The lake itself was absolutely beautiful and very relaxing. I noticed they have paddle boats, so I'll definitely do that the next time I come back. Overall, I had a very peaceful and relaxing experience, especially seeing the joy from the little boy near me as he caught fish after fish!

My wife and I frequent this trail to ride our bicycles and enjoy it. The only trail head is…read moreactually at "John V. Baggett Park" in the parking lot near Three Notch Rd. The far end of the trail doesn't have anything, not even a bench or potty. The trail is always clean and has several locations with benches and Port-a potties. The only complaint I might have would be that there are no active watering stations. Bring your drink with you. All crossings with the roads are well marked. The crossing at Leonardtown Rd can get a little crazy as twice we waited for cars to pass and some cars would come to a screeching stop. Don't be too close to the street while waiting for cars to stop at this location. Some crossings have buttons to push so the crossing lights are activated which helps but you still need to be cautious. There are no sections of this trail as to where you have to share the road.. its a full trail. There are some spots on the trail that you might want to go see, like the Amish market at the library or the BBQ restaurant that you will eventually smell and see if you go far enough. There are a few sections of the trail that have rough surface, the Amish buggies are using the trail and you'll eventually see horse poop in the middle of the way while the ruts of the buggies are bumpy. Its a nice trail with farm, city, urban views. If you're looking for a place to exercise, or a relaxing place to ride or walk you should try this trail.

Really good trail for biking. 11 miles long and well marked. South end is Baggett Park, north end…read moreis in Hughesville. Mostly level or easy grades. Portapotties available as are benches. Winds thru fields and farms and Forest.

This is the perfect spot for locals and travelers. If you're looking for a place to take your young…read morekids to look at the boats, the marsh, and all of the unique little creatures around, this is the place that you need to head to! It's such a joy to walk around with family and loved ones learning history of the area along the way. Also the place is absolutely stunning!

The Chesapeake Beach Railway Trail was dedicated September 30, 2011. After more than 20 years of…read moreplanning the Railway Trail was officially opened for the enjoyment of us all. The boardwalk trail is accessed from behind the Chesapeake Beach Water Park where it then extends westward along the shore of Fishing Creek. Interpretative signs have been placed along the Trail to help point out the marsh plants, animals and other features of the adjacent water and marshland. Fully handicapped-accessible, the pet-friendly Trail is open from dawn until dusk for pedestrians and those on bicycles.

We randomly dropped by Calvert Cliffs park for an easy hike with our dog. The park is about…read more1.25-1.5 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.

My son has been really into fossils lately so we went on a hike to the beach. Had a great time!…read more 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.

This little spot has a bit of beach territory which looks out across the Patuxent to the rather…read morespectacular bridge nearby, as well as some trails. The trails were thickly wooded and wide but unevenly surfaced. The beaches are pretty, but modest. It's nice that there's a public space here, but if you really want a beach, Elms Beach is better (no idea why my review for that place blew up). If you want a place to eat by the riverside, Greenwell is prettier. If you want to views of the river and the bridge, Solomons Island is better. So this place is fine to stop if you're around, but it's not great for anything. They charge admission only on peak days (weekends and holidays starting in May, according to the website), at which point they charge a lot. I wouldn't pay it, but if I was in the area I would stop by now and then.

Locked all visitors inside the park against our will over an hour before close & refused to unlock…read moreand let us leave. Still waiting now- going on two hours in a line of cars and calling the police. Park is supposed to close at 8. Completely irresponsible to lock the only entrance out at 6:45 when there are still nearly 30 people inside trying to get out. This is completely illegal and messed up. Loved how beautiful this park was but will never be back. Somebody else managed to get through to the police and they suggested leaving cars here and walking but couldn't guarantee our vehicles wouldn't be impounded. The walk home would be many hours on a dark highway at night- not an option, there are elderly people and a pregnant woman in the car ahead of me. Do not come here- you may be held against your will.

This is definitely a park for a more experienced hiker. The park is well maintained in some areas…read moreand not in others. Was quite difficult to consistently make out the trail markings and follow along with maps. It also feels quite isolated so would reccomend going with someone. The entry ride into the park is quite long, narrow and only accommodates one car at a time. It is also gravel so its important to drive at a moderate speed. Most of the trails are gravel/dirt and there is a lot of greenery to admire. They also have multiple docks available for fishing or to admire the water. I went in the month of May '25 and there were a lot of ticks around, so be mindful and be sure to check yourself after your walk/hike.

A beautiful place to see wildlife, and to recharge in nature. Open every day of the year, and free!read more

A fairly large park in northern St Mary's county, close to RT 235. Has ample parking and numerous…read moreplaying fields. Pickleball and basketball courts are available and a rest room. This park is also the south terminus of the 11 mile long three notch trail for biking and jogging. This trail is wonderful; nice and level and well marked. Winds thru forest and fields and farms.

This is probably my favorite park in St. Mary's County. It is family friendly with a lot of things…read moreto do. Not only is there a playground, but they have tennis courts, a basketball court, multiple baseball and soccer fields, and two trails (one that runs in the back of the park behind the fields, and the other is the entrance to the Three Notch Trail). The 10.6 mile trail is paved and is perfect for a family bike ride or a run. It stretches from Bagget Park up into Charlotte Hall. My only complaint is regarding the trail in the woods behind the athletic fields and playground - the trail loops around itself multiple times and it can be hard to follow where you are. I would recommend to Rec and Park to put in routes spray painted with different colors instead of just yellow, and a few more map stands (currently only one at the entrance).

Accokeek East Community Park offers multi-use / multi-dimensional recreational fields and picnic…read moreareas. There is a trail that runs the perimeter of the park. Also available is a playground area, basketball courts, a covered pavilion with grill capacity, and several seating areas sporadically placed throughout the park. The surrounding wooded area provides a pretty landscape / backdrop. Accokeek East is a nice place to just walk, sit and read a book, enjoy nature, have a family gathering or just take the kids to play. Handicapped/disabled parking is available and the paved top allows easy access and use for most.