Whether you’re into hiking, cycling, kayaking, or a more relaxing day in the sunshine, there are plenty of outdoor activities near our charming bungalow to enjoy during your stay. Look below for rental information as well if you need any gear before embarking!
Hiking Tuckahoe State Park
Click to Navigate to Blue/Yellow Trail Head
Tuckahoe State Park, just a stone’s throw from our bungalow, is the Eastern Shore’s largest state park and one of the biggest in Maryland. It offers some superb hiking (as well as mountain biking and equestrian trails) and is an easy place to spend an afternoon or an entire day.
While there are many trails around Tuckahoe, we recommend turning onto Cemetery Road (off of Route 404), driving to the end, and hopping on either the blue or yellow trails that come to a stop on Cemetery Rd. You’ll also see a wonderful bridge overlook of the river. These trails are less traveled because they are not near any of the parking areas and have some of the nicest views. They also travel in a nice 3-5 mile circuit, depending on how far you’d like to go, and can even hike to the Scales and Tails area, a spot where you can see bald eagles, owls, and others up close and personal along your hike.
Visit Adkins Arboretum
Get there: 12610 Eveland Road, Ridgely, MD 21660
While you’re near Tuckahoe State Park, take a visit to Adkins Arboretum, one of the state’s most beautiful sanctuaries of native plants and wildlife. With miles of its own trails, a rotating art gallery, gift shop, and native plant gardens, its a wonderful space to spend a morning or afternoon with the family. The grounds are free to explore (and we are members as well). It’s a fantastic display of much of the beauty the Eastern Shore has to offer.
Here is a great video highlighting some of what Adkins has to offer:
Kayaking Tuckahoe Creek
While there are many great spots along the Shore to drop in a kayak or stand-up paddle board, the Tuckahoe is often considered one of the best. Relatively calm, the bungalow is near a freshwater area of the creek that allows for either challenging, narrow waters, or wide-open river within only five minutes each way.
Our recommendation is to use the Hillsboro Landing to launch, about a 5-7 minute walk from the bungalow, though we recommend driving (esp if towing your kayak) because there are not many sidewalks between the two places. From here, turn left at launch if you’d like to go out to large, open waters with space to roam (this will, eventually, bring you out to the Choptank River). Or, turn right to head under Route 404 and head toward Tuckahoe State Park, navigating around a narrowing creek, fallen branches, and more. Both offer their own level of enjoyment depending on your skill level or desires for the day.
There is a local kayak rental company right in Hillsboro near the landing, however you can also use Easton Cycle and Sport and they will deliver the kayak wherever you may be launching.
A Great 20-mile Cycling Circuit
If you’ve brought your bikes to the bungalow (or would like to rent your own), it is a wonderful jumping off point for several cycling circuits, both of which I’ve linked below. It is very easy to ride the backroads through Tuckahoe State Park (my personal favorite), out to downtown Denton and Martinek State Park, or into Easton.
Here is a nice 21-mile ride through Tuckahoe State Park direct from the bungalow: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/134754148
