Calvert Cliffs State Park, State park and fossil site along Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, United States.
Calvert Cliffs State Park is a protected area and paleontological site along Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, stretching from wooded hills down to steep coastal cliffs. The park combines forest trails with access to a beach where tall layers of red and gray sediment are visible.
The cliffs formed around 15 million years ago when the region lay beneath a warm, shallow sea. The park was established in 1968 to protect the fossils and shoreline from further development.
The name comes from Lord Baltimore, whose family name was Calvert and who held land throughout Maryland. Visitors today search the beach for fossilized shark teeth and other remains, which has become a popular family activity.
The trail to the beach runs through dense forest and can become slippery after rain, so sturdy shoes and time for the walk are necessary. Those collecting fossils should look after tidal action and only pick from the sand, as climbing the cliffs is not allowed.
More than 600 fossil species have been found here, including teeth from Megalodon, an extinct giant shark that could reach over 60 feet (18 m) in length. Some collectors visit after storms, when fresh fossils wash out and lie along the shore.
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