Calvert Cliffs

The cliffs at Calvert Cliffs State Park were once part of an ancient sea and they show a little more of their history every year. These layered walls of sand and clay rise high above the Chesapeake Bay and over the years an incredible amount of fossils have tumbled out of them ranging from scallop shells to megalodon teeth. Standing on the beach below feels like standing inside a geology textbook. The cliffs are easy to access along a flat, pretty 3 km walk on the Red Trail. The trail takes you past a marsh boardwalk that is worth pausing to capture on your way. As you near the end of the trail, the trees open and the bay is suddenly in front of you. Since this shoreline faces east over open water, early morning light warms the cliff bands to gold. The park opens at sunrise so plan to catch that glow that follows sunrise rather than the very first rays. The line of cliffs run along this whole stretch of beach and line up beautifully into the distance from where every you choose to set up. Fossil hunters crouched at the waterline make great subjects too. The beach changes quite a bit depending on the tide, lower tide gives you the most sand and space to work. There are barriers running along the bottom of the cliffs to prevent climbing and to protect their careful ecosystems. A small day-use fee applies per vehicle at the gate, that usually only takes cash. (Lusby, Maryland, United States)