| Calvert Cliffs State Park preserves some of the best examples of the Chesapeake Bay region before there even was a Bay. The cliffs dominating the shoreline of the Chesapeake Bay for thirty miles in Calvert County, were formed over 15 million years ago when the region was covered by a warm, shallow sea. When the sea receded, cliffs were exposed and began eroding. Today these cliffs reveal the remains of prehistoric species, including sharks, whales, rays and seabirds that were the size of small airplanes. As early as the 1600s, people came to the base of the cliffs in search of their fossils. Over 600 species of fossils have been identified from Calvert Cliffs. Whale ear bones and skulls, crocodile snouts, fossilized pinecones and the dental plate of a ray have been discovered washed up on the beach. The fossils that draw the most visitors are the shark's teeth that are often found. Visitors are welcom to search for shark's teeth on the beach, but not the unstable cliffs. Along with cliffs, the park offers nature trails, picnic areas, playground equipment, fishing and many interpretive programs. |
