Elk Neck State Park
| Elk Neck State Park | |
| Maryland State Park | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Maryland |
| County | Cecil |
| Elevation | 118 ft (36 m) [1] |
| Coordinates | 39°28′59″N 75°58′46″W / 39.48306°N 75.97944°WCoordinates: 39°28′59″N 75°58′46″W / 39.48306°N 75.97944°W [1] |
| Area | 2,191 acres (887 ha) [2] |
| Established | Unspecified |
| Management | Maryland Department of Natural Resources |
| style=""color: #cde5b2"" | IUCN category | V - Protected Landscape/Seascape |
| Nearest city | North East, Maryland |
  Location in Maryland
| |
| Website: Elk Neck State Park | |
Elk Neck State Park is a Maryland state park on Chesapeake Bay in Cecil County. The park is on MD 272, eight miles (13 km) south of the town of North East, and 13 miles (21 km) south of exit 100 on I-95. The North East River, Elk River, and Chesapeake Bay form the Elk Neck Peninsula, on the southern tip of which the park rests. A part of the Northeastern coastal forests ecoregion, the park's landscape is characterized by deep forests, bluffs, beaches and marshlands.[3] The park offers land- and water-based recreation and is home to the historic Turkey Point Light.[4]
Turkey Point Lighthouse
The 35-foot (11 m) Turkey Point Lighthouse sits atop a 100-foot (30 m) bluff overlooking the Upper Chesapeake Bay. The tower dates to 1833 and is opened for park visitors on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am - 4pm (weather and volunteer availability permitting), Easter weekend until the end of October. Turkey Point Light Station, Inc., a non-profit organization, has maintained the lighthouse since 1995.[5]
Activities and amenities
Campgrounds
The park's nine camping loops have 229 campsites designed for tents, trailers, and motorhomes. The park also has eight rustic cabins, seven camper cabins, and six youth group sites. Pets are restricted to designated areas and alcohol is not permitted.[6]
Trails
The park has 12 miles (19 km) of trails for hiking and biking.
| Trail Name | Length | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| White Banks Trail | 3 miles (4.8 km) | Difficult |
| Mauldin Mountain Loop | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) | Difficult |
| Pond Loop | 1 mile (1.6 km) | Moderate |
| Farm Road Trail | 1 mile (1.6 km) | Moderate |
| Beaver Marsh Loop | 4 miles (6.4 km) | Difficult |
| Lighthouse Trail | 2 miles (3.2 km) | Easy |
| Ravines Loop | .75 miles (1.2 km) | Moderate |
Water recreation
The park offers a swimming beach, fishing, and crabbing, plus a boat launch and launch area for canoeing and kayaking.
Popular culture
The park was used as a filming location for the 1997 Clint Eastwood movie Absolute Power. [7]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Elk Neck State Park
- ↑ "FY2013 DNR Owned Lands Acreage Report". Maryland DNR. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
- ↑ Olson, D. M, E. Dinerstein et al. (2001). "Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World: A New Map of Life on Earth". BioScience 51 (11): 933–938. doi:10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0933:TEOTWA]2.0.CO;2.
- ↑ "Elk Neck State Park". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
- ↑ "History". Turkey Point Light Station, Inc. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
- ↑ "Elk Neck State Park". Reservations. Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
- ↑ "Absolute Power 1997". Movie Tourist.
External links
- Elk Neck State Park Maryland Department of Natural Resources
- Turkey Point Light Station, Inc.