When did you last stand at Kings Landing Park after dark? From Labor Day to Memorial Day weekend, Calvert County lists the park's hours as 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. All summer the weekend gates stayed open until 8 p.m. Now a weekday visit after work runs into a locked gate. This October and November, the Calvert Nature Society has scheduled three evenings that get you in anyway. Each one needs a reservation, and at least one is close to full.
A 5 P.M. Gate On A 260-Acre Park
Kings Landing covers 260 acres on the shores of the Patuxent River and Cocktown Creek. The county park map shows nine named trails: Blue Heron, Eagle's Reach, Bluebird, Sparrow's Bend, Conservation Education, Tanager, Osprey, Red Tail and Nuthatch. The same map marks Tom Wisner Hall, a Tom Wisner Memorial Bench, an amphitheater, cabins and an archery range. The park also has a fishing pier and a launch for kayaks and canoes. Motorboats can't use it. There's no entrance fee.
Wisner Hall has changed a little this year. The county's Parks & Recreation progress report for fiscal year 2026 says crews restored the native gardens around the building, cleared out overgrown vegetation and added native plants. The report also proposes $825,000 in fiscal year 2027 capital money for parking, lighting, site work and visitor services in the Wisner Hall area. That's a budget request. No construction date has been set.
Check the closing time before you head over late in the day. The Patuxent Water Trail's page on Kings Landing lists hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., which is earlier than the county's listing. Either way, golden hour on the river falls after the gates close for most of the fall.
The Three Evenings On The Calendar
The Calvert Nature Society runs all three as after-hours programs. You don't drive in on a normal day pass. Registered guests get access instructions or parking directions ahead of time.
| Date | Program | Time | Nonmember cost | Weather plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Oct. 10 | Going Batty Campfire | 6:30–8 p.m. | $8 per family | Canceled if it rains |
| Fri., Oct. 30 | Star Party with SMAS | 8–9:30 p.m. | Listed as free by SMAS | Rain date Sun., Nov. 1 |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | Meteors and Marshmallows Campfire | 6–8 p.m. | $8 per family | Canceled for weather or poor viewing |
Going Batty is the one to book first. The listing covers local bats, echolocation, games and roasted marshmallows. You bring a blanket or camp chairs. Reservations are required and walk-ins aren't allowed. When the listing was captured on Sept. 30, it showed six spaces left.
The Star Party brings the Southern Maryland Astronomical Society and its telescopes to the park. You park by Wisner Hall, the large building straight ahead as you enter, and walk under a quarter mile to the observing area near the Equestrian Ring. The listing recommends warm layers, sturdy shoes and a flashlight, and says you're welcome to bring your own telescope. It also has one firm rule:
"Flashlights must be kept off in the observation area or have red lenses to not interfere with participants' night vision."
Reservations are "strongly encouraged" and the program is open to the public. SMAS is a group of amateur astronomers that meets at the Nanjemoy Creek Environmental Education Center and runs an observatory with a 14-inch telescope. Its own observing sessions there are for members and prospective members. That makes its public star parties, like this one, the usual way for everyone else to look through its scopes.
Meteors and Marshmallows on Nov. 14 is for all ages. It also requires advance registration and doesn't take walk-ins. On the same night, SMAS has a free public star party at Thomas Stone National Historic Site starting at 6:30 p.m. Families with a telescope fan will have to choose between the two. If you miss both, SMAS also lists a public night at St. Clements Island Museum on Nov. 19, starting at 6:30 p.m., with Nov. 20 as the rain date.
Registration Opens In Stages
The Calvert Nature Society advertises programs before registration opens. As its calendar notes, a program can show "closed" even when spaces are still available. Members get first access.
Here's how the costs add up for a household that wants all three evenings plus the Walktober hike:
- As nonmembers: $8 for Going Batty, $8 for Meteors and Marshmallows and $4 for the hike, so $20 in program fees. SMAS lists the Star Party as free.
- As members: A family membership is $30 a year and covers everyone in the household, even though only two names go on the form. Both campfires and the hike are then free.
- What the extra $10 buys: On fees alone, membership costs a little more this fall. What you're paying for is early registration, which matters for events like Going Batty that were down to six spaces with ten days to go.
Individual memberships are $25. The Friend and Sustaining levels are $50 and $100.
The Daylight Calendar Fills In Around Them
The busiest stretch at Kings Landing is the first two weekends of October, and most of it happens before the 5 p.m. close.
- Fri., Oct. 2: The First Friday Walktober hike runs 9:30–10:30 a.m. It's a moderate guided walk of one to two miles for ages eight and up. It's free for members and $4 per nonmember family. Registration closes today, Sept. 30.
- Sat., Oct. 3: The Friends of the Poor 5K Walk/Run & Kiddy-K starts at 8 a.m. on a wooded, mostly flat course. The fee is $30.
- Sat., Oct. 10: The Torch Run 5K benefits Special Olympics Maryland. Registration is free, check-in runs 7:30–8:30 a.m., a fun walk starts at 8:45 and the 5K and ruck start at 9. A T-shirt is an optional $20. You can run in the morning and come back that evening for Going Batty.
- Sun., Oct. 25: Festival in the Park, also called the SOMD Reviving the Community Fair, runs 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is free. It has music, guest speakers, animal adoptions and children's activities.
So on Oct. 10, the park is busy from 7:30 a.m. check-in until the campfire ends at 8 p.m., even though the posted hours say 9 to 5.
Huntingtown's Other Evening Venue This Fall
Away from the river, the other organization hosting evening events in town this fall is the Huntingtown Volunteer Fire Department at 4030 Old Town Road. Its events also run on reservations and deadlines.
- Sun., Oct. 18: A free open house from noon to 4 p.m.
- Sat., Oct. 24: The "ABC's of Murder!" dinner runs 5:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $60 each or $450 for a table of eight, and you have to buy by Oct. 17.
- Sat., Nov. 7: Rescheduled bingo. Doors open at 4 p.m., early-bird games start at 5 and regular bingo at 6. The entry fee is $50, you need an advance reservation and the room holds 125 players.
For daytime outings, Calvert County's Department of Economic Development launched a page at CalvertAg.com/FarmFallFun in late August. It collects the county's fall farm activities in one place and will be updated through the season. Huntingtown's own Mulberry Hill Farm is listed for fall wine tastings, live music, pumpkins and mums. Check with the farm for this year's dates and hours.
Planning around the calendar works the same way in every case. Book early, watch for staggered registration dates, and remember the Kings Landing gates close at 5 p.m. until Memorial Day weekend. Programs and dates can change, so check the Calvert Nature Society calendar and the Huntingtown VFD site before you go.
If you're thinking about how a place like Kings Landing fits into your own plans in Huntingtown, whether that's a river view, a home near the trails or just knowing the area well, Greg Beckman and The Beckman Group can talk it through with you. Let's Connect, and book an appointment.
