Janes Island State Park ( Crisfield )

With two distinct areas, Janes Island State Park has a developed mainland section with cabins and camping areas, and a portion accessible only by boat. The original island inhabitants were Native Americans of the Annemessex Nation. The park's Chesapeake Bay location provides water activity opportunities and the miles of isolated shorelines and marsh areas delight visitors who enjoy the peaceful solitude of natural areas. Janes Island State Park is nearly surrounded by the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and its inlets. It has rental cabins, camping and miles of isolated shoreline and marsh areas.

History: Paleo Indians first settled this region approximately 13,000 years ago. At that time, sea levels were 350 feet lower than today and mammoths, mastodons, horses and bison roamed across Somerset County, Maryland. As the Tangier Sound was transformed from a freshwater river to an estuary rich in shellfish, prehistoric cultures occupied the landmass that would become Janes Island. Historic artifacts that can be found along the shoreline of Janes Island provide evidence of activities by primitive man, from hunting mammals to shucking oysters. In a sense, native people living on Janes Island were practicing a lifestyle very similar to the modern watermen surviving off the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay.

Janes Island is part of the Beach to Bay Indian Trail. This trail recognizes travel patterns established by the American Indians and later followed by the first European settlers. For more information about the trail, contact Somerset County Tourism at 1-800-521-9189.

Janes Island State Park is a Chesapeake Bay Gateway, one of over 100 special places to experience the Chesapeake. Visit www.baygateways.net to find more Bay Gateways.

Photos: Patuxent Camp Sites, Maple Tree Campground