Tuckahoe State Park
Tuckahoe State Park surrounds the upper reaches of Tuckahoe Creek, a quiet Eastern Shore stream flowing south to the Choptank River. In the park, the creek is bordered by for most of its length by wooded marshlands which support an abundance of wildlife in various habitats. A 60-acre lake offers boating and fishing on 20 acres of open water. The rest of the water is flooded woodland. The park contains 12 miles of scenic hiking, biking, and equestrian trails, plus picnic grounds and a playground for children.
Tuckahoe State Park is a great place to get a feel for part of the Eastern Shore and the beginnings of the streams that eventually flow to the Bay.
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Hours
Tuckahoe is open daily from dawn to dusk.
Certain activities such as night fishing can be done outside of these hours, but check with the park before doing so.
(Note: Many places fill to capacity on busy, nice weather days, especially holiday weekends. Please call ahead or visit the official website to get the most up-to-date information before visiting.)
Fees
There are no fees to visit Tuckahoe for day use.
Check with park personnel for current fees for canoe rentals, park-guided trips, use of picnic facilities, and rent for camping.
Activities
Tuckahoe State Park boasts excellent hiking, biking, and equestrian trails that wander through the park...including the popular Piney Branch Trail, the Physical Fitness Trail, and the Lake Trail.
Canoeing at Tuckahoe State Park is a popular activity on both the lake and the creek. You can watch bald eagles, ospreys, and great blue herons...as beavers and muskrats swim past your canoe. There are several pockets of the park that are accessible only by canoe. The park rents canoes and offers guided canoe trips by the park naturalist. There's a launch ramp for boaters; gasoline motor use is prohibited.
The park offers a family camping area with 33 campsites (including 18 with electric hookups) and a central bathhouse. There's also a youth group camping area with four campsites that each accommodate as many as 30 people. Pets are allowed in the campground, but you must keep them on a leash at all times.
You can rent camper cabins or picnic shelters via the statewide reservation system. The park's four camper cabins sleep four people each, and they come equipped with ceiling fan, electricity, and air conditioning. There are two 80-person shelters.
Two picnic areas each provide shaded sites with picnic tables, charcoal grills, and playground equipment. Larger groups can rent the Lake Pavilion via the statewide reservation system
History
The area is rich in history dating back well before the first European settlers first set foot in Maryland. A gristmill was once located on the creek, the center of a small community long since gone. The stream valley has also been noted as a route along the Underground Railroad for runaway slaves heading north toward freedom. Even the park’s administrative office is a piece of history. A farmhouse typical of those built at the turn of the 20th century, it was purchased along with the surrounding farmland when the park was being created in the 1960s and 70s. The park staff has been lovingly renovating their “Old House” for several years, making every attempt to maintain the original character of the structure while adding modern conveniences such as - working - indoor plumbing.
Railroads and steamships were once an integral part of the early Eastern Shore landscape and both modes of transportation were commonly employed in the area. On the southern edge of the park, the Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Railway Company (and later the Pennsylvania Railroad) operated a line that covered much of the Eastern Shore. The last train rumbled over the Tuckahoe Creek bridge in 1997 when the independent short-line “Chesapeake Railroad” went out of business. The bridge and railway through the park will be part of a planned rails-to-trails conversion project that will further expand the existing trail system.
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