Calvert Cliffs State Park
Lusby, MD
A forest trail leads to a Chesapeake Bay beach beneath clay cliffs, where fossil shark teeth wash up. Allow time for the walk each way, and collect only from the beach, not the cliffs.
Calvert Cliffs State Park on the Chesapeake Bay covers 437 hectares (1,079 acres) and has 21 km (13 miles) of marked hiking trails. The Red Trail leads 3 km (1.8 miles) one way through forest to a beach below the clay cliffs. More than 600 species of fossil organisms from the Miocene (10 to 20 million years ago) have been identified there; common finds include scallops of the genus Chesapecten, Ecphora snails, oyster shells and sharks' teeth.
You may collect only on the open beach at the end of the Red Trail; climbing on the cliffs and walking beneath them is prohibited because of landslide danger, and collecting beneath the cliffs is illegal. Sieves and shovels are allowed. For the round trip including the search, allow at least three to four hours. The park also has picnic areas and a small pond for fishing. Leashed dogs are allowed.
- Nearest town
- Lusby, MD
- Category
- Nature & parks
- GPS
- 38.3950, -76.4430
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and June. Hot in July. Cold, short days in January. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Nearby
© Ser_Amantio_di_Nicolao · CC BY-SA 3.0Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center
© Ser_Amantio_di_Nicolao · CC BY-SA 3.0Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
© miketnorton · CC BY 2.0Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
© Office of Naval Research from Arlington, United States · CC BY 2.0U.S. Naval Academy
Campsites nearby
- Matoaka Beach CabinsCampsite6 mi from Calvert Cliffs State ParkTentsToilets
- Take It Easy CampgroundMotorhome stopover12 mi from Calvert Cliffs State ParkTentsMotorhomesElectricityShowersToiletsWaste disposalWi-Fi
- Madison Bay Campground, Marina, and RestaurantMotorhome stopover14 mi from Calvert Cliffs State ParkTentsMotorhomesElectricity
- Breezy Point Beach and CampgroundCampsite16 mi from Calvert Cliffs State ParkTentsCaravansDrinking waterToilets
- Coles Point Marina and RV ResortMotorhome stopover20 mi from Calvert Cliffs State ParkMotorhomesElectricityWaste disposalWi-Fi
- Point Lookout State Park CampgroundCampsite24 mi from Calvert Cliffs State Park · 143 pitchesTentsCaravansWaste disposal
All campsites in Maryland · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Calvert Cliffs State Park?
Calvert Cliffs State Park is in Lusby, MD, at GPS 38.3950, -76.4430. It is about 22 mi from Tilghman Island.
Can you camp near Calvert Cliffs State Park?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Matoaka Beach Cabins, about 6 mi away; within 25 mi there are 11 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
What is there to see near Calvert Cliffs State Park?
Places worth a stop nearby: Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center (17 mi), Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (18 mi), Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (30 mi) and U.S. Naval Academy (41 mi).
When is the best time to visit Calvert Cliffs State Park?
The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and June. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)