A Chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society
Scotts Cove Recreation Area
T. Howard Duckett Reservoir
Harding Road, Laurel Maryland 20723
Amenities: Two gravel parking lots; picnic tables, grills, and tot lot; boat ramp; portable toilet adjacent to boat ramp when reservoir is open. Day or seasonal passes required for fishing and boating are available at the Brighton Dam Information Center.
Handicapped Access: Parking lots are adjacent to wooded areas; water can only be reached down a flight of steps or fairly steep slopes. Some birds can be seen and heard from the lots; south lot provides a slightly better view of the cove. The boat ramp is the only paved area.
Special Attractions: Potential for waterbirds and shorebirds adjacent to mixed
woods.
Size: This small cove is on the north side of the reservoir.
Habitat: Water level fluctuates by season and rainfall. Occasionally in late summer, attractive mudflats are exposed. Mixed woods border the cove with
stands of planted white pines east of the boat ramp on the south side.
Trails/Paths: Areas adjacent to the parking lots provide access to the shoreline at the head of the cove. At the southwest corner of Pineway Drive and Harding Road, a wooden gate marks the entrance to a short path to a point on the main reservoir overlooking the mouth of Scotts Cove. There is another gated entry point
between Pineway Drive and the north parking lot. On the south side of the cove, just above the boat ramp and boat stakes, there is a beaten fishing path through the pine woods. Sometimes it is possible to walk above the waterline in order to reach the main body of the reservoir.
Compiler: Joanne Solem
