#TravelsWithOllie: Calvert Cliffs, MD
One thing I used to do all the time was simply go for a drive. I'd pack up the car and head out looking for something new with no set agenda. The joy of discovery was all that was required.
Lately though, be it busyness or the anticipation of inevitable traffic in this DC bubble, these trips have disappeared from my life. I too easily pass on a day of nothing – making every excuse in the book to stay home and tick off to-do items. It's something I want to change. Honestly, it needs to change because I'm losing my sense of wonder with the world and with it the inspiration I need to create. But I digress. This post is supposed to be about my October group hike to Calvert Cliffs State Park in Maryland…
Calvert Cliffs State Park on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay in Southern Maryland is an excellent site of Early to Middle Miocene formations. The cliffs and beach area are known for finding fossils, especially sharks teeth dating back as far as 19 million years. It's a fascinating place and I'd never been.
The park has a number of trails at various levels of difficulty. We chose the Red Trail because that one gets you to the beach. After an easy walk through the forest and along beaver-created marshlands, you reach the beach. Then you're free to hunt for fossils as long as you stay out of the protected cliffs. Reaching the beach during low tide is key for any beach-related activities.
A few of our hikers found sharks teeth and seashells while the rest enjoyed watching the dogs romp around the water. It was lovely. We headed back as rain clouds began to form.
Please note: Leashes are required everywhere in the park - photos without leashes have been retouched.
The #TravelsWithOllie group hikes are all about community building and discovering trails within the DC bubble. We have a group of regulars now with new faces joining every month. It's fun, fills me up and adds a to-do item that aligns with my need to explore.
Next month I'm giving YOU the reins.
Join us on Black Friday, Nov 29th, by sharing your favorite trail and tagging #OptOutsideWithOllie on Instagram or posting to the event page on Facebook. Take a drive to nowhere, discover something new or revisit a favorite spot – just get outside and enjoy life with the ones you love.
