At a Glance
Hours: Park grounds open 7 days a week, 7 am to dusk. Visitor Center: 9 am – 4 pm weekdays and 10 am – 3 pm Saturday & Sunday.
Cost: Daily fee: $6/vehicle; $5/vehicle for those with disabilities; free entry for military service members & families (military ID required); annual and senior citizen lifetime passes available from County Recreation & Parks Department: see https://www.aacounty.org/services-and-programs/annual-park-permits
Tips: The park can be very crowded in summer. Try to visit in early morning or on weekdays.
Best Seasons: Winter, spring, fall.
Breeding Bird Atlas Blocks: Gibson Island NW, Gibson Island NE
Downs Park
8311 John Downs Loop, Pasadena, Maryland 21122
(410) 222-6230
Situated on the Chesapeake Bay, Downs Park offers a variety of features attractive to birds and birders. The park is located on Bodkin Neck in northeastern Anne Arundel County. Bodkin Point, the northern-most tip of Bodkin Neck, juts out into the mouth of the Patapsco River where the river joins the Chesapeake Bay. Thus Bodkin Neck is bounded by the Chesapeake Bay to the east, the Patapsco River to the north, and Bodkin Creek to the west. The land on the neck had been farmed since colonial times and Downs Park was formerly the site of a large private estate.
Downs Park is operated by the Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks. There are more than five miles of paved and natural trails throughout its 236 acres of woodlands, formal gardens, and beach front. Some of the trails have minor elevation changes. A self-guided nature trail, the Eco-Trail, loops through a wooded section in the south corner of the park. There are two small ponds, numerous small streams, and a tidal creek (Locust Cove).
Launch sites are provided on the bay front for kayaks and canoes.
Birdlife:
Over 190 species have been reported at the Downs Park eBird hotspot.
- Wintering birds include 23 species of waterfowl, with small numbers of dabbling ducks and a good assortment of diving ducks, such as Redhead, Canvasback, Bufflehead, both scaup, scoters, mergansers, Long-tailed Duck, and Ruddy Duck. Bonaparte’s Gulls may be seen in early spring feeding over offshore waters.
- Terns include Least, Caspian, Royal, and Forster’s in appropriate seasons. Red-throated Loons occur in spring, and Common Loons in spring, fall, and winter.
- Great Blue Herons are present year-round, and during the warm months, other waders include Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Cattle Egret, Green Heron, and Black-crowned Night-Heron.
- Breeding raptors include Osprey and Bald Eagles breed in the vicinity, as do Red-Shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks.
- Songbirds include breeding populations of woodpeckers, flycatchers, vireos, warblers, thrushes, and so on. There are good migratory songbird flights in both spring and fall. A total of 22 species of warblers have been reported.
Wheelchair Access:
As shown on park map at the link in the orange box in the “At a Glance” section of this webpage, there is an extensive set of paved trails that go to most areas of the park. There may be some slopes.
Pet Policy:
Pets must be on a leash at all times; pick up after your pet and take the bagged waste with you when you leave.
Special Features:
- There are outstanding recreational facilities throughout the park, including a fishing pier, children’s playground, basketball courts, outdoor pavilions, and numerous picnic tables.
- There is also a youth camping area available by prior arrangement.
- An aviary at the park houses injured birds of prey that cannot be released.
- The Friends of Downs Park sponsor an Adopt-an-Owl Program.
- Also see the Friends website at http://www.friendsofdownspk.org/ for a calendar of events and other information.
Local MOS Chapter:
The local chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society is the Anne Arundel Bird Club, which offers field trips and meetings with informative programs, all free and open to the public. The club’s YouTube channel features presentations on birds and birding recorded at their monthly meetings.
Parking:
A large lot near the visitor’s center and small lots spread throughout the park, as shown on the park map at the link in the orange box in the “At a Glance” section of this webpage.
Directions:
From the Baltimore area: Take I-97 south to Exit 14 for MD Route 100 east. Continue east on MD Route 100 for approximately 7.5 miles, then turn right (southeast) onto MD Route 177/Mountain Road. In 3.7 miles, where Route 177 bears right to the south, Pinehurst Road continues straight into the park.
From the Annapolis area or from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge: Take US Route 50 to Exit 27 for MD Route 2 north. Continue north on MD Route 2 for approximately 7.2 miles and then turn right (east) onto Magothy Bridge Road. Follow Magothy Bridge Road east and then north for 3 miles, to the intersection with MD Route 100. Turn right (east) on MD Route 100 and follow for 0.8 miles then turn right (southeast) onto MD Route 177/Mountain Road. In 3.7 miles, where Route 177 bears right to the south, Pinehurst Road continues straight into the park.
Nearby Sites:
Anne Arundel County: Davidsonville Park ◾ Fort Smallwood Park ◾ Greenbury Point◾ Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary ◾ Kinder Farm Park ◾ Lake Waterford Park ◾ Mandares Creek MOS Sanctuary ◾ Oxbow Natural Area ◾ Patuxent Research Refuge – North Tract ◾ Piney Orchard Nature Preserve◾ Quiet Waters Park ◾ Sandy Point State Park ◾ Smithsonian Environmental Research Center ◾ Swan Creek Wetlands | Cox Creek Dredged Material Containment Facility
Habitats:
Bottomland Deciduous ForestsHedgerowsUpland Deciduous Forests Garden or ArboretumLawn, Ballfields, Golf CourseSuburban Neighborhood Old Fields, Shrubby Meadows Forested SwampFreshwater Marsh or FloodplainFreshwater Pond, Lake, or ReservoirMud Flats (Tidal or Non-Tidal)Rivers & Streams
Features:
Ball Fields or Other SportsBeginnersBicycle Trails (Bikes may be prohibited on some trails)Boat or Canoe/Kayak LaunchFishingHiking/Walking TrailsParkingPets AllowedPicnic AreaPlaygroundRestroomsWater ViewWheelchair Accessible FeaturesYoung People / FamiliesType:
Chesapeake Bay Western ShoreCommunity and Urban Parks