With the excitement of summertime fading, banish the blues with an outdoor adventure to Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge in Kent County, Maryland. Just a day trip from Baltimore, Annapolis, and D.C., Eastern Neck Island has nearly 2,300 acres of natural beauty cozied between the Chester River and the Chesapeake Bay.
With more than 240 species of birds, including bald eagles, tundra swans, and other migratory types, it’s a veritable birding haven.
Though the island’s main attraction is wildlife, people have been lured to Eastern Neck Island for a very long time. Remnants of pre-Columbian Native American life continue to be discovered, and in the mid-1600s, Major Joseph Wickes settled there on a land grant—erecting Wickliffe, one of the first colonial mansions in the area. Although the mansion is long gone, the Wickes Historic Site offers a glimpse into the history of that time.
The fall provides the perfect opportunity for one…or a few…adventurous road trips. Traversing the trails at Eastern Neck Island delivers the reconnect to nature you seek. Zip up, wrap up and cover up your noggin, then set foot on any of the island’s many short trails (some are handicap accessible) with most leading to the water.
If paddling is your passion, launch your kayak on the northwest shore at the Ingleside Recreation Area, where picnic tables overlooking the Chesapeake Bay also allow for a comfortable lunch, or Bogle’s Wharf on the island’s eastern shore along the Chester River, for the 10-mile circuit on the Island Water Trail.
Any time of year, Eastern Neck Island delights, but fall is the perfect time for a truly sensory experience. With the seasonal solitude of the island, you can sit quietly and let nature come to you—its cool breeze and warm sun; its sounds of waves and calls of birds. The longer you sit, the more gifts of nature you’re given.
Considering that Eastern Neck Island is only a mere seven miles from Rock Hall, it would present the perfect opportunity to visit the quaint waterside town. After a day spent frolicking the trails, refuel at any one of Rock Hall’s restaurants for a mouthwatering delight like hot crab dip or Maryland’s signature crab cakes.
Whatever your recreational pleasure, Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge in Kent County offers a perfect getaway for everyone.
