Reviews of Calvert Cliffs State Park (Park)

Jennifer Halvaksz

Excellent park! Very helpful rangers. You should plan better than I did for the 2 mi hike to the beach from the parking area. (Just didn't do my research!) There are several hiking trails that are great. Beach is clean and water calm.

Dennis F

Nice beach with a beautiful view of the Calvert Cliffs. Famous for fossilized sharks teeth including megalodon, but we have been here a few times and o my found a few small ones. It is a bit of a hike at 1.8 miles each way but not too …

Steph Dubrel

A little disappointed about both the length of walk and lack of view. The park itself was great. And the staff was phenomenal. Bathrooms and grounds very clean.

Samantha Battersby

Beautiful park! It's a 2 mile hike to the cliffs so you cannot just walk up to the beach. Be prepared to walk. It's a very easy trail, but can get muddy. You cannot go up to the cliffs either as it's hazardous. I definitely recommend coming here, especially if you are looking for an easy enjoyable hike. We saw all kinds of wildlife and once your on the beach you can hunt for fossils! The park offers shareable tools to help you find fossils.

Hanumantu Yugandhar

Nice park! They charge $5 or $6 per vehicle but worth that money! Very big state park and awesome trails, and very convenient from DC and VA, they marked the trails with colors and I think shortest trail is red, it’s only couple of miles and it takes to the beach, didn’t get chance to explore the other trails but definitely recommend this state park, family friendly place and staff is very friendly and greets everyone and guide them properly, we went there with my two young boys, they had blast and collected some shells

elizabeth ann

Great hike to the beach. Enjoyed the hike and beautiful flowers and scenary.

Edward Pratt

Good place for a quick run or hike. Small park with limited parking but only 1/3 full on a Wednesday in mid May.

Rene Hayden

Beautiful hike down through sandy forest and wetlands, small beach with tons of various miocene fossils eroding from the cliff onto the beach. Very useful for teachers looking to teach sedimentary rocks and fossil formation.

Vanth Dreadstar

Nice place. Found no shark teeth though.

Karen H

Lots of shells and other things to find. It's a long hike to it~1.3 miles, and not wheelchair assessible. . It's really beautiful, just like the pictures ..

Tony Maus

Nice walk to the beach, tons of beautiful views. Easy trail my family and I walked it fine. See local wildlife too. The beach was great, found cool rocks and a couple shark teeth.

Anthony O'Brien

Nice... was hoping to find fossils but didn't so was very disappointed. The hike from the parking lot to the beach was about 2 miles and very nice. With benches along the way for people who may have needed it. Much of the beach its self is closed off because of the Cliffs eroding and falling...

Jeff Schneider

Fun time hiking to the beach on the red trail with my 8yr old! Some fossil finding and water fun!

Natalie Ana Borkoski Parker

This place is great. It's a 1.8 mile hike each way, though it is more like 2 miles each way. The bathrooms are clean. The beach is small but very nice and pretty cool. They have coolers of water if you forgot, porterpottys, and small beach toys to share. You can find shark teeth and other cool things at the beach. It was worth the hike

Daniel Grünberg

Nice park. Playground could use a little updating. Bathrooms are so so. Hiking trails are very nice!

Jennifer Herrmann

Nice hike to a pretty beach where the fossils found can be kept!

J Mathew

The beach is very beautiful. Lots of shells. The cliffs themselves are pretty but dangerous. There are signs saying you can't go up to them because of rock slides. The signs were not wrong. I saw a few rock slides. As far as getting to the beach the red trail is very accessible. The service road right next to it is even more easy. This late in the season some of the boardwalk on the red trail was broken and you have do a bit of bushwhacking to get around it.

Deangelo Agan

Had a lot of fun! Me and my wife took the red trail which was 1.8 miles to the beach. You have to walk a bit till the beach but it was nice. People had their dogs and some people found shark teeth.

dadof abillsfan

Nicely marked trails, beautifully maintained. The beach is clean with toys for kids to use in a big box on the beach

Courtney Fenske

Great place if you're properly prepared for the 2 mile trek to the beach. Dont take anything you cant carry on your back and wear comfortable shoes.

Matt Stout

My aboslute favorite place to go in southern Maryland. Amazing trails to hike. Beach is the perfect distance 1.8 mile hike from the parking lot. If beach isnt your thing you can go fossil hunting. If your looking for something to do during the summer Calvert Cliffs is a must

David wilganowski

Absolutely love bringing the kids and dogs here, they have done so much to keep this park fun to be at.

T C

Really nice walk out to the water. Longer than I expected. We went in the middle of a thunderstorm- probably not the best idea but....found three shark's teeth!!

