Rising from the Nanticoke River in Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Sharkfin Shoal Light has stood since 1892 as a sentinel guiding vessels through these shallow Chesapeake Bay tributary waters. This caisson-style screwpile lighthouse earned its name from the nearby shoal and features a distinctive hexagonal design. Now deactivated, the lighthouse is not open to the public and cannot be climbed, but remains a striking subject best viewed and photographed by boat during golden hour on calm autumn mornings when fog drifts across the river. Nearby, visitors can explore the charming town of Vienna, paddle the Nanticoke River Water Trail, or visit the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, one of the East Coast’s premier birding destinations.

Explore Nearby

• Matapeake State Park — State Park in Maryland
• Helen Avalynne Tawes Garden — State Park in Maryland
• Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway — Scenic Byway in Maryland
• Baltimore’s Historic Charles Street — Scenic Byway in Maryland
• Jericho Covered Bridge — Covered Bridge in Maryland