MARYLAND COASTAL GUIDES
Charles County beaches
Choose a named shore guide or inspect a purpose-specific water-access reference. A boat launch is not a designated swimming beach.
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Find your fit in Charles
5 published guides in this county. Start with dogs allowed (3 qualifying beaches), then compare the named entrances. Feature counts describe documented routes, not all beaches or every entrance in the county.
Use the verified route features below to choose where to begin. Counts refer to beaches with a qualifying named entrance, not every entrance. These are planning details, not current opening or guard duty.
Published Charles County shore guides
Purse Area Beach
A hike-in tidal Potomac fossil shore in the Purse Area of Nanjemoy WMA. The trail and exposed beach are distinct from BLM’s neighboring Douglas Point route.
Douglas Point Blue Banks Beach
A trail-access tidal Potomac beach in Douglas Point SRMA, reached by the Blue Banks Beach Trail. The accessible Chiles Homesite route does not continue as an accessible beach trail.
Chapman State Park Shore
A trail-access tidal Potomac shoreline below Mt. Aventine at Chapman State Park. Walk-in access, wooded routes and elevation changes shape this shore visit.
Chapel Point State Park Beach
A small tidal sand/launch shore on the Port Tobacco River, managed for recreation by Charles County under a state lease. Pay attention to the entrance gate and the shore’s separate activity rules.
Benedict Community Park Beach
A small county-owned Patuxent sand shore under the south side of the MD 231 bridge at Benedict, used primarily for fishing and hand launching. This is a roadside shore visit rather than a serviced swim beach.
Coverage and evidence
Every retrieved county DNR record reviewed; inland records and uncertain tidal-limit records retained privately.
Current exact manager rules/closures govern. Historical source dates and unknown current amenities remain explicit.
Map pins are approximate planning references. Check the exact guide for lawful arrival and manager notices. Forecasts, tide predictions, laboratory samples and warning flags retain separate sources and dates.