Dylan Kolson

Beach is small but hikes are nice and doable for most people

andrew webb

Little bit distant of a walk to beach for younger kids but very scenic.

Nitzan Frock

Nice spot by the bay, the beach access is easy to get to and has a nice, relatively short walk.

Laura Finger Marlowe

Calvert Cliffs is one of my favorite parks in Maryland and on the Chesapeake Bay. There is a bit of a hike to get to the beach, but it’s just as neat! Towards the beach there is a boardwalk in the swampier areas that is full of neat wildlife- tons of turtles! We have seen many birds, turtles, snakes, and beaver. The first time we went (late August) there were sea nettle jellyfish in the Chesapeake! This park is also known for finding various fossils and shark teeth. Most of the shells get broken up by the tide, but it’s fun to sift through the sand. The park provides a crate of toys and sifters for everyone to use. There are also two porta potties nearby on the trail. During the warmer months, make sure to bring bug spray because the horse flies are relentless. A great park to get a good hike in and relax on the beach!

Jessica Freda

Very reasonable to get into the park ($5). You will have to walk 1.8 miles to the beach. The path is well maintained and not too strenuous, but still a long way to go in the summertime heat. The beach is very rocky so definitely bring water …

Brian Wilson

Above average destination for where it is. There is a 1.8 miles hike for the parking area to the waterfront, through some pretty neat beaver generated wetlands. The waterfront is okay. Don’t know if I would swim or play in the water, but …

Nix M

This is a fantastic beach but be aware it's almost a 2 mile walk from the parking area to get to the beach. The beach is small clean and uncrowded. There is also a bin for shared beach toys available for use by any visitor. The other thing to be cautious of is that you are in the forest, meaning you need to be cautious of wildlife and respect their home and space. We've now gone twice and both times there have been copperheads on the trail.

Rick BayThree

It’s about a 1.8 mile trek from the car to the beach. Bring your hiking boots. If you have a small kids bring a wagon or stroller. Clean beach with a scenic view. Fossils and shark teeth can be found on the beach. Cool adventures

Junnetta Hart

Great little walk. Found a small black sharks tooth and some shells

JOSE MORENO

It has great trail and a beach where you might be able to find fossilized shark teeth.

Cathy Gann

The Red Trail was very muddy at places. Great if you like an obstacle course. After a day of rain, take the Service Road. That's how we came back.

Thomas Murphy

Cool place. But so many rules its a real fun killer. Sad

Lakadian Central

Good almost 2 mile walk out to cliffs. Busy during the warmer days, but still nice and peaceful walk. Kids enjoyed it too. Had a couple 5 year olds who made the trek to and back.

kelley culbertson

Great day trip, it's almost a 2 mile walk each way, lots of small critters to see. Make sure you bring water with you. Don't plan too pack in anything you won't want to pack out, there are no trash cans. Super clean park and facilities, nice beach. We will be back!

William Graves

Love this park! Beautiful trails and a great walking workout.

Tiffany Esola

Great place to get a morning hike in or run with the family. It's about a 4 mile hike would recommend for beginners.

bill curry

Calvert Cliffs state park is one of those hidden gems that you would pass by without a second thought it's what you can't see from the road that sets us apart and makes it a true treasure. The first thing you see when you pull in is the nice children's playground that they have the second thing you see is the pond at the state of Maryland stocks with trout during the fall through the spring. It's the miles of trails that you can't see there are truly one of the great gems of this place. the most popular Trail takes you from the parking lot to the shores of the Chesapeake Bay where kids the light and hunting for sharks teeth and shells on the beach. My only complaint is the entrance fee to the park.

Team Rudy

A nice park to hike at. There is a fairly big kids play area constructed of tires that looks really cool. Be careful of wildlife, we saw a copperhead snake along the trail to the beach. We visited for the sharks teeth and fossils found at the beach. We didn't venture very far from where the trail meets the beach, but we found a few fossils and sharks teeth. Be prepared for a long walk, nearly 2 miles from your parking spot ti2 the beach, but it's a nice fairly level walk. Enjoy!

brandy bliss

Went fossil hunting with the kids. Found a few smaller shark teeth and fossils. It's almost a 2 mile hike to the beach from parking. $5 for locals $7 out of state per car.

David Cunningham

It's a nice place to go.

Melissa Gilbert

I live about an hour and a half away and I have fallen in love with this place! Probably going back tomorrow.

John Sly

A very nice 2 mile hike leading to the water a. Not far from Annapolis. Lots of parking.

