Talbot County coastal shores · Maryland
Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach
The Talbot-side landward shoreline and sandy pockets of Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park, with a walking trail and Choptank River views. Swimming is prohibited and the fishing pier is closed.
Good fit: Landward Choptank views and a shoreline walking-trail visit on the Talbot side of the park. Details & sources ↗
Plan around: Swimming is prohibited and both fishing piers are closed. Use only open landward grounds; the old pier’s accessibility does not establish a usable route today. Details & sources ↗
- Parking
- Some details unconfirmed
Details & sources
Arrival and fee detailsDetails & restrictionsBill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · parking entry ↗ - Dogs
- Dog rules unconfirmed
Details & sources
Dog rules unconfirmed
Read the scoped dogs details and sources
Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · dogs ↗ - Restrooms
- Portable toilets listed on Talbot approach · rinse unconfirmed
Details & sources
Portable toilets listed on Talbot approach · rinse unconfirmed
Read the scoped restrooms details and sources
Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · restrooms showers ↗ - Lifeguards
- No
Details & sources
- Key restrictions
- Check before you go
- Best for
- See beach overview
More planning facts: access, driving & fees
- Public access
- Public accessDetails & restrictions
- Beach driving
- Sand-driving permission unconfirmedDetails & restrictions
- Accessibility
- Route details unconfirmedDetails & restrictions
Choose an entrance
Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · documented named approach
Use the Talbot-side park entrance and remain on open landward grounds and trails. The manager’s May 2026 update says Talbot shoreline and trails remain open while both fishing piers are closed for structural problems.
Official route / restriction details ↗Review dates & updates
These are desk-research dates for each named category, including unresolved facts. They are not on-site inspections, current-opening confirmations or water-safety observations.
- identity location: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- summary description: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- known for: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- live weather: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · unresolved
- daily forecast: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- tides: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · unresolved
- surf rip forecast: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · unresolved
- official flags closures: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- water quality: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · unresolved
- public access: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- crowds: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · unresolved
- sand shoreline: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- surf: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- shelling: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · unresolved
- shark teeth: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · unresolved
- sea glass: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · unresolved
- driftwood: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · unresolved
- snorkeling: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · unresolved
- scuba: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · unresolved
- wildlife: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- accommodations: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- commercial activities rentals: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- alcohol rules: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- fire rules: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- camping rules: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- shore fishing rules: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · unresolved
- hours: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- dogs: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · unresolved
- lifeguards: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- restrooms showers: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- parking entry: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- accessibility: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · unresolved
- driving: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- public access rules: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- dining: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- history: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- managing authority: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- official source links: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- main photo: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · unresolved
- photo gallery: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · unresolved
- admission payment passes: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- plan your visit: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- check before you go: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- nearby beaches: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
- closer look: research reviewed 2026-10-29 · verified
Parking, route & accessibility evidence
Parking & entry: Arrival and fee details. The current manager page describes limited Talbot-side parking. Use the park lot and obey posted limits; do not use a closed pier as an arrival or assume neighboring private property provides access.
Parking source ↗Accessibility: Route details unconfirmed. The official trail map marks parking-area accessible features but does not establish an accessible sand route. The former pier’s wheelchair accessibility is irrelevant while the pier is closed; trail grades, sand gaps and current toilets need specific confirmation.
Accessibility source ↗Open the county entrance directory ↗
Use the directory to check each entrance’s identity and status. Guide map pins are approximate shoreline locations, not turn-by-turn entrance directions or proof of current opening.
Known for
Plan around the named tidal shoreline and its documented setting: landward Choptank views and walking, with swimming prohibited and the pier closed.
Rules & facilities
Check before you go
Check current pier and trail notices; swimming remains prohibited. Keep private property, ferry/launch lanes and protected vegetation clear. Conditions and source retrieval dates do not certify current water safety.
Admission, payment & passes
The park FAQ says there is no park admission charge. Fishing licenses remain separate, and a closed pier must not be used.
What to bring & supporting visit details
Plan your visit
Use the Talbot-side park entrance and remain on open landward grounds and trails. The manager’s May 2026 update says Talbot shoreline and trails remain open while both fishing piers are closed for structural problems. See the entrance section for parking and entry details and sources. The current manager page lists portable toilets on the Talbot side. These are separate from full restrooms and Dorchester-side visitor-center facilities; no current beach rinse was verified.
Public or private?
Public access
Who can visit: Visitors using the documented public arrival, subject to current manager rules and notices.
Entry route, fees & access boundaries
- Manager / access authority
- Maryland Park Service, Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park / Harriet Tubman complex:[email protected]. Talbot and Dorchester sides remain distinct.
- Access basis
- The cited source identifies this named shore and its access arrangement.
- Where to enter
- Use the Talbot-side park entrance and remain on open landward grounds and trails. The manager’s May 2026 update says Talbot shoreline and trails remain open while both fishing piers are closed for structural problems.
- Fees & reservations
- The park FAQ says there is no park admission charge. Fishing licenses remain separate, and a closed pier must not be used.
- Restrictions & exceptions
- Use the Talbot-side park entrance and remain on open landward grounds and trails. The manager’s May 2026 update says Talbot shoreline and trails remain open while both fishing piers are closed for structural problems. Swimming is prohibited at this park, including the Talbot-side shore. Do not enter from the closed pier.
- What this label covers
- The named coastal shore and its documented arrival. Adjoining private property, current opening, water use and facilities retain separate source scope.
Beach ownership, the route across land, public shoreline-use rights and access to facilities are separate questions. Rules vary by state and location. Use the identified public entrance or documented permission; neither a nearby resort nor an admission fee by itself establishes that a beach is private. A mapped beach is not permission to cross private property.
Access policy reviewed 2026-10-29. Not a live closure report or a property-boundary survey.
Allowed & prohibited activities
Alcohol: Alcohol is prohibited in this state park. Follow the current manager notice.
Fires and grills: No fires; grilling is limited to designated picnic areas and approved grills. A beach fire is not authorized.
Overnight camping: No camping; the park closes at sunset.
Shore fishing: Shore fishing rules are not confirmed for this beach.
What still needs confirmation
Both fishing piers are closed under the current manager notice. Do not enter them. Exact lawful landward shoreline fishing positions need park confirmation; fishing licenses and posted exclusions remain separate.
- Hours
- Hours & seasonal limits
Talbot shoreline and trails: sunrise to sunset. Both fishing piers remain closed; older partial-pier hours do not reopen them.
Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · hours ↗ - Dogs on the beach
- Dog rules unconfirmed
The current park page requires all pets to be leashed. An older FAQ’s voice-control dog-swimming wording conflicts with the newer leash instruction; keep pets leashed and ask the park before any water entry.
Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · dogs ↗ - Lifeguards
- No lifeguards provided
No lifeguard is on duty at Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach. Swimming is prohibited.
Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · lifeguards ↗ - Restrooms
- Portable toilets listed on Talbot approach · rinse unconfirmed
The current manager page lists portable toilets on the Talbot side. These are separate from full restrooms and Dorchester-side visitor-center facilities; no current beach rinse was verified.
Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · restrooms showers ↗ - Access & beach rules
- Rules & restrictions
Use the Talbot-side park entrance and remain on open landward grounds and trails. The manager’s May 2026 update says Talbot shoreline and trails remain open while both fishing piers are closed for structural problems. Swimming is prohibited at this park, including the Talbot-side shore. Do not enter from the closed pier.
Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · public access rules ↗ - Beach driving
- Sand-driving permission unconfirmed
Use designated roads and parking; the public sandy shore is not a verified vehicle-driving route. Keep boats, trailers and ferry circulation separate from pedestrian sand access.
Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · driving ↗
Conditions & activities Surf, sand, wildlife and suitability
Conditions at the beach
Local times use Eastern Time. No beach observation or saved forecast is displayed here. Forecast issue times, observation times, tide prediction dates and laboratory sample dates remain separate from desk-research dates. A linked source does not confirm current opening, a warning flag or swimming safety.
Weather observation
No exact on-beach weather observation or observation station is assigned here. The linked National Weather Service page provides forecast navigation; a forecast is a prediction, not an observed beach condition.
Daily forecast
The independently checked National Weather Service point-forecast link is available for this approximate planning point. The returned source is a regional land grid covering an area beyond the beach. No saved numeric forecast is displayed here. Forecast issue and prediction times are separate from source review and are not on-beach observations.
High & low tides
No exact Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach beach tide station was assigned. Regional Chesapeake predictions are planning references only and do not establish water levels, safe entry or timing at this shore.
Responsible source ↗ · Responsible source ↗ · Responsible source ↗ · Responsible source ↗
Surf & rip forecast
No exact Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach surf or rip-current forecast is assigned. This estuarine shoreline requires its own local weather, current and manager notices; Atlantic ocean-beach forecasts do not substitute.
Responsible source ↗ · Responsible source ↗ · Responsible source ↗ · Responsible source ↗
Closures & warning flags
Current manager notice: both fishing piers closed; Talbot landward shore/trails remain open sunrise–sunset. No dated beach-flag observation was verified. Check the manager page before travel.
Water quality
No exact current Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach laboratory sample or advisory was verified. Do not inherit the Strand, Claiborne monitor or Windy Hill sample. Check the responsible health agency and posted notices before any permitted water contact.
Responsible source ↗ · Responsible source ↗ · Responsible source ↗ · Responsible source ↗
National Weather Service point forecast ↗ for the independently reviewed approximate planning point.
Crowd meter
No measured crowd or occupancy series was found for Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach. Use the actual signed parking situation and any event restrictions; crowd suitability remains Unrated.
Sand & sandcastles
The Talbot-side landward shoreline and sandy pockets of Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park, with a walking trail and Choptank River views. Swimming is prohibited and the fishing pier is closed. Sand extent changes with water level; no surveyed public-shore boundary is asserted.
Surfing profile
This is a tidal Choptank River shore, not an Atlantic surf-beach forecast location. No wave-height rating or beach-specific surf forecast is asserted.
