You Can Swim, Hike, and Find Shark Teeth on This Trail in Maryland—It’s Summer Perfection

Often, people don’t hike with a goal in mind other than completing the hike, having a good time, and maybe taking a few good pictures. In the summer, these goals can change with the influence of warm weather, making people crave some cool water to swim in. In Maryland, the Calvert Cliff Red Trail fulfills all these goals and one more: the goal of beach combing and finding a fossil or a shark tooth. 

At 3.8 miles long, this out-and-back hike is part of the Calvert Cliff State Park and takes a bit over an hour to complete. It is well-maintained, but still somehow manages to achieve a distinctly relaxed and informal feel, with dogs allowed off leash in certain areas and a boardwalk being slowly reclaimed by nature. It’s overall an easy to moderate hike, with occasional steep sections with rocks and roots, and is known for its exceptional beauty, no matter the season.

With birdwatching, fishing, and swimming available along the hike, this area is well-loved by all ages and is especially popular with families. The beach is small, and with water that hits the mid/high 70s in temperature, you can be sure that many spots on the sand will be taken. As such, getting an early start for the hike or visiting around sunset is best if you’d like to avoid summer crowds. 

The main appeal of the Calvert Cliff Red Trail and the cliffs overall is that you can find fossils on the beach and keep them. There are seashells, of course, but the big draw is the shark teeth. This is in part due to the famous find from 2023, when a nine-year-old girl found a tooth from a Megalodon shark while she was wading in the nearby waters on Christmas Day. While that certainly is an impressive Christmas gift for oneself, she’s not the only one who has found such treasures, and as a result, beachcombing has become an extremely popular pastime near the cliffs. 

As is the case for any trail and state park, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, it is important to note that the beach just below the cliffs has been closed off from swimming since 2011 due to a hurricane. It is also illegal to climb the cliffs or approach them with the intent to dig fossils out of them. Next, the animals. There are more harmless animals like turtles, beavers, and birds, but there are also jellyfish during the summer in the Chesapeake Bay. Finally, the bugs. They are extremely prevalent, with ticks, tiger beetles, wasps, and the always annoying mosquito, so bring all the bug repellent you can!

Luckily, the little inconveniences are far outweighed by the sheer beauty of this trail and the surrounding area. Plus, there’s always the thrill of a possible fossil making its way into your hands! But, maybe you think there’s a better, bigger hike with swimming potential in Maryland? Use our nomination form and tell us all about it!