Kevin Cook

This review is primarily for the beach. Parking was somewhat limited on a holiday weekend, but not impossible. There is a gorgeous walk down to the beach area, although beware it is 1.8 miles down a mostly tree covered path with some beautiful marshes nearby. The beach itself is nice, and as all the reviews will tell you, is bustling with people panning for sharks teeth. There's limited shade provided you can grab a spot near the reeds, but the water is beautiful. Be sure to bring shoes, however, and the first 8 feet of the beach is covered in rocks discarded by the panners. With some swim shoes in hand, I would recommend this beach, given the extra diversions of being able to search for fossils and avail yourself of the public sand castle building supplies.

Daniel Sutter

A very scenic short hike to the sand and cliffs. Well worth the trip.

Marie Greer

This is a LOOONG walk down to the beach. The beach is clean, and the unsafe sections are closed off. A park professional is in duty all weekend. Technically, dogs are required to be leashed. The beach is not that big. Groups of three are probably the best size to visit this beach.

Gary James

Small beach. Water was warm.

Jessica Kilby

Great trails for all different fitness levels. Sad that the cliffs are closed off to looking for artifacts, shark teeth and fossils. I totally understand why though. If you are looking to find anything its best to get there as soon as the park opens, otherwise it gets busy quickly.

Robert Aldridge

Visited March 14th. You need a Maryland Park pass or $5 per car. There is a 1.8 mile path from the nearest parking lot to the beach. The path is either gently sloping or level, passing through forest and beside large beaver ponds. It was a warm day so we saw lots of turtles sunning on logs and heard lots of tree frogs. There is a sandy beach at the end of the trail. Take a colander to sift the sand. There is a good chance you will find shark 's teeth. DO NOT walk the beach below the cliffs because the cliff face collapses frequently.

Matthew Borkoski

Nice little beach, 4 mile round trip there and back]

Mark Kulp

Great hike to get to a neat beach with views of the cliffs. Fun to search for fossils in the sand.

Nicole McCann

Long time to get there, but worth it. Beautiful little beach. We found some fossils and a few shark teeth with the help of a very kind park ranger.

Matthew Mabe

Great place to unwind and take a break from the real world

mindy logar

Great easy walk on a well traveled path down to the beach.

Aaron Berkebile

Very neat view at the end of the trail. What I didn't know was that there was a 2 mile hike to the beach. You can find fossils on the beach. It gets really muddy after a good rain, wear boots.

Jill Shaul

Great park with a wonderful low difficulty trail. The trail, beach and cliffs were well worth the small entrance fee.

David Cudd

Take a hike, find some sharks teeth on the beach! Fun times for the whole family. Hike is about 2 miles each way.

Karla Degallerie

Nice clean park. We walked the 1.8 mile red trail to the beach. It was a really nice walk. My kids did great and even had energy to enjoy the beach when we got there!!

Rob Herion

There is about a 2 mile walk in to the beach, but its very easy. There is a lot of nature to see and hear along the way. About a mile in, you hike along a marshy area that is chock full of turtles and frogs and water fowl here and again. The beach area is small, so I would imagine it could get quite crowded in the summer months. You can't go along the cliffs here, but you can easily comb and sift the shoreline for fossils.

Zane Hurst

A very fun place for collecting sharks teeth but not easy to get to with a 1.8 mile hike to get there otherwise a good park.

Christine Barnes

Visited with a total of 3 moms and 8 children (aged 4-12). We all had a blast at the beach and did all find shark teeth. Some notes for others who've never been, it's an almost 2 mile walk through somewhat hilly terrain that has exposed tree roots, sand, and board walks in places. There are only bathrooms in the parking area and no showers. All trash is your responsibility. There are no trash cans.

Restore Diva

It's a nice hike. But worth it!!! Beautiful hidden gem!!!

Scarlet Wilson

So Calvert Cliffs is a great place to bring for you and your family, they have a little play ground when you first come in. In my experience there bathrooms are cleaner than I expected at a park. They have a good amount of table bench at the beginning of the park. If you want to have a cook out they do have a "rentable" pavlovian and 2 grills the only downside was we did have to deal with a lot of wasps flying unfortunately. After cooking out we took a 2 mile hike to get to the water. Bring good shoes and bug spray if you go. They do have a few other trails that I dont think lead to the water. During the trail we did see a copper head curled up that we believe someone killed. Other than that, It was a real treat to see the millions of years worth of erosion at Calvert Cliffs and the water was nice and calming.

William Thompson

Area is great but the bugs are horrible while running. For what you pay it would be nice if they sprayed the place.

