Our brief visit to Janes Island State Park in Maryland left us wanting more. We had two nights to stay and our timing was a little off. It was just before prime camping season and only one loop was open for campers. Even so, we enjoyed the beautiful Chesapeake Bay and the solitude.
We arrived in the late afternoon and set up camp. We wandered over to the Nature Center. It was still closed for the season so we climbed the watchtower.
From the watchtower, the views of the marina and Daugherty Creek Canal gave us a sense of what the park was all about – fishing, crabbing, and boating. If only we had packed our kayaks. We could’ve kayaked the 30 mile Janes Island Water Trail (or at least part of it :/ ) !!!
We descended the tower and returned to our campsite to settled in. After dinner, we explored the marina area as the sun was setting.
The docks and marina impressed us. We noticed plenty of ladders around the docks for boat access.
Soon after sunset, the water became smooth as glass. We passed by a bulletin board near the fish cleaning station and noticed a flyer for a special boat tour. The Milky Way was forecast to be visible in the night sky at 2:00 AM. The guided tour also included a tutorial on night sky photography. Unlucky for us, we did not have reservations and the boat was full. If only we had noticed earlier!
Whitetail Trail
The next day we hiked the short Whitetail Nature Trail that encompassed the park. We noticed all the Loblolly pines and spring flowers.
The trail took us back to Daugherty Creek and the cabin area.
We peeked inside the cabin windows and wondered what it would be like to stay in the cabin. We sat on the porch to enjoy the view.
Loop A
That evening we enjoyed another beautiful sunset. The view from campsite #50 was amazing!
We checked out the next day and vowed to return with our kayaks…