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Maryland | Baltimore City and Anne Arundel County / Central Maryland
Baltimore BluewayRash Field Park to Fells Point / Inner Harbor perimeter
An intermediate perimeter paddle around Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, Harbor East, Harbor Point, and the historic waterfront.
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Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.
Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.
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Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
An intermediate perimeter paddle around Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, Harbor East, Harbor Point, and the historic waterfront.
Access map
Put-in
Inner Harbor Kayak Launch at Rash Field ParkBoth named launches are public Blueway access anchors; confirm current construction, parking, launch surface, rentals, and waterline.
Take-out
Fells Point Kayak Launch at Bond Street WharfDo not land at the listed landmarks, floating wetlands, private marinas, or industrial shoreline unless that location separately grants public access.
Road shuttle
Access notes and hazards
Access caveats
- Both named launches are public Blueway access anchors; confirm current construction, parking, launch surface, rentals, and waterline.
- Do not land at the listed landmarks, floating wetlands, private marinas, or industrial shoreline unless that location separately grants public access.
- Treat the Fells Point/Rash Field pair as the hard route boundary; connected trails are separate route records.
Watch for
- The Baltimore Blueway and Maryland DNR describe a working urban waterfront. Keep near the designated shoreline route, avoid shipping channels, give way to commercial and recreational traffic, and do not launch during thunderstorms, unsafe wind/waves, or poor visibility.
- NOAA Baltimore tide and marine forecast
- commercial and recreational traffic, wakes, marked channels, bridges, floating wetlands, recent rainfall and water-quality notices
- Rash Field paid parking, Bond Street Wharf street parking, launch hours, rental/landing rules, and hard return/endpoint
Plan this paddle
Choose your trip times
No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.
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Conditions
Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast
Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.
USGS measurements
More about this gauge
These measurements come from the gauge station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Patapsco River near Elkridge, MD (same-estuary proxy). This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Gauge detail
Water-level history and forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
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Route gallery
Photos
Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.
Sources
Data and sources
Read the access and hazard notes and check the linked guides. We do not issue a daily score for this trip.
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- One-way distance and return planApproximately 2 miles one way
The published shoreline distance is one way. A return paddle adds distance and time; use a two-launch shuttle or assess tide, wind, traffic and daylight in both directions. The map is a generalized shoreline planning line, not a navigation track.
- Fells Point public dock approachBond Street Wharf floating kayak dock
The dock owner permits public recreational paddling through the Baltimore Blueway. Approach the floating kayak dock from the Bond Street Wharf boardwalk; its four-foot gangway can be steep with changing tide. This mapped dock-area anchor is not a survey of the gangway or water entry. Confirm current