Nathan Banker

If you like long walks through wood till you hit the beach you'll love this place

Hudson VanOrmer

This is a lovely place to visit. I beautiful two mile hike though the woods and along picturesque beaver ponds leads you to a secluded beach on the Chesapeake bay. If you’re looking for a typical lounging on the beach under an umbrella this …

SB J

Nice walk out... not much to see once you get there. I imagine it's probably prettier and more interesting in the summer.

Danielle Quill

This park is lovely. I walked the red trail to the beach. I recommend bringing binoculars for bird watching along the path.

Paula Jones

It’s bad enough that the dues are through the roof to live in the ranch club but to have to pay in order to enjoy this park is ridiculous

Debby Showalter

Great hike to the beach. Very peaceful.

Kelly Lunick

Lots of trails to explore. Some have hills and some are flat. All end up at the Red Trail/beach area. Lots of wildlife to see like deer, snakes, cranes, turtles, and even the occasional beaver or musk rat! The only downside is that the restrooms are only located at the beginning of the Red Trail and where the Orange and Red Trails meet. Would be nice if there was one in that open area by the rear parking near the access gate so those who start the trail there don't have to walk down to the entrance restrooms.

Beth MacNeil Stinson

Lots of well kept hiking trails through woods and wetlands. Aboundant wildlife. Parking, public bathroom, and shaded picnic area. Wear insect repellent! Bring sieve if you want to screen for fossils on the beach.

David Hill

Nice 1.8 mile hike to the beach, nothing strenuous. My wife found a small tooth maybe six inches down at the waters edge. Our 19 month old enjoyed digging in the sand as well. We will definitely come back.

Steve Fluder

For us, it was simply a newly discovered set of trails to an interesting and secluded beach area. We enjoyed the whole experience

Daytona Worsham

Not the same as it used to be but my daughter still had fun

Ifare Nass

Niche little hiking area...not challenging at all but a nice stroll just to relax

Skitterine -

Fantastic place for locals or tourists to explore the local wildlife. You can see everything from beavers, to turtles to herons, and on more exciting days there is some variants of snakes to gander at. Always exciting!

Gabriel Pires

3 hour drive from South Jersey.. 2 mile hike to the cliffs, over hilly terrain. Fossils, shark teeth, swimming, fishing.. Wonderful family outing, water is available for drinking from staff. Strainers and small shovels also provided free of charge, Porta potty on site. This is a real hike thru the woods, be prepared..

Shila Shay

This place is a unique wonder.. it has a gorgeous view of the cliffs and the fresh water runs from a large stream and mixes with the ocean. We sat in the ocean and panned for fossils, rare stones and really cool shells. Sitting on the beach there is nothing to see over the horizon and feels like you are in your own paradise. The only downside is the FOR REALLLL 2 mile hike through the forest to get there and back.. MAKE SURE you are well equipped with the right gear to carry your stuff and shoes to walk in... And pack lightly, you'll be thankful

Catherine Knight Steele

Nice trail with kids. Beach is lovely and kids have fun looking for fossils.

Tandon Mardis

Amazing MD state park! My wife found this and recommended we try it. WORTH IT! Great hike. Variety of wildlife and flora. We took the red trail which is about a 1.8 mile walk that leads to the beach area. I highly recommend taking your family for an adventurous picnic at the cliffs.

Venus Rivera

What an amazing hike. The red trail is definitely a must with smaller children . The beach is gorgeous. Plan on being there a few hours relaxing and looking for treasures like shark teeth.

Margaret Ulis

Great walking hike. Fun searching the beach for fossils. Some small shaded areas to rest. Lots of butterflies along the trail. Small kids? bring a wagon and a bucket for your treasures!

Vanessa Ferguson

Fun state park with lots of wildlife! Also a cute beach area where you can hunt for fossils

Lyra Carr

Nice beach, 1.8 mile nature walk from parking. Great for shell collectors and kds.

The Original Kirbi

Absolutely beautiful park! We walked the red trail to the beach and it was very nice. $5 if you're in county, cash only. Website has all the info that you need. The staff we came across were pleasant and informative. Definitely will be back.

Susanna Simmons

Beautiful breathtaking park. You have to walk 2 miles to get to your he beach and 2 miles back. Lots of cool dragonflies, lizards and snakes

gabrielle kneessi

My son had so much fun and always makes friends.

Scott Chenworth

This place is a true treasure!! It is so peaceful here. I eat lunch here often and the is a reservation only pavilion for public use. Great trails to hike as well.

Tim Filson

I took a trip out here after reading about the fossils and great trails to hike. Arrived mid morning and the weather was beautiful. We set out on our hike and I was really amazed by the trail being part dirt and part sand, had never seen one like it before. The trail I thought was a fairly easy hike, flat more or less with a lot of beautiful fauna to look at on the way to the beach. You then arrive at a beach with a big bin of sand tools and toys to use on the beach, which I thought is a particularly cool idea. We went out and were amongst many families playing in the water and the sand, some sitting for fossils others just playing in the sand. We didn’t find any fossils but a plethora of neat shells, all in all a great place to go for a family or any ages. Lots of hiking trails to be seen and even water to wade or swim in and fun in the sand.

James Greig

Extremely peaceful, nothing but the sounds of nature. Well maintained and pleasant for an afternoon hike.

Sean McIlvried

What a great park I can’t wait to go back fossil hunt enjoy the beach make sure to wear a swimming shoes if you plan to swim also if you were bringing a card you have to take the service road which is very steep inclines be cautious

John Moore

Nice park but a looong walk to the beach, which is small since the cliffs are closed off due to erosion. It's nearly a 2 mile hike to the beach from the parking lot. Great views though. Bring along some water before you come!

Michael Hickerson

Beautiful 2mi walk to the beach, lots and lots of shells. Amazing scenery of wetlands and what Maryland has to offer. Worth every second.

Anshuman Swain

Pretty amazing place! There are multiple trails which are extremely popular. They take different routes and depend on how much you want to exert yourself. It had a variety of habitats to look at if you're a nature lover. The cliffs are famous for shark tooth fossils - so fossil hunting should be on your list.

Krystal Petitto

I wish that I could give this park 100 stars. This is one of the most interesting hikes I've taken in awhile. About a 2hr hike one way to the beach- saw a couple bald eagles, lizards, wild water lilies - beautiful nature hike. The beach …

Johnny Gee

Hike was scenic, but the beach was small and finding shark teeth was not easy.

Jeff Light

Great hike. Lots of views and wildlife. Highly recommend.

Jarred Trice

Always fun! Love the trails.

Joe Miller

Great hiking! Be prepared to cart out all your trash.

Vicky

Great place and lovely walk. Wish more of the beach was open and people need to take their trash with them.

Zega Genesis

A great park with a wonderful 2 mile hike to a small beach where you can hunt for shark teeth and other fossils.

Sam

Terrible, do not go as a beach vacation time. no one says 2 mile hike to beach. Beach overridden with jellyfish, rocks and other hazards. None of this is to blame to the management just not good. The hike also has bits where the brides are breaking.

Lysa H

Its kinda cool, but the beach really isn't that great. Its the other trails that are so awesome. Make that your reason to go and you won't be disappointed. Go for the beach and you probably will be

Breanna Smith

Beautiful! 2 mile hike to the beach, geocaching, dogs allowed. Look for shark teeth, they provide toy colanders to soft through the sand

Stacy Brasfield

The trails are in good shape, and the nature is beautiful. The beach is small.

Levi West

Gorgeous little beaches and it's a 1.8 mile walk ( which is beautiful along the marsh as long as you take the trail, not the service road) to the beach so not too crowded! Very nice hiking trails as well.

Chris Murphy

Beautiful, lucky day I found six 1" sharks teeth. Best to look right at the water's edge sitting on top of the shells

Kelley Koehler

The guy at the check in booth was super friendly. The beach was set up exactly as we had read, with digging tools, water supply and lots of shells to sift through. The trail to get to the beach was well kept and a good workout even on a really hot day, we enjoyed it and would probably go again if we're ever in the area. The park itself also had nice shaded picnic tables and a playground for kids. Parking was convenient as well.

Vlad B

Really nice hike up to the beach.

Johnny Budha

The Hike Was Amazing And The View Was Relaxing.

Rocky Neely

Fun hike down to the beach, very interesting story about how the area was formed, dog friendly. The only drawback is that the beach is very limited because extended beach closures due to the eroding cliffs.

Julia-Helen Collins

Great little day trip enjoyed by all the family. Red trail to the beach was an easy walk to make and managed by old and young walkers alike. Plenty to see and do. Fantastic for wildlife spotting and a spot of fossil hunting on the beach. Loo facilities available near car parking area. Exciting playground for little ones. Benches and BBQ grills available. Would highly recommend if visiting the area.

Christina Niedermair

Nice hiking trails and the opportunity to go down to the beach and search for shells and fossils. Unfortunately, the cliffs are blocked off right now due to the danger of landslides, but there are still multiple trails to explore and enjoy.

Angel Reynolds

Admission price for out-of-state vehicles is $7, which is not posted anywhere. A lot of the beach access was closed, so it caused overcrowding.

Nicole Shepherd

Beautiful place.