Stevensville: Discover Nature Trails and History

Discover Stevensville from different perspectives: along paved trails through the landscape of Kent Island and at sites where architectural and transportation history come to life. When planning your vacation, you can alternate between outdoor activities, wildlife watching, and cultural experiences.

Trails and Nature on Kent Island

The South Island Trail is seven miles long, paved, and closed to motor vehicles. On Kent Island, it runs parallel to Route 8 and offers a route for cyclists, walkers, and runners. Its endpoints are Matapeake State Park and Romancoke Pier. The trail’s length, surface, and route give you a clear reference point when planning an outdoor excursion. Trail conditions and access may change; check current conditions before your visit.

The Cross Island Trail starts at Terrapin Nature Park in Stevensville and runs to the Kent Narrows Waterfront District. The nature park stretches across 279 acres along the shores of Chesapeake Bay. The trail passes shoreline scenery and wooded sections lined with tree canopies; there are also opportunities for wildlife watching. Compared with the paved South Island Trail, the focus here is more on the transition between shore and forest.

Art and History in Stevensville

First Saturdays in Historic Stevensville showcases local artists and historic sites every month from April through December. The recurring program adds a cultural dimension to your visit that you can combine with a look at the area’s history. Dates may change; check them before your trip. The Kent Island Federation of Arts in Stevensville features works by local artists and current exhibitions.

The architecture also tells a story of different construction methods. Cray House was built in 1809 and is a preserved example of “Post and Plank” construction: hand-sawn beams are mortised and tenoned into upright corner posts. Historic Christ Church dates from 1880 and is Gothic Revival in style. Wooden pegs were used instead of nails in its construction. These details offer a way to compare the different structural solutions and architectural forms.

The history of Stevensville Train Depot turns to another subject: freight transportation. The Queen Anne’s County Railroad Company built the depot in 1902 to transport goods from Queenstown to Love Point. From there, they were carried by steamboat across Chesapeake Bay to Baltimore. In 1988, the depot was moved to its current location in Historic Stevensville and restored by the Kent Island Heritage Society. This brings architectural history and former transportation routes together without implying anything about current rail service.

Tailor Your Stay to Your Interests

When choosing a vacation rental, consider what you’d like your stay to focus on: getting active on a paved route, enjoying the landscape and wildlife watching, or exploring art and history. The trails and historic sites offer different starting points for planning your days. If you’d like to combine several interests, you can make your stay varied rather than limiting yourself to just one type of outing.

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