New Trails Now Open at Former Bay Club in Berlin with Additional Environmental Improvements Planned

The former Bay Club in Worcester County is now open space for the public, managed by the Maryland Forest Service. Photo by Rachael Pacella.

New trails are available for adventurous hikers at the former Bay Club property in Worcester County, and soon local residents and visitors will see a number of environmental improvements coming to the property that’s now managed by the Maryland Forest Service.

The currently unimproved trails offer about 12 miles in hiking opportunities throughout the land once reserved for fairways and farms. The Forest Service opened the property to the public in August 2023 and the area now also provides opportunities for hunting, trapping, hiking and biking.

These trails are open but still unmaintained, the remnants of old cart paths and access roads, so boots and appropriate outdoor clothing are recommended if you plan on exploring them. Forest Manager Alex Clark and his team are working to determine what trails to keep and maintain moving forward, so there will eventually be some trails that are marked and graded. A map of the current trails can be found through the Chesapeake Forest Land webpage. 

Now that the public has the opportunity to enjoy the area, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources is moving forward with environmental restoration plans at the site, which encompasses about 672 acres in the headwaters of the Pocomoke River. 

Farmers carved deep agricultural ditches to drain any and all water from the property, to make the land suitable for growing corn and soybeans, and to prevent flooding at the former golf course. The property drains into the Pocomoke River.

To restore hydrology, restoration specialists will plug these deep ditches, allowing water to return to the landscape. Workers are going to capture water and re-wet land that has been altered by farming and the construction of the golf course.

“To be able to restore the hydrology of more than 100 acres of forested wetlands is a rare opportunity,” DNR Senior Restoration Specialist Sarah Hilderbrand said.

Hilderbrand said as visitors enjoy hiking and hunting around the newly opened property, they can look forward to improved wildlife habitat in the coming years thanks to a grant through the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund. 

The Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund awarded $839,890 to the Lower Shore Land Trust to design and implement wetland restoration projects on the property. The land trust is contributing $68,147 toward the project. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will oversee design and construction for the project, and will also monitor new wetlands on the site. 

The wetlands project will ultimately include the restoration of 15 acres of ephemeral wetlands, 13 acres of semi-permanent forested wetlands, and 100 acres of restored forested wetland hydrology. 

It is currently in the planning phase, which includes assessing site conditions, finalizing restoration designs, and coordinating logistics for implementation.

The proposed design will help reduce the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment entering local waterways–the primary pollutants that negatively affect water quality in the region. 

Healthy wetlands provide a refuge for animals, especially during droughts, they prevent flooding and runoff during severe storms, improve water quality, and store carbon. 

Pollinator-friendly wildflower meadows are also planned for 18 acres near the parking lot on the property. Planting is scheduled to take place later this year. 

While partners work to restore wetlands on the property, the Maryland Forest Service planted 58,000 seedlings in March of 2024 across 62 acres and constructed a new parking lot for visitors.

The Forest Service planted tree species including loblolly and shortleaf pines, bald cypress, yellow poplar, and black, southern red, white, and willow oaks.  

Working with the Lower Shore Land Trust, DNR acquired the property from a local land development company using funds from Program Open Space.