SPORTS & RECREATION / PARKS & NATURE
Assateague State Park
7307 Stephen Decatur Highway
Berlin 410-641-2120
http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/eastern/assateague.aspx
Maryland’s only ocean park, the island’s bayside offers canoeing to secluded coves. Forested areas are home to a variety of wildlife including deer and the magnificent wild Chincoteague ponies.
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
2145 Key Wallace Drive
Cambridge 410-228-2677
www.fws.gov/refuge/Blackwater
Navigate by canoe, kayak or bicycle through his rich tidal marsh and mixed woodland. Home to large nesting population of bald eagles and several endangered species.
Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge
1730 Eastern Neck Road
Rock Hall 410-639-7056
www.fws.gov/refuge/eastern_neck
Island habitat offers wetlands teeming with migrating waterfowl, deer grazing on tender marsh grass, red fox rambling along pond banks, osprey carrying fish to hungry nestlings. Home to 243 species of birds, including southern bald eagle, the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel, and other mammals, amphibians and reptiles.
Janes Island State Park
26280 Alfred Lawson Drive
Crisfield 410-968-1565
http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/eastern/janesisland.aspx
Discover over 2,800 acres of wetlands and 6 miles of white sandy beaches—all nestled in loblolly pines. Campsites, cabins, conference center boat and canoe rentals, park store, picnicking, birding and interpretive programs.
Martinak State Park
137 Deep Shore Road
Denton 410-820-1668
http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/eastern/martinak.aspx
Hardwood and pine forests rise above the Choptank River and Watts Creek include campsites, shelters, a boat launch, flatwater canoeing and hiking trails.
Matapeake State Park
1112 Romancoke Road
Stevensville 410-758-0835
Access to the Chesapeake Bay includes a 900-foot fishing pier, two boat ramps, picnic areas and spectacular views of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge
Millington Wildlife Management Area
33626 Maryland-Line Road
Massey 410-928-3650
http://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/publiclands/eastern/millington.aspx
Upland game management and research area with recreational opportunities for hunting, bird watching, fishing, mountain biking, horseback riding and nature photography.
Nature Pickering Creek Environmental Center
11450 Audubon Lane
Easton 410-822-4903
http://pickeringcreek.audubon.org
Over 400 acres of protected land with hardwood forests, non-tidal wetlands, wildlife plantings and nature preserve make this a nature lover’s paradise.
Pocomoke River State Forest, State Park and Cypress Swamp
3461 Worcester Highway
Snow Hill 410-632-2566
http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/eastern/pocomokeriver.aspx
Along Route 12 is the outdoor paradise with creeks, tributaries and marshlands that invite you. Full-size marina, large swimming pool, shaded campsites, picnic areas, biking trails. Offers two developed areas, Shad Landing and Milburn Landing. Over 14,710 woodland acres of loblolly pine, one of the northernmost stands of bald cypress in the United States.
Tuckahoe State Park
13070 Crouse Mill Road
Queen Anne 410-820-1668
http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/eastern/tuckahoe.aspx
Stretching between Caroline County and Queen Anne’s County, this vast expanse of parkland offers miles of trails, a 2-mile physical fitness course, picnic areas, a 20-acre lake for fishing and boating, and camping. The 10-mile loop of country roads around the park is ideal for cycling. Plenty of wild and scenic canoeing opportunities await along Tuckahoe Creek.
Turner’s Creek and Sassafras River
National Resource Management Area
Kennedyville 410-820-1668
http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/eastern/sassafras.aspx
Hike, ride, horseback or bicycle through 1,000 acres of farmland, mature forests, sandy beaches, marshlands, tidal ponds. Turner’s Creek area offers 147 acres of nature trails, open fields and waterfront bluff on the Sassafras River. Public boat ramp, fishing, picnic pavilion, historic tree grove and many recreational facilities.
Wildfowl Trust of North America
600 Discovery Lane
Grasonville 410-827-6694
Situated on a 500-acre peninsula surrounded by the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, the Wetlands Center invites you to experience its natural beauty, its waterfowl and wildlife. Boardwalks, blinds, observation towers and miles of woodland and marsh trails ensure the center’s place as a leader in wetlands education.
Wye Island Natural Resources Management Area
632 Wye Island Road
Queenstown 410-827-7577
http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/eastern/wyeisland.aspx
Waterfowl and wildlife viewing is available on 2,400 expansive acres of public land managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
State Park Information
800-830-3974
http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands
For details on fees, pets, camping, cabins and special events, contact the Department of Natural Resources’ State Forest and Park Service in Annapolis at
Eastern Shore Highlights
Choptank River Fishing Pier
Westbound side of Old Route 50 Bridge
Cambridge 410-221-2290
http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/eastern/choptankpier.aspx
Visited throughout the year by anglers and strollers, this is the original bridge across the Choptank that was built during the Depression of the 1930s.
Horn Point Environmental Laboratories
2020 Horn Point Road
Cambridge 410-228-8200
www.umces.edu/hpl
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science is situated on this former 850-acre duPont estate graces by the shores of the Choptank River. Visit the aquaculture hatchery, the Chesapeake Bay Observing System, the environmental education center or walk along one of the many nature trails.
Oxford-Bellevue Ferry
Oxford 410-745-9023
www.oxfordbellevueferry.com
Crosses the scenic Tred Avon River every 20 minutes and accommodates recreational vehicles and trailers. Established in 1683, believed to be the oldest ferry in America that operates continuously, unattached to a cable.
Pintail Point
511 Pintail Point Farm Lane
Queenstown 410-827-7065
www.pointatpintail.com
This 1,000 acre recreational destination is a sports enthusiasts’ delight. The area enjoys a national reputation for sporting clays, preserve hunting, charterboat fishing and salt and freshwater fly fishing.
Sailwinds Park
200 Byrne Street
Cambridge 410-228-7245
This $30 million waterfront economic development revitalization project is home of the Governor’s hall, Visitor Center, Playspace and a public beach.
Salisbury Zoo
755 South Park Drive
Salisbury 410-548-3188
www.salisburyzoo.org
Acclaimed as one of the finest small zoos in the nation, this habitat offers a naturalistic enclosure for nearly 500 species native to North, Central and South America. This totally free zoo is funded by city taxes and assisted by civic and service groups and clubs.
