You usually drive through Queen Anne’s County to get somewhere else, but you’d be amazed what’s right there just on the other side of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
Take the first exit off of Route 50 on Kent Island, head north on Route 8 and turn left into the industrial park and you’ll find yourself at the Terrapin Nature Area. It’s less than a half-hour drive from Annapolis, but it’s a whole other world once you get there.
When Millie and I arrived one muggy afternoon last week, the large parking lot was almost full, and yet we only met up with a handful of other people and dogs. The other visitors must have been absorbed somewhere in the park’s 276 acres or off somewhere on one of the two hiking/biking trails that crisscross the island.
Both of them link to Terrapin Park: the Cross Island Trail that runs 6 miles east to west along an abandoned rail corridor and the South Island Trail that parallels Maryland Route 8 between Matapeake and Kent Point Road.
There’s a trail inside the park that circles a large salt pond. That trail is actually a smooth, flat country lane graveled with crushed shell, perfect for a leisurely bike ride or the afternoon saunter that Millie and I were looking forward to enjoying. There are benches placed at thoughtful intervals, making it an ideal choice for walkers looking for an easy stroll in an exhilarating atmosphere.
The lane starts out in an open meadow, then crosses over the tidal pond on a causeway. We stopped to look for the redwing blackbirds we heard singing in the rushes. Before long, we found a pavilion overlooking the beach.
Walking through the brush and stepping onto the beach felt like emerging through Alice’s looking glass, coming out into a mirror image of Sandy Point State Park, which is just 4 1/2 miles away on the far side of the open Chesapeake.
The bay bridge itself spans the southern horizon. The sunsets over the Western Shore must be stunning from this vantage point. I doffed my shoes and we barefooted all six of our feet down nearly a mile of beach, me wading ankle-deep in the chilly water and Millie trotting deliberately at the far end of the outstretched leash, stubbornly careful to stay in the dry, loose sand.
Millie’s about eight months old now. She has yet to live up to her Labrador retriever genes and let her webbed feet delve into what ought to be her natural habitat. She has only this past week caught on to the concept of tennis balls and their meaning to her existence.
Millie is an astonishingly intelligent creature, and it’s inspiring to watch her progress from puppyhood. It’s almost worth sacrificing a shoe or two. Almost.
This was one of those warm, humid days, a bit overcast with a hint of storm in the clouds. In fact, I was disappointed that it didn’t rain to cool things off a bit. It made me think we’re in for one of those exceptionally hot summers.
All along that near-mile of beach, we only passed a couple of young moms with their toddlers playing in the sand and just a couple of other people getting a head start on their summer reading. At one point, we crossed over a wooden footbridge that spanned the outlet of the pond as the outgoing tide rushed back into the Bay.
Millie and I were attached by a 6-foot strap the whole time, honest; but I still can’t see what harm would have befallen the universe if we hadn’t been so interconnected. We live in a crazy world. I can get a permit to pack a concealed lethal weapon and carry it down a crowded city street, but I can’t get a permit to walk my puppy dog on a beach without a leash.
Dogs are a highly evolved and highly intelligent species. They can be trained to do amazing things: detect explosives and narcotics, sense when someone is about to have an epileptic seizure, help people with poor eyesight navigate urban cacophany, herd sheep by the whistle of a human shepherd from a faraway hillside – even fetch tennis balls.
There should be a system of certifying the level of a dog’s training so that it can accompany its human companion on a beach with no leash when there’s nobody around to bother. Of course, that means the human must undergo training as well. I always pick up after my dog, and sometimes pick up after other peoples’ dogs so my dog doesn’t get the blame.
We had the option of continuing on the trail the rest of the way around the pond, but we decided to backtrack and head home before the storm got a chance to break. By the time we got back to the car, we had logged about 2.7 miles, as opposed to the 3.2 miles we would have walked had we gone all the way around. We beat the rain home.
If you haven’t ventured across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge lately, you’ll want to be sure you get an E-Z Pass transponder, since the cash toll booths are long gone. I got mine at a Giant grocery store for $25, all of which goes for pre-paid tolls, so the transponder itself is free.
Every time you cross from west to east, your account is automatically debited by just $2.50 for your two-axle vehicle. Rides back across the bridge are free. If you don’t have the E-Z Pass, a video monitor will record your license plate and you’ll get a bill in the mail for $6.
As long as you traverse the bridge mid-week and not during rush hour, you probably won’t have much trouble with traffic, but you can always check conditions on the online camera at mdta.maryland.gov/traffic-cameras-by-facility?WPL=#camera-999.
The park is open from dawn to dusk. There is no admission. Portable toilets are available year-round.
Terrapin Nature Area
191 Log Canoe Circle
Stevensville, MD 21666
www.qac.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/Terrapin-Nature-Area-97
410-758-0835 / 410-778-4430
