4 minute read
Recreation and Leisure
Something for Everyone
Ceci l County’s Elk Neck State Park, Elk Neck State Forest and Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area off er over 200 miles of shoreline and 11,000 acres of preserved forests, fi eld and trails for hiking, horseback riding and biking enthusiasts.
Five rivers, the C&D Canal and the Upper Chesapeake Bay provide abundant boating, fi shing and swimming. Cecil County off ers youth sports, family-friendly events, golf courses, and wonderful scenery for nature photographers. Historic towns are home to specialty shops, award-winning restaurants and museums.
Cecil County’s destinations include our scenic state parks, Maryland’s fi rst Casino, a creamery with homemade ice cream, several wineries, relaxing boat rides, historic covered bridges, “pick-your-own” farms and orchards, a county zoo, historic villages, a lighthouse, a tobacco plantation, a basket factory and more.
Family-friendly events throughout the year include Highland Gathering Scottish Games, Fair Hill Races, the Cecil County Fair, the Fair Hill Point-to-Point and Fair Hill International, as well as street festivals, art shows, car shows, triathlons, house tours, parades, fi reworks, heritage celebrations, drag strip races and walking tours.
The Cecil County Department of Parks and Recreation operates and maintains over 773 acres of park land/open space, two indoor facilities, and three boat ramps which off er boaters access to the waters of Cecil County and the Chesapeake Bay. Main venues include:
• Cecil County Sports Complex which hosts youth sports functions. • Conowingo Park which hosts youth sports activities and off ers walking trails, bird watching, and kayak/canoe access to the
Susquehanna River. • Cecil Community Center which hosts youth sports activities and features a walking trail, a fi shing pond, tennis courts, and an indoor facility that is used for various community functions and rentals. • Cecil Arena, an indoor facility which houses youth and adult sports and fi tness activities. It is also rented to the public for meetings, clinics and birthday parties. • Calvert Regional Park is a 115-acre site which is the County’s fi rst Regional Park. Features include a 1-mile paved walking trail, natural grass linear fi elds, one synthetic turf fi eld, three basketball courts, two playgrounds and connectivity to Rising
Sun High School. • Brantwood Park is 126 acres of open space that houses a playground, walking trails and fi shing ponds, and a disc golf course. • Cecil County’s fi rst Curatorship, which was established in 2009.
This project, performed with private dollars, restored a historic house located on the Calvert property. A complete history of the project can be found on the County’s web site under Parks &
Recreation, “Hebron’s Gift.”
• The County’s three public boat ramps which are: Elk River
Stemmers Run with two ramps and a large parking facility; and Fredericktown with one ramp and limited parking. • The Holly Tree Lighting, a traditional event that began in 1948.
Located on Holly Tree Lane off of Jackson Station Rd. This, in conjunction with the North East Christmas Parade, starts the holiday season in the County.
All County Parks and Recreation Programs and Resources can be located at www.cecilrec.org.
Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area
In 1974, the State of Maryland purchased 5,655 acres in Fair Hill from the estate of William DuPont, Jr. Features of the property today include: • More than 80 miles of trails and farm roads for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding • Five blazed hiking trails off ering hiking options from easy to moderate to diffi cult • Historic Foxcatcher Farm Covered Bridge which spans Big
Elk Creek, a favorite site of anglers • The Fair Hill Nature and Environmental Center which conducts environmental education programs for the community and all Cecil County students grades two through fi ve • Locations for many TV and fi lm productions, including
“Beloved” • Numerous ecosystems including grasslands, trout streams, ponds, wetlands and approximately 3,000 acres of mature woodlands, supporting habitats of a wide variety of wildlife • R.V. hookup sites, including stabling facilities for 119 horses • One of only two 5-Star event venues in the United States, and one of seven world-wide, the prestigious 5-Star designation is the pinnacle of the sport of Eventing, best described as an equestrian triathlon that takes place every October.
To learn more about Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area, visit https://dnr.maryland.gov/ publiclands/pages/central/fairhill.aspx To learn more about Fair Hill Nature Center, visit www.fairhillnature.org or call 410-398-4909. To learn more about Cecil County Department of Parks and Recreation, visit www.ccgov.org/government/parks-and-recreation or call 410-996-8101.
