Maryland · Charles · Conditional

Douglas Point Natural Area — Low-Tide Shoreline Fossil Collecting

What is Douglas Point Natural Area — Low-Tide Shoreline Fossil Collecting?

Douglas Point Natural Area — Low-Tide Shoreline Fossil Collecting is a Conditional rockhounding lead in Charles, Maryland. The recorded material or interest is Paleocene Aquia Formation shells, shark teeth, ray, crocodile and turtle fossils. The recorded manager or evidence context is Maryland DNR — Douglas Point Natural Area.

What rocks, minerals, fossils or collecting interests are associated with it?

The record lists Paleocene Aquia Formation shells, shark teeth, ray, crocodile and turtle fossils. This description is tied to this atlas entry and should be read together with the access status below.

Can I collect at Douglas Point Natural Area — Low-Tide Shoreline Fossil Collecting?

Conditional. Current DNR says fossils may be collected at low tide in rocks and sand along the river edge, while fossils still embedded in the river bank are protected by law. Because the page does not publish an explicit daily retention quantity and tidal/shoreline access can change, the record remains conditional rather than unconditional collect-now.

A condition remains unresolved before collecting. The recorded condition is: Retention quantity tide and current shoreline access confirmation required.

Where is this record located?

Navigation uses the recorded public destination or address for Douglas Point Natural Area — Low-Tide Shoreline Fossil Collecting. The destination is a travel reference, not a specimen-level promise or a substitute for current access rules.

Recorded destination: Douglas Point Natural Area, Charles County, Maryland

Who manages the place or provides the evidence context?

The recorded manager or context is Maryland DNR — Douglas Point Natural Area.

What evidence supports this status?

The record was last reviewed on 2026-08-24. Evidence and management context: Maryland DNR — Douglas Point Natural Area. Included for complete Maryland search/research coverage without weakening park, WMA, Natural Area, Wildland, NPS, private-rights, quarry, roadcut, waterway, cliff-safety, fossil-class, archaeological, hazard or closure gates. Program or rule context: DOUGLAS_POINT_LOW_TIDE_SURFACE_FOSSIL_COLLECTING.

Program or rule context: DOUGLAS_POINT_LOW_TIDE_SURFACE_FOSSIL_COLLECTING

How precise is the map marker?

Navigation uses the recorded public destination or address for Douglas Point Natural Area — Low-Tide Shoreline Fossil Collecting. The destination is a travel reference, not a specimen-level promise or a substitute for current access rules.

What should I verify before going?

• Current land ownership and the exact parcel or managed activity footprint.
• Posted closures, seasonal restrictions, opening hours, fees and permit requirements.
• Mining claims, mineral rights, private-property boundaries and road or trail access.
• Whether the material and collecting method you intend to use are actually allowed.
• Current safety conditions, including weather, fire, water, tides, unstable workings, traffic and other site-specific hazards.

When was this information last checked?

The recorded review date is August 24, 2026. Treat that date as the evidence snapshot used for this classification. Conditions can change after review, so field decisions should use the newest posted rules and manager information.

Is a map pin the same as collecting permission?

No. A map pin answers a navigation or geographic-context question. The status and evidence answer the permission question. Exact coordinates, public destination addresses and approximate county or regional context are deliberately kept separate so geographic precision is not confused with legal authority.