MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES MARYLAND PARK SERVICE

NORTH POINT STATE PARK

​​​​Notice​:
Due to storm damage, the end of the North Point State Park Crystal Pier (aproximately the last 100 feet) are closed for the safety of our visitors. We apologize for any inconvenience.

​Notice​: 
Full-service restroom facilities are not available, ​but portable toilets available in the day use areas.​

​Please Note:
Due to Popular Demand, day use parking reservations are coming to North Point State Park in 2025. Please follow this link for more information and updates.

Highlights

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Contact: 410-592-2897​​
​ Fees and Hours of Operation
​ Park Passes
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North Point State Park​
8400 North Point Road
Edgemere, MD 21219

View the DNR Ev​ents Ca​lendar ​

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Hours: 8 a.m. to Sunset
(closed Christmas Day)​​
Visitor Center:
Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day
Saturdays and Sundays
9 AM to 5 PM

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Welcome!

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​​North Point is located in Baltimore County on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and is rich in natural beauty. This 1,310 acre park in Edgemere was once the site of the Bay Shore Amusement Park, a popular destination for summer visitors from 1906 to 194​7. Visitors can see the origin​al trolley station, which is now used as a covered picnicking area, and fountain that has been restored and is still in operation today. The Defenders Trail, which was used by soldiers during the War of 1812, passes through the park. Today, North Point has scenic views overlook​ing the Chesapeake Bay, a water accessible area, two fishing piers, picnicking and hiking trails that lead you around the park and through protected wildlands. Come see how Mother Nature reclaimed the land where the amusement park once stood and the rich history North Point State Park has to offer.


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Details about the Park​

Information and Se​​rvice Charges​

 

​Location​
Baltimore County near the town of Edgemere

North Point State Park
8400 North Point Road
Edgemere, MD 21219

Contact:
​ ​410-592-2897

​Hours of Operation:

​8 a.m. to sunset (closed Christmas Day)

Visitor Center:
Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day
​Saturdays and Sundays
9 AM to 5 PM

Hours of operation are subject to change. Please call to confirm.

 
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​​North Point is known to fill to capacity on summer weekends and especially holidays. All visitors will be turned away if the park fills to capacity. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early and carpool if possible. No re-entry if park is full. Know before you go! Call 410-477-0757 to inquire about any park closures.

Service Charges:
Service charges are subject to change. Call 410-477-0757 to confirm. Veterans are free.

Weekends and Holidays, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day:
There is a $4 per vehicle service charge ($6 per vehicle for non-Maryland residents) for entry into North Point.

Weekdays, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day:
A $3 per vehicle service charge ($5 for non-Maryland residents) for entry into North Point.

Off-season (after Labor Day to the Friday before Memorial Day weekend):
A $3 per vehicle ($5 for non-Maryland residents) honor system is in effect.

Senior citizens aged 62 and older are eligible for a $10 lifetime Golden Age Pass​. Other park passes are available. Call park headquarters at 410-592-2897 for more information.​

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Hunting Policy

  • Archery-only hunting for deer permitted on 300 acres of designated hunting areas – free WHS permit/reservation required

  • Waterfowl blind sites available by lottery on certain dates (reservation required) and on first-come, first-served basis on all other dates (free WHS permit/Managed Hunt Permit required)

Pet​ Policy

  • Pets on a leash are allowed (except for on the sandy portion of the water access area from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day)

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Directions

 
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Directions from North Baltimore:
Take Baltimore Beltway 695-south towards Essex/Key Bridge. Follow 695 to Exit 42 (151 Sparrows Point/North Point Boulevard). Exit and bear right onto 151 South to first light. Make left onto North Point Road (Route 20). Follow through Edgemere for 2 miles to North Point State Park on left.


