Flag Ponds Nature Park is the largest beach that I’ve found in Calvert County and my favorite one. It changes with the tides, storms and seasons so it’s never quite the same twice and never boring.
I’m a bit of an obsessive beachcomber, so Flag Ponds Nature Park is perfect for me. While my friends are content to relax with a book and the kids float on boogie boards or swim in the vast shallows, I’m pacing along the edge looking not for shells, but for teeth.
Other beachcombers do the same with sieves, colanders, and shovels looking for shark teeth, skate dental plates, and other Miocene fossils. Stop at the ranger station to see their display cases before you hit the beach. Everything inside was found at Flag Ponds, so you’ll get an idea of what to look for. People are friendly and will often show you how to find them. That’s how I learned.
Rarely crowded even in summer months, it’s still good to arrive before noon as the parking lots are small. There are bathrooms both at the station and the beach, but no place to buy food, so bring a picnic, water, and stay awhile. It’s a half-mile walk to the beach, but handicapped parking is available.
The heat of summer brings jellyfish, so bring vinegar to treat stings and avoid the water entirely when warning signs are out.
Dog friendly, many people bring their pets on leashes or let them swim in the bay. The hiking trails are great for dog walks too. Even in the winter, we enjoy hiking the handful of trails then ending our day at the Chesapeake to fossil hunt.
There is a pier for fishing and plenty of blue crabs to catch. Some people go diving and others wear waders to search of megalodon teeth in deeper water.
For Calvert County residents, an annual pass is well worth the $15/year or you can pay $4/car on each visit. Either way, Flag Ponds Nature Park & Beach is a special beach and a great place to spend a day any time of year.
http://www.calvertparks.org/fpp.html
