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4.1
12 votes

Purse State Park

Route 224 on Riverside Rd, Indian Head, Maryland 20658 USA

Free
Free to Visit
Open Now
Fri 7a-6p
  • Independent
  • Credit Cards
    not Accepted
  • No Public
    Restrooms
  • No Wifi
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“discover fossils over 60 million years old”

Purse State Park is located on the Potomac River on Wades Bay. Purse is a wooded undeveloped area that is used for hunting, bird watching, fishing and fossil hunting. Purse is available for public use year round, sunrise to sunset. Check out a map of the area. Parking is located off of Maryland Route 224 across from a 3/4 mile trail leading to the waterfront. Purse is a part of the Aquia Formation which formed in the Paleocene Epoch about 60 million years ago when a gigantic meteor hit the earth. This area was covered with warm shallow water which made it a suitable habitat for sand tiger sharks, mackerel sharks, Turritella (snails) and Eagle Rays more specifically Cownose Rays which all lived during this time period.

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Reviewed by
tripmc

  • 2 Reviews
  • 0 Helpful
December 03, 2021
Rated 4.0

This is a great place for kayaking, fossil hunting, and especially combing for shark teeth - it’s one of the best places to find them! There is about a half mile path from the parking lot to the beach with a steep climb down to the shore. Be careful if you are hauling beach equipment. There are no public restrooms. Check the tide schedule before visiting - the shoreline quickly disappears in high tide.

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Reviewed by
Rina

  • 3 Reviews
  • 0 Helpful
June 05, 2016
Rated

Here's a link to low tide times. http://www.weatherforyou.com/reports/index.php?forecast=tides&place=purse%20state%20park&state=md&zipcode=

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Purse State Park

Route 224 on Riverside Rd
Indian Head, Maryland
20658 USA
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Hours

Open now until 6:00 pm
  • Sun - Sat: 7:00 am - 6:00 pm

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    Parking
  • Unknown
    Pets Allowed
  • Unavailable
    Restrooms
  • Unavailable
    Wifi
  • Unknown
    Wheelchair Accessible
  • Unavailable
    Credit Cards Accepted
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