The 15,000-acre Pocomoke River State Park lies between Snow Hill and Pocomoke City in southwestern Worcester County. It features forests and swamps along the banks of the Pocomoke River. Read on to learn more.
The park is known for the cypress swamps that border its namesake river, which means “dark water.” Its combination of swamp and upland offers an impressive variety of plant and animal life from white dogwood in spring to river otters and bald eagles.
Campsites
The 15,000-acre park lines both sides of the Pocomoke River near Snow Hill in Worcester County. The Shad Landing and Milburn Landing areas offer campers a tranquil base from which to explore native flora and fauna.
A cypress swamp, woods, and trails await visitors. The park’s nature center is a must-see. It features displays and tanks with reptiles, amphibians, fish, and birds.
The park offers a variety of campsites, with 165 sites at the Shad Landing area and another 73 at the Milburn Landing site. All campsites feature a fire ring and picnic table. There are also centrally located washhouses with flush toilets and hot water showers.
Picnicking
The park’s cypress swamps and verdant forests provide the perfect backdrop for picnicking. The Pocomoke River, which gets its name from the Native American word meaning “black water,” originates in the Great Cypress Swamp in Delaware and flows southwest for 45 miles to the Chesapeake Bay.
The park offers picnic areas, pavilions, camping sites, fishing, flatwater canoeing, and hiking trails. It also features a recycled tire playground for children.
There are also 20 furnished log cabins for rental use year-round. The park is home to river otters and muskrats, and bald eagles are occasionally seen. It’s about 30 minutes from both Chincoteague and Assateague beaches. A great place to also visit is Baja Amusements.
Trails
The park’s trails range in length and intensity, with something for everyone to enjoy. Hikers will appreciate the wide variety of vegetation and wildlife.
The Pocomoke River originates in Great Cypress Swamp and flows south 45 miles to the Chesapeake Bay. The cypress swamp and forest provide plenty of habitat for bird species, frogs, lizards, and fish.
The park offers a variety of multi-use trails for bikers, with a few different loops available for hikers and runners. Horseback riders can find a trail that’s large enough for their horse trailer at the Milburn Landing trail. The park’s Chandler tract has a trail system that covers more than 6 miles through the Hudson and Tarr tracts.
Nature Center
The park’s nature center offers a great opportunity to learn more about the area’s wildlife and flora. The facility hosts a wide range of presentations and also features two river otters in their natural habitat.
The park’s 15,000 wooded acres in the southwestern section of Worcester County offer guests a tranquil base for a vast array of outdoor and tourist activities. The park borders the wild and scenic Pocomoke River, which originates in the Great Cypress Swamp in Delaware and flows southwesterly 45 miles to the Chesapeake Bay. The park is famous for its stand of loblolly pine and cypress swamps that border the river.
Delmarva Discovery Museum
Tucked away on Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore, the park provides visitors with a wealth of outdoor and tourist activities. One of the many attractions is the Delmarva Discovery Museum, which serves as a source of learning and discovery for the public through the preservation and interpretation of the area’s natural and cultural heritage.
The 16,000-square-foot facility originally began as a car dealership, but it was transformed into the Delmarva Discovery Center by volunteers in the town of Pocomoke City. It includes a River Otter exhibit, touch pool, beaver lodge, steamship, and Native American room.
The most popular attraction at the DDC is a massive tank that houses local varieties of fish. Kids in particular love to visit the aquarium and watch the divers feed the fish.
Historical Sites
Snow Hill is surrounded by farmland that has fueled the town’s economy throughout its history. The river was a major highway for trade and fostered commerce with surrounding towns, which led to the development of churches, schools, hotels, and boarding houses. Liveries, coopers, smiths, and wagon makers flourished.
The park’s Furnace Town Living Heritage Museum offers a look back at one of the region’s most fascinating enterprises, digging out crude bog-iron ore from the swamp and smelting it in 19th-century furnaces. Tours are available.
The town is a short drive from both Chincoteague Island and Assateague National Seashore. It’s also home to a small zoo and a handful of historic buildings, including the 1870s Costen House. Up next is The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art.
Driving directions from Clean Power Wash to Pocomoke River State Park: Shad Landing
Driving directions from Pocomoke River State Park: Shad Landing to The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art
