Tucked into the rolling landscape of Southern Maryland, St. Mary’s River State Park stretches across 2,643 acres of mixed hardwood forests, open meadows, and the scenic shores of St. Mary’s Lake. This quiet gem in St. Mary’s County offers a refreshing escape from the more heavily trafficked parks along the Chesapeake Bay corridor.

The park’s centerpiece is its 250-acre lake, one of the few sizeable freshwater lakes in Southern Maryland. Anglers come for largemouth bass, bluegill, and channel catfish, with a boat launch available for small watercraft (electric motors only — no gas engines allowed, keeping the water calm and clean). A fishing pier near the parking area makes bank fishing easy for families.

Over 15 miles of multi-use trails wind through the park, drawing hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders through forested terrain that feels surprisingly remote given its proximity to Lexington Park and the Patuxent River Naval Air Station. Birders will find the mix of wetland edges and mature forest productive year-round, with warblers flooding through during spring migration.

The park is a day-use facility, so plan overnight stays at nearby Point Lookout State Park if you want to camp in the area. Picnic pavilions and restrooms are available near the lake.

Visit in spring for wildflowers and migrating songbirds, or in autumn when the hardwoods turn and the trails are at their best. Summer brings reliable fishing but also heat and humidity — arrive early for the most comfortable outings.

Explore Nearby

• Drum Point Light — Lighthouse in Maryland
• Piney Point Light — Lighthouse in Maryland
• Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway — Scenic Byway in Maryland
• Douglas Point Special Recreation Management Area — Public Land in Maryland
• Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area — Public Land in Virginia