Calvert Cliffs Redux

All the way back in 2012 -- the first year of our full-time RV'ing adventure -- we visted Calvert Cliffs State Park and posted a blog entry about our hike.  We were camped in the old Duncan's Family Campground in Lothian, Maryland, then.  Our son Matt and his wife Weina and their infant son William were in Falls Church, Virginia, while Matt completed language training for his first State Department posting in Ecuador.  This time, we're in the same campground, although it has changed its name to Adventure Bound Washington.  We're here again while Matt, Weina and William are starting their next tour in D.C.

We remembered very little of our first visit, although we remembered the bogs and frogs, and the beach with fossils.  The hike itself was a blank in our memories.  So, this time, we focused a little more on our hike itself.

From the main parking lot at Calvert Cliffs State Park, we took the Red Trail toward the beach.  It took us through a coastal rainforest.  We saw the remains of some old giants that fell to loggers or disease.  Here, Kathy is dwarfed by a fallen tree's stump:

Due to the moisture and the forest duff, a variety of mushroom and other fungi graced the trailside.  David couldn't resist taking his obligatory fun guy photo:

The Red Trail runs alongside a stream drainage that has created a massive bog.  Consequently, parts of the trail were supported by boardwalks.  Some of the sections were anchored on sandy soil; others almost floated on wet, boggy bottoms:  

The sandy trail was distinctive the entire length of our hike:

We had some views of the bogs, which in places were almost ponds or lakes:

Speaking of fungi...

We spotted the remains of an old boardwalk that probably led to a viewing platform over the bog.  Now, all that is left is the twisted first section of the boardwalk:

Our boardwalk continued winding loyally toward the beach:

Occasionally, we spotted some lily pads and flowers gracing the boggy waters next to the trail:

A beautiful gold-and-black butterfly landed in front of us and posed until we were able to snap its portrait:

We happened upon an old, vacant beaver lodge and dam.  Clearly, a beaver had been active here for years, but -- now -- the beaver has vacated the premises and we wonder what will happen to this part of the bog once the dam breaks:

After two miles, we reached the beach.  If we expected a socially distant experience, we were mistaken -- even though we got out early and reached the beach by 11 am or so.

Kathy chose to put on her mask and brave the crowds to look for fossils and sharks' teeth, while David opted for solitude along the cliffs.  Here was the view north up the Chesapeake Bay:

David found a trail up the edge of the near cliff and climbed to the first height of land, where he got a better view of the easternmost-jutting cliff:

Kathy found one fossilized shell, and eventually followed David up the cliff.  We sat and relaxed, happy that we didn't have lots of other people around.  However, we soon had to don masks because some young boys climbed up toward us and passed nearby along the trail.

After a little rest, we worked our way back down to the trail and headed back toward the trailhead.  On the way, we got this pretty view of the bog:

Most of our hike back ran along the Orange Trail along higher ground, so we lost sight of water; but early Fall leaves added some color to our passage:

Little did we know how rewarding our hike back on the Orange Trail would be, because, we got the rare opportunity to spot the mythical Calvert Culvert!

With that, stay lively my friends, and find more ways to enjoy your socially distant life!