Purse State Park

"This place was so neat! It was our first time hunting for shark teeth and we were thrilled to be able to find some (with the help of a local woman we met on the beach!) We just had to look closely- they were coming in and out with the shallow part of the water. Worth the drive and the short hike in."

"Small parking lot, big potholes. Short hike to the waterfront. We went at low tide on Saturday and a few other groups had the same idea but even though it's a skinny beach, there's more than plenty of room for everyone to have their own spot. It was our first time shark tooth hunting and we found 24!"

"I've been to this park several times since moving to the DMV because I've been collecting shark teeth since I was a kid and this spot is perfect for it. If you've been before and have trouble finding them, note that they are, for the most part, very small but very abundant. If you're using a sieve or colander you're likely going to have a harder time finding them because on top of the shells on the beach, there are rocks that are much larger than the teeth so you'll end up catching those instead. I recommend waiting for low tide, wearing some water shoes, and standing a little in the water and just digging and running your hands over the sand and shells. The picture I included of the teeth I found were over the course of 3 hours one afternoon. Again, they're small but I managed to get 220 just this one day. Other things to note, there's a small parking area with the sign for the park (pictured). Across the street you'll see a yellow gate (also pictured) which is where the trail is. The trail itself is about a 5 minute walk and when you hit the end you'll see a brick chimney. There's 2 different ways to get down to the beach, both are very steep so be careful. The beach itself is very narrow but long so there's plenty of room to spread out from other families though it's rarely very busy. Do make sure to check the tides because if it's high tide or rained very heavily, the beach will be practically gone. That being said, the water itself is very calm so it's great if you just want to swim. You may also see some animals while you're there or on your drive in. I've seen a beaver, owls, deer, and and other various wildlife. Last note: there are NO bathrooms! I usually duck behind a tree but just be aware of that when you make your visit. Have fun, wear sunscreen, and happy hunting."

"Note, there's NO sign to direct you to the beach. In fact, the sign says something else (I forget now) but Google maps will take you to the small parking area. About 50 feet away is a metal boom gate blocking vehicles from a dirt path. Follow this path for a 10 min walk. It will take you directly to the beach area. Pretty easy walk, but I'd wear shoes and not flip flops. IMPORTANT: go during low tide! We were there for a few hours *before high tide and the beach area was quickly being swallowed up with the tide coming in. The beach area is very shallow to begin with. While the water was very calm, not sure you can swim there? I'd be concerned with any undercurrents that could drag you under. TIPS: 1. Go during low tide 2. Take a kitchen strainer (mesh type) - the type with a handle and has smaller holes 3. Take a sandwich bag to collect sharks teeth in 4. We found most of our teeth in the small piles of rocks and stones lined up where the tide dumps everything. Not in the water, but in the piles just out of reach of the waterline."

"A nice State Park at the lower course of Potomac River. Don't expect beaches. The riverside is very small. This place seem to be known for finds of shark teeth. We didn't find any of them but many families were searching the shallow water... The place is okay. It will not become our famous sunday excursion. But we were able to catch some nice shots with our cam..."