Beachcombing
No reliable Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach evidence establishes notable shelling. Do not plan on finds or remove living organisms, vegetation or protected material.
No reliable Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach evidence establishes notable shark-tooth hunting. Do not plan on finds or remove living organisms, vegetation or protected material.
Snorkeling & scuba diving
Shore snorkeling remains Unrated for Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach. Swimming is prohibited, so this is not a snorkeling entry.
Scuba remains Unrated for Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach. No verified local beach-entry dive route or Talbot County recreational dive operator was identified. Paddling rentals and offshore/other-county diving are not substitutes.
Clothing-optional, nudity & topless sunbathing
No verified nude or clothing-optional designation or current official permission was found for Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach. Maryland’s indecent-exposure law remains relevant; this guide does not classify the beach as a verified clothing-optional match.
Responsible source ↗ · Responsible source ↗ · Responsible source ↗
Female-topless sunbathing permission was not independently verified for Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach. It is separate from full nudity; no Ocean City ordinance or another jurisdiction’s ruling is inherited.
Responsible source ↗ · Responsible source ↗ · Responsible source ↗
Water clarity & shore snorkeling
Typical clarity: Not yet assessed. Typical underwater clarity has not been assessed for this named shore. Water color, bacterial results and forecasts do not measure visibility.
Shore snorkeling not yet assessed. Shore snorkeling remains Unrated for Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach. Swimming is prohibited, so this is not a snorkeling entry.
Typical clarity describes how easily you may see through the water. It does not establish bacterial water quality, safe swimming, calm conditions or visibility today.
Evidence, location scope & review
Desk review 2026-10-29 · Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach. This is not an on-site inspection or a current conditions report.
Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach
Find clear-water and shore-snorkeling options ↗ · Report a change ↗
Shore & sky wildlife
The park’s local FAQ describes osprey, geese, ducks and shorebirds, with deer or muskrat along trails. These are seasonal possibilities, not guaranteed sightings or permission to disturb wildlife.
History & interesting facts
The park reuses the former Choptank highway-bridge approaches and was named for outdoor writer Bill Burton in 2009. The current May 2026 notice governs pier closure over older FAQ descriptions of open portions.
Food, stays & rentals
EXTEND YOUR BEACH DAY
Food & drink nearby
Local dining recommendations
Use Talbot County’s current visitor directory for nearby town dining. Oxford’s Strand page specifically notes shops, inns and restaurants within walking distance; availability, reservations and business clocks remain separate from beach access.
Research notes & location scope
Use Talbot County’s current visitor directory for nearby town dining. Oxford’s Strand page specifically notes shops, inns and restaurants within walking distance; availability, reservations and business clocks remain separate from beach access.
Supporting research source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-29
These listings are unpaid and contain no affiliate links.
Accommodations by the beach
Oxford, Easton and St. Michaels offer separately booked accommodation through the official county visitor directory. A lodging booking or private hotel beach does not grant access to this public shore or vice versa.
Before you book
Confirm the exact property or rental unit, view category, beach route, accessibility and total price directly. Nearby lodging does not establish access to a private beach, a boat transfer or permission to camp.
Research notes & location scope
Oxford, Easton and St. Michaels offer separately booked accommodation through the official county visitor directory. A lodging booking or private hotel beach does not grant access to this public shore or vice versa.
Supporting research source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-29
These listings are unpaid and contain no affiliate links.
Activities & rentals
Shore Pedal & Paddle in St. Michaels advertises kayak/SUP rentals and delivery in Talbot County. Easton Cycle & Sport sells paddling equipment locally. These are regional business services, not on-beach concessions, verified dive shops, or permission to launch/swim at this exact shore.
Explore nearby beaches
Sources & review date
Guide desk research reviewed 2026-10-29; this is not a field-by-field current verification or an on-site inspection. Official facts, dated agency evidence and editorial assessments retain their own scope. Unknowns and conflicts remain open. Methodology · Rating explanations · Correction history
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · identity location ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · summary description ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · known for ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · live weather ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · daily forecast ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · tides ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · surf rip forecast ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · official flags closures ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · water quality ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · public access ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · crowds ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · sand shoreline ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · surf ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · shelling ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · shark teeth ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · sea glass ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · driftwood ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · snorkeling ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · scuba ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · wildlife ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · accommodations ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · commercial activities rentals ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · alcohol rules ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · fire rules ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · camping rules ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · shore fishing rules ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · hours ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · dogs ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · lifeguards ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · restrooms showers ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · parking entry ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · accessibility ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · driving ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · public access rules ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · dining ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · history ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · managing authority ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · official source links ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · main photo ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · photo gallery ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · admission payment passes ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · plan your visit ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · check before you go ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · nearby beaches ↗
- Bill Burton Talbot Shoreline Beach · closer look ↗
An exact-beach scenic photograph is pending. No substitute photograph is displayed.
Visitor experiences
Original, moderated reviews and photographs. Visit dates and entrances provide context; visitor ratings and reports do not replace official facts or current conditions.
Read approved visitor experiences here when available.