Cross Island Trail, Kent Island, Maryland

The Cross Island Trail.

These berries looked like black blueberries.

This tree-lined "park" is a great bike and hiking trail. The trail is 6.5 miles long, spanning east to west from Terrapin Park to the Chesapeake Heritage and Visitor Center at Kent Narrows, with future plans for expansion. The trail wanders through farmlands, meadows and woods accented with ornamental trees. Flanked by park benches, the trail crosses several creeks with wooden bridges, offering a spectacular view of waterfowl and wetlands. Portable toilets are available year round.
Directions: Accessible at various locations along the trail. From east to west off street parking is available at the Terrapin Nature Park, Old Love Point Park, Castle Marina Road, the Chesapeake Heritage and Visitor Center and the public lots beneath the Kent Narrows US 50/301 Bridge. These lots are open daily from Sunrise to Sunset.
Pets: Allowed on leash (doggie bags provided)
Fees: None
On April 26, 2022, Queen Anne's County Commissioners and the Department of Parks and Recreation celebrated the opening of our newest park amenity, the Cross Island Trailhead at Macuum Creek. This newest park amenity features restrooms, a parking area and new landscaping. The location is 1701 Piney Creek Road in Chester.

Terrapin Park: This award-winning 276-acre nature park features a 3.25-mile oyster chaff walking trail, which meanders through wildflower meadows, wetlands, tidal ponds, woodlands, and sandy shoreline. The trail provides a unique vantage point for viewing an incredible variety of waterfowl, wildlife, and plant species. A gazebo is located along the sandy shoreline afford a spectacular view of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Park benches located along the trail provides a brief respite for the weary. The trail, which wanders over several bridges, across marshlands and through woodlands, features two observation blinds overlooking the tidal ponds. The trail connects to the County’s Cross Island Trail system. Nearby parking for the Cross Island Trail system is available at Old Love Point Park.

Portable toilets are available year-round. QAC Parks & Recreation is in the process of installing a Rangers Station and Restroom pods at the trailhead of the park, with anticipated opening date in the Spring of 2022.
Please remember that Terrapin is a nature park so no coolers, grills, open fires, or shade structures outside of the picnic areas. Please only fish in designated areas.

Chesapeake Heritage & Visitors Center* (exit 41 from Rt.301/50) is located on the Kent Narrows waterfront at the end of Piney Narrows Road, on the western side of the strait of the Kent Narrows. Here visitors may pick up a beautifully illustrated Watermen's Way Heritage Trail map depicting the Kent Narrows Waterfront Area. The Center serves as both a destination point and an information center. Visitors may climb the observation towers to see the magnificent view of the Kent Narrows, the Chester River, and the Eastern Bay. Inside, visitors enjoy a permanent collection of objects and art that reflects the region’s unique culture and heritage. Indigenous marine life and changing exhibits are also featured. A variety of community-based events are held throughout the year, so be sure to check out the events calendar. Nearby in Grasonville is the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center. The center features a variety of opportunities for biking, birding, kayaking and much more. Kayak rentals are available from May through the end of October.
Nature and outdoor recreation enthusiasts are pleased to learn that the trailhead to Ferry Point Nature Park begins at the Center. This 41-acre nature park sits on the Chester River and offers a two-mile walking trail. The trail features a wooden bridge that leads to scenic vistas and provides eco-tourist opportunities to view birds and wildlife unique to the region. Capacity restrictions may be in force to avoid overcrowding at Ferry Point Park. For more info visit: https://qac.org/229/Parks-Recreation. The six-mile Cross Island Trail is also within walking distance of the Center. The new Cross County Connector Trail can be accessed from Kent Narrows Way North. Those wishing to use the trail may park for free in the Public Lot under the east side of the Kent Narrows Bridge. The combination boardwalk and asphalt trail connects to the existing Cross Island Trail extending the current trail for 1.2 miles. It runs parallel to the westbound side of Rt. 301/50 and can be easily accessed from the vicinity of the Holiday Inn Express. It connects with Long Point Park in Grasonville. Long Point Park is located at the intersection of Long Point Road and Jackson Creek Road.

Hours of Operation: The Center is open, seasonally May through November, seven days a week. Currently, the hours are as follows: 9 am-4pm, Monday-Friday. Open limited hours Saturdays and Sundays. Indoor restroom facilities are available (limited hours). A bike rack is located outdoors. The adjoining Ferry Point Park is open from sunrise to sunset.
*The Chesapeake Heritage & Visitors Center was formerly known as the Chesapeake Exploration Center.

Long Point Park: This 7.3-acre park has a 1/3-mile paved walking trail, and a pond surrounded by native grasses and wildflowers. Park benches under the trees offer respite from the heat on a hot summer day. In 2018, construction extending the Cross Island Trail broke ground, extending the trail by 1.2 miles, ending at Long Point Park. Visitors can now access the renowned trail by visiting Long Point Park. Parking availability is limited, additional parking available at Royal Farms. In summer months, families can enjoy our new Story Walk experience, created in partnership with Queen Anne’s County Library’s Summer Reading Program. The picture books are rotated monthly, so be sure to visit again for a new story, displayed page by page along our trails.

Ferry Point Park: The Park features 41 acres of tidal and non-tidal wetlands as well as uplands. A variety of wildlife can be observed while taking in the scenery along the one-mile unpaved trail that ends at a sandy shoreline. Surrounded by three bodies of water (Chester River, Kent Narrows and Piney Creek) the scenic views are magnificent. Ferry Point Park also has sitting benches and interpretive signage for visitors to observe the abundant natural resources. The Park is a wonderful interpretive and passive recreation spot within the Kent Narrows. Ferry Point Park is accessible from the Chesapeake Heritage and Visitor Center where the restrooms for the park are also located. Ferry Point Park is a nature park, so please no coolers, grills, open fires, shade structures, or fishing.

KENT NARROWS Attractions include:

• Maryland Watermen's Monument (At Kent Narrows Way South and Rt. 18, interpretative signs)
• Wells Cove Landing Area (Scenic overlook: Access from the Parking Area at the end of Wells Cove Road)
• The Oyster Recovery Project and the Working Waterfront (At Harris Crab House and Harris Seafood)
• Watermen's Boat Basin (Workboats are here, visible from walk over the Kent Narrows Drawbridge)
• Ferry Point Nature Park (Take boardwalk trail across marsh area to Park, interpretative signs along the way tell history of the area, end at the Chester River. Riverfront trails, great place for birdwatching)
• The Cross Island Trail and the new connector trail to Grasonville. (Access from various points throughout the Kent Narrows, scenic boardwalk trail accessible from Piney Narrows Road, park at the Chesapeake Heritage and Visitors Center or in lots under the Kent Narrows Bridge)
• Watermen's Memorial Drawbridge (Take the trail from Watermen's Monument on Piney Narrows Rd to walk over)