Douglas Point Special Recreation Management Area

About Douglas Point Special Recreation Management Area

The Douglas Point Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA) in Charles County, Maryland, offers fantastic opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, hunting, fossil collecting, and relaxing along the shore. Located near fast-paced Washington, D.C., it is one of the last remaining undeveloped tracts along the Potomac River. Douglas Point encompasses 548 acres of hardwood forest and marshes, a picnic area overlook, river shoreline, an accessible historical walk, and hunting blinds. On December 21, 2001, BLM and the State of Maryland jointly acquired about 1,270 acres of land known as Douglas Point, lying on the east side of the Potomac River. Douglas Point is part of the Nanjemoy Natural Resource Management Area (NRMA) which is jointly managed by the BLM and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). The management of this property offers a unique opportunity for federal, state, and local agencies to work together in a seamless effort with the public to both protect the quality resources in this area for generations to come, and to allow compatible passive recreational use of these public lands. The Douglas Point tract contains magnificent hardwood forests, historic houses, and scenic views. Douglas Point is one of the most ecologically and culturally significant landscapes in the State of Maryland. The area’s outstanding natural attributes are equally matched by its archaeological resources and history, including early American Indian sites, remnants from the Civil War, ruins of the colonial-era Chiles homesite, as well as dozens of World War I-era sunken ships, which now lie in Mallows Bay.Flickr Album

How to Get There

Douglas Point has two parking lots, North Trailhead and South Trailhead. The two parking lots are about 1 mile apart and are connected by Cal Posey Trail. From Interstate Highway 95/495 in Maryland: Take Exit 3 for Hwy 210 South to Hwy 225, connecting with Hwy 224. Take 224 for about 14 miles. You should see signs for Nanjemoy and the Purse State Park. The parking lot is on the right side. From US-301 N: Turn left onto MD-6 (Port Tabacco Rd). Take MD-6 for about 15 miles. Turn right onto Greenleek Hill Rd and in 0.2 miles keep right to continue on Greenleek Hill/ Jacksontown Rd for 2.3 miles. At the end of the road take a right onto Liverpool Point Rd and at the stop sign (400 feet ahead) take a left on MD-224 S. The parking lot will be on the right in 1 mile. Trailhead Address: North Trailhead – 9275 Riverside Rd, Nanjemoy, MD Chiles Homesite Trailhead – 9699 Riverside Rd, Nanjemoy, MD

Plan Your Visit to Douglas Point Special Recreation Management Area

Heading to Douglas Point Special Recreation Management Area? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• Park map (PDF)
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)