Mark’s Score 9.4
I am a native New Englander, and I moved to Delmarva a decade ago. Before moving here, I knew nothing about Maryland, nor had I ever visited the Eastern Shore. Every place has its negatives and positives. I sure do miss the hills of New England. But one of the great things about the State of Maryland is its state park system. I think Maryland has some the best parks in the country. I have yet to visit a unkept Maryland state park. Maryland state parks are usually well maintained, trails are clearly marked and also littered with educational signage. Most parks are equipped with useful amenities, such as bathrooms, stores, sports facilities, groomed camping grounds, and often boating rental equipment and ramps. I have yet to visit a disappointing Maryland park.
Which brings me to one of my favorite parks, Janes Island State Park. Janes is located just north of Crisfield and has both a mainland section, which contains all the park amenities plus 105 campsites plus 2,900 acres of saltmarsh with 30 miles of water trails just across the Daugherty Creek Canal on Janes Island. In fact, the American Canoe Association rates Janes Island as having one of North America’s best water trial networks. In addition to the camp sites the park also has a general store, a marina with a boat launch, boat/kayak/canoe rentals, well-groomed hiking trails with educational markers, picnic areas, as well as designated hunting, birding, license free fishing and crabbing areas.
Summer is coming, and with the summer come the tourists. So, I am getting as much park time in as possible. In between the unending rain the last few weeks, I did find a short window to get in one last visit to Janes Island. My day plan called for first going to Bazil’s in Crisfield (see review) grab a sandwich, then go up to Janes Island, hike on the mainland then rent a peddle kayak and spend an hour or so kayaking through the marshlands.
To be honest, when I first moved here, I did not appreciate the beauty of the place. The Eastern Shore seemed flat, featureless, and uninteresting. But over the years I have come to appreciate and then fall in love with the rivers, marshes, bucolic towns, and forests of the Eastern Shore. The fact that Maryland makes their parks educational is an added bonus. The hiking trail meanders through the woods next to the canal. It is an easy pleasant walk with helpful signs labeling plants along the route.
There are seven water trails through the marshlands, most of them can be navigated by novice paddlers. On this trip I paddled down the Blue Trail, which meanders through the marshes south toward Crisfield. There is a majestic beauty to these marshlands, and near the end of the trail you come out into open water with views of Crisfield.
If you have not yet visited Janes Island, it should be on your short list. This small piece of land and bay encompass all the beauty and heritage of the Eastern Shore.
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