Directions from South Baltimore:
Take Baltimore Beltway 695 North towards Glen Burnie/Key Bridge. Follow 695 over Key Bridge to Exit 43 (Bethlehem Boulevard/Sparrows Point). Get off at Exit 43 and make left at first blinking light (Bethlehem Boulevard). Follow Bethlehem Boulevard/158 East for one mile to North Point Boulevard. Cross over North Point Boulevard onto North Point Road. Follow North Point Road through Edgemere for 2 miles to park on left.
Due to the closure of the Key Bridge, please find an alternate route to the park. For updated information please visit Key Bridge News​

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Trail Map

 
North Point State Park trail head 

​A map of the trails at North Point State Park can be downloaded for free from this website. Please make sure to read the printing instructions and information for how to download the file to cell phones. The map is in a PDF format that requires Adobe Reader. To get the free Adobe Reader go to Adobe.com.

Hiking and Bicyling

 
Trail in North Point State Park 

Hiking

The park features several miles of well-marked and relatively level trails, abundant with wildflowers in spring and wildlife throughout the year. Birdwatching is especially popular on the Black Marsh Trail.

Biking

Bikes are welcome throughout much of the park, except in the wildlands area.

North Point State Park wetlands 

Black Marsh Wildlands

Over half of the park (667 acres) has received legislative protection as state wildlands. Bicycles are prohibited in the wildlands. The wildlands (along with the park’s wetland area) provide opportunities to observe local birds and wildlife including muskrats, beavers, foxes, otters, osprey, great blue herons and bald eagles.​

​North Point State Park Trail Map



Water Access​ and Fishing Piers

 
North Point State Park Beach 

Water Access

North Point features an unguarded waterfront that is open to waders and swimmers. Waders and swimmers can enter the water a​t their own risk. There are no lifeguards at North Point State Park. It is recommended that waders and swimmers wear water shoes when entering the water.

 

Fishing

North Point State Park Crystal Pier  

North Point features two fishing piers (including the 1,000-ft. Crystal Pier) and a long shoreline with good fishing opportunities. Anglers ages 16 and older are required to possess a Maryland Tidal Fishing License.​​​

North Point State Park fishing pier 


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Picnic Area and Trolley Station​

 
Trolley Station Pavilion at North Point State Park  
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Picnicking

There are picnic tables and single coal grills available for use on a first-come, first-served basis. All grills must be lit with charcoal only; please refrain from using wood. Keep all fire in the grills provided and be sure to extinguish all fires before departing.

Trolley Station Pavilion

The Trolley Station no longer requires a reservation. It is a publicly shared facility. Picnic tables are available year-round on a first-come, first-served basis.

Takos Visitor Center

 
Takos Visitor Center - North Point State Park 

The Takos Visitor Center at North Point sits where the Bay Shore Park Restaurant once stood. Completed in 2002, this beautiful facility resembles the structures once found in Bay Shore Park and boasts nature and history-themed exhibits, a science classroom, a large conference room and public restrooms.

The building was named after Steve Takos, a volunteer who spearheaded the renovation efforts in the park. Hours are Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, 9 AM to 5 PM Saturdays and Sundays.​

Hunting

 

North Point Archery Deer Hunting

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  • Location

    The North Point Archery Hunting area is located off Millers Island Road and North Point Road in Sparrows Point, Maryland in Baltimore County. The hunting area encompasses approximately 300 acres.

  • Seasons Open

    North Point State Park is open for deer archery hunting only. Be sure to consult your Maryland Guide to Hunting and Trapping for season dates and bag limits. Hunting is allowed Monday through Saturday. No hunting is permitted on Sundays.

  • Hunting Devices Allowed

    • Only archery equipment is allowed.

  • Permits and Regulations

    The Free Public Hunting Permit is available on Compass, at the Gwynnbrook Wildlife Office, or through the mail.

    • Reservations are made through the Gwynnbrook Wildlife Office at 410-356-9272. ​Monday – Friday, 7:30am – I1:30am
    • Thirteen reservations are available per day, split up into five zones. See map for individual zone acreage and reservation limits.
    • Hunters must park in the designated parking areas.
    • Hunters may enter the park no earlier than 1.5 hours before sunrise and must be out no later than 1.5 hours after sunset.
    • Hunters must contact Natural Resources Police at 410-260-8888 before tracking a wounded deer after hours, off State Park property, or outside of the designated hunting area.

    • Click here for a map of the property​

Waterfowl Hunting

There are 5 blind sites in North Point State Park that allow public waterfowl hunting. Three are located on the bay front and two are located on the Back River. These sites are available first-come first-served, except for the first Saturday of each duck split, which is drawn by lottery. Hart-Miller Island State Park has an additional 10 blind sites on Hart Miller and Pleasure Islands.

  • Information is available through the Gwynnbrook Wildlife Office at 410-356-9272. Monday – Friday, 7:30am – I1:30am
  • All waterfowl sites are water access only.
  • The first Saturday of each duck split is drawn by lottery.
  • For a full list of regulations and maps visit the Central Region Public Hunting Lands page or consult the regulations packets that accompanied your Free Public Hunting Permit.
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​Click Here for a map of the waterfowl blind sites​


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Volunteer Opportunities

 

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Volunteer at North Point State Park. 

North Point State Park needs your help. Volunteers provide enthusiasm, energy and creativity to the wide variety of tasks they accomplish. Volunteers experience many benefits -- among them companionship, a sense of responsibility and enhanced skills. There is an opportunity for everyone!

To search for volunteer opportunities at this state park and all of the state parks in Maryland, please view the Volunteer with Maryland State Parks webpage​ and then click on Opportunity Search in the Volunteer Menu on the left side of the page.

Gardening and Invasive Plant Removal

Be a part of the larger effort to encourage the growth of native trees and plants.

Naturalist and Special Programs

Volunteers can help with the park’s special programs including junior rangers, campfires, hikes, guided hikes and other fun educational activities for youth.

Special/Group Projects

Do you have a special project or idea you would like to help the park with? Reach out to the Volunteer Coordinator to discuss the possibilities!

Trail Work

The trails at North Point State Park pass through fields, marshes, and beaches both rocky and sandy. Volunteers help to maintain these trails by providing trash pick up along their routes, cutting back encroaching limbs, and providing eyes on the trails for graffiti and damage.

Trash Cleanups

We are always in need of groups to take part in cleanups in and around the park property. There is no place more scenic to pick up trash than along our shoreline!

Visitor Center

Volunteers greet visitors and answer phones and provide information to the public.

Volunteer Ranger

Become a Volunteer Ranger and help protect Maryland's natural resources! Volunteer Rangers help with a myriad of activities. Volunteers must first earn 40 hours of volunteer service to become a certified Volunteer Ranger then commit to serving 100 hours annually. More information on the Volunteer Ranger program can be found at https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Documents/VolunteerRangerGuidelines.pdf​.

For more information, please contact:

North Point Park Rangers
North Point State Park
8400 North Point Road
Edgemere, MD 21219
443-510-0214
northpoint.statepark@maryland.gov

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Park History

North Point has been continuously farmed for almost 350 years, with evidence of human occupation dating back almost 9,000 years. During the War of 1812, local militia skirmished with British troops seeking to invade Baltimore. The British route to Baltimore passed through the present-day park and is known today as the Defenders Trail.

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Bay Shore Park Postcard 
During the first half of the 20th century, a small part of the park was the site of the Bay Shore Amusement Park. Built in 1906, Bay Shore was a bustling and attractive park offering recreation and relaxation in a setting of gardens, pathways and Edwardian architecture. The park included a dance hall, bowling alley, restaurant and a 1000-ft. pier jutting out into the Chesapeake Bay. Bay Shore Park was accessible by trolley from Baltimore.

Bay Shore Park was demolished in the late 1940s when Bethlehem Steel bought the land. The property was acquired by Maryland Department of Natural Resources in 1987 to provide resource protection and limited access to the bay.


Black Marsh Wildlands  

​​Black Marsh Wildlands

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Over half of the park (667 acres) has received legislative protection as state wildlands. Bicycles are prohibited in the wildlands.​

The wildlands (along with the park’s wetland area) provide opportunities to observe local birds and wildlife including: muskrats, beavers, foxes, otters, osprey, great blue herons and bald eagles.​​

Black Marsh Natural Area​ is an integral part of North Point State Park, managed by the Maryland Park Service. The lush marsh contains a variety of wetland grasses, marsh-loving shrubs, and flowers like the unusual rattlesnake-master and the attractive tickseed sunflower. The land side of the marsh is surrounded by a mature forest.