Nestled on the Potomac River, 20 miles south of the nation’s capital, Piscataway National Park is an unusual gem of southern Maryland.
The park owes its existence to another national landmark located right across the river: the Mount Vernon estate, George Washington’s old home.
In 1951, conservationists, seeking to preserve the land surrounding the estate, petitioned Congress to make the area a national park. By the early 1960s, the land came under the protection of the National Park Service.
Today, the breathtaking view of the Potomac shoreline looks much as it did during Washington’s time. Along with preserving the natural landscape, the National Park Service, along with the Accokeek Foundation, run a colonial farm on the park land.
The National Colonial Farm, an outdoor living history museum, was established by the Accokeek Foundation in 1958. The farm depicts life for an ordinary tobacco planting family in Prince George’s County in the 1770s. Skilled interpreters lead tours of the National Colonial Farm, highlighting the colonial structures, fields, gardens and animals.
Unlike most national parks in the eastern United States, Piscataway Park consists mostly of open fields and marshland. While the park has woods, the forests seem fairly barren. There is little low lying scrub and bushes. The sandy soil of the Potomac shoreline is not conducive to thick forests.
Nevertheless, the forests still have an impressive collection of deciduous and pine trees. During the fall, the entire river is transformed by the autumn colors. Fiery reds, oranges and yellows color the river and shoreline.
Word to the wise: travel in groups when walking through the woods.
More importantly, do not stray from the paths unless you know what you are doing. It is very easy to get lost in the woods, especially when there are very view landmarks to mark your path.
I made the mistake of strolling alone into the woods while doing taking some photographs. While I got some amazing pictures, I wasted a lot of time trying to find my way back to the trail.
If you do find yourself lost, walk towards the Potomac River. From there, you can walk along the river shore until you find a trail.
The forests are home to a vast array of wildlife. While they remain mostly hidden during the day, around the late twilight hours, many of Maryland’s native wildlife become apparent.
Deer are very common. During my wayward journey through the woods, I happened upon an open field. Along the tree line was a heard of approximately seven white-tailed deer. While nothing particularly exciting, especially for those from the Northeast, I was comforted by the fact that these deer were still fairly wild: once they saw me from across the field, they immediately jolted away. The park is also home to many other species including beaver and fox.
Piscataway Park is ideal for bird watching. Its array of environments provides perfect habitats for the vast number of birds native to the Potomac area. The National Park Service has built a series of boardwalks over the wetlands that span the Potomac shoreline.
These sites are perfect locations for bird watching. Along with warblers, wrens and other song birds, the forests are home to numerous species of woodpeckers.
I was lucky to have an encounter with a pileated woodpecker, a fairly large bird with spiked red feathers on its head. Waterfowl are very common along the water side, the most common being the mallard duck.
During my trip, I was very lucky to see a bald eagle. I was taking pictures along the river edge when I spied a flock of mallard ducks. I was tempted to take a picture but, from my distance, I knew I wouldn’t get any good pictures. If I got closer, I would just scare the ducks away. So, I just sat there and watched the birds from afar.
A few minutes later, a young bald eagle flew over above. While it didn’t go after the ducks, the sight of the eagle was enough the scare the water birds. In almost perfect synchrony, the ducks began running on the water and took flight. All of this occurred around sunset. The sun’s reflection on the water only added to the beauty of this almost holy scene. While I got no pictures, I know I will forever have a mental image of that scene.
While I was very impressed by the park, I was very disappointed by the park’s maintenance of the Potomac shoreline. Littered along the river’s edge were old candy wrappers, beer cans, plastic bottles and foam pieces. I even found an old tractor tire sitting at the water’s edge.
I travel to these great locations to get away from civilization yet I cannot escape its ugly marks on the land. The park needs to do a better job cleaning the shoreline. The trash not only takes away from the beauty of the Potomac River but it is also a hazard for the native wildlife. Among nature enthusiasts and conservationists, there is a very simple mantra: leave no trace. Before you leave, take all your trash. If you see a plastic bottle lying on the ground, pick it up and properly dispose of it. It takes little effort but these actions make a big impact.
I was lucky enough to stay until sunset. Sitting on the fishing pier, I watched as the sun dipped below the horizon. The sky and river became a painter’s canvas, filled with shades of red, pink, yellow and orange. All my thoughts about school quickly melted away. It was just me, my friends and the pier. Life became simpler, less complicated. In an instant, I was transported to a different world.
For once, in a very long time, I felt alive.
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