Pig Tail Recreation Area
Triadelphia Reservoir
5598 Green Bridge Road, Dayton Maryland 21036
Amenities and Special Attractions: When the mudflats are in good condition, almost any migrant Piedmont shorebird could appear. Such conditions do not occur annually. In drought years, water levels drop in early summer, and vegetation quickly appears on the mud reducing the attractiveness of the flats. In years when rainfall is high, flats do not emerge—or may do so only after the bulk of shorebird migration is complete.
Handicapped Access: Both paved parking lots provide birding possibilities including distant sightlines to the water/mudflats. Although the Long Path is flat for some distance, the surface is uneven, and portions may be muddy or rocky.
Habitat: This large cove on the north side of the reservoir offers views of the water all the way to the main stem of the reservoir. It is bordered on three sides by mostly deciduous forest with a limited number of conifers. In late summer and early fall, extensive mudflats may gradually appear (much less likely in spring). The water level varies from season to season and from year to year. With luck, a variety of shorebirds are likely to drop in for varying lengths of time. Most of the vegetation is deciduous with scattered remnant pines on the east side of the cove and more on the west. Mountain Laurel and various other acid-loving plants are evidence of the conifers that once dominated the eastern slopes.
Layout: Access is through a metal gate. When the gate is closed, a gravel area on the right allows one to turn around. Do not park and enter as you can be cited for trespassing. Two paved parking lots: Tj the right of the entrance gate, 2. is straight ahead and contains a boat ramp. A portable toilet is present during the boating/fishing season. All trails are unpaved and can be found in both parking lots. The Upland Path west begins in the first parking lot; the same trail head east past a wooden gate in lot 2. Lot 2 is where the trailhead for the Long Path begins through a metal gate. Initially, this is the flattest of the trails and for some distance follows the shoreline.
From Triadelphia Road, a long gravel road ends in a parking lot with a boat ramp at the north end of the cove. When water levels are high, there is water adjacent to the parking lot. During late summer, under normal conditions, mudflats will begin to emerge just south of the parking lot. The path along the east side of the cove allows birders to walk parallel to the flats and the water. It does not extend far enough to provide access to the main reservoir which is visible at the cove’s mouth. When the water level is low, it is possible to walk along the east side just below the tree line above the mudflats. As soon as one turns onto the gravel entrance road, it is worth listening and looking for woodland species. The open area in the vicinity of the parking lot can be a birdy locale. Park and walk back a short distance to the metal gate. Work west along the dirt road which shortly ends at another gate (no public access beyond it) just before the road crosses a stream. Check the trees near this tributary; continue along the water’s edge to the paved lot watching the sky as well as the edge vegetation. From the boat ramp, look across the channel for activity among the willows. Before leaving the lot, scope the sometimes distant water and any flats to see if it is worthwhile walking the trail.
The well-worn trail begins just south of the wooden gate at the south end of the parking lot and parallels the east side of the cove. When leaves are on the trees, observers are screened from the birds in the water or on the mudflats. The trail ends at a point of land adjacent to a tributary, about halfway to the main reservoir. Occasionally, the fates conspire to produce excellent conditions on the flats at a time when shorebirds are migrating. Such infrequent windows have produced Red Knot, White-rumped Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, and Short-billed Dowitcher to keep shorebird fanatics returning. If shorebirds are present, one may opt to walk in the open below the tree line, staying well above the treacherous mud.
From Triadelphia Road, a long gravel road ends in a parking lot with a boat ramp at the north end of the cove. When water levels are high, there is water adjacent to the parking lot. During late summer, under normal conditions, mudflats will begin to emerge just south of the parking lot. The path along the east side of the cove allows birders to walk parallel to the flats and the water. It does not extend far enough to provide access to the main reservoir which is visible at the cove’s mouth. When the water level is low, it is possible to walk along the east side just below the tree line above the mudflats. As soon as one turns onto the gravel entrance road, it is worth listening and looking for woodland species. The open area in the vicinity of the parking lot can be birdy. Park and walk back a short distance to the metal gate. Work west along the dirt road which shortly ends at another gate (no public access beyond it) just before the road crosses a stream. Check the trees near this tributary; continue along the water’s edge to the paved lot watching the sky as well as the edge vegetation. From the boat ramp, look across the channel for activity among the willows. Before leaving the lot, it is often useful to scope the sometimes distant water and any flats to determine if it is worthwhile to walk the trail.
The well-worn trail begins just south of the wooden gate at the south end of the parking lot and parallels the east side of the cove. When leaves are on the trees, observers are screened from the birds in the water or on the mudflats. The trail ends at a point of land adjacent to a tributary, about halfway to the main reservoir. Occasionally, the fates conspire to produce excellent conditions on the flats at a time when shorebirds are migrating. Such infrequent windows have produced Red Knot, White-rumped Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, and Short-billed Dowitcher to keep shorebird fanatics returning. If shorebirds are present, one may opt to walk in the open below the tree line, staying well above the treacherous mud.
Pig Tail Long Trail |
Pig Tail Upland Path |
Deer Hunts: There are deer hunts on a few days in fall and winter.
Compiler: Joanne Solem
