The Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network connects you with the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers through more than 160 exceptional parks, wildlife refuges, museums, sailing ships, historic communities, trails and more. Gateways are the special places where you can experience the authentic Chesapeake.

More than 160 special places for experiencing the Chesapeake Bay have joined the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network since 2000. View a complete list of designated Gateways and the year they joined.

Learn more about the Gateways Network and how it operates.

• Gateways Network Mission and Vision
• The Network’s Goals
• Network Support and Coordination
• Gateways Network Publications

The Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network is administered through the National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office. The Chesapeake Bay Office also administers the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail. Learn more about the role of the National Park Service on the Chesapeake Bay in the latest edition of the Chesapeake Bay Office year in review.

Here's how to make YOUR connection:

Visit a Gateway Explore your Chesapeake - wade into its waters, delve into its human stories, fall in love with its natural beauty. Search among more than 160 different places to experience the Chesapeake, then get out there and enjoy! See the Chesapeake Get a glimpse of many of the more than 160 Chesapeake Bay Gateways through online slide shows. This taste of the diversity of the Chesapeake will inspire you to make plans for your next visit. Make Your Plans Use the Gateways Network Map and Guide to plot your next Chesapeake adventure. Order a copy today. Learn About the Chesapeake The Chesapeake is a big place with more stories than you can count. Explore how it has influenced our past, and still does today. Learn about lighthouses, workboats, waterfowl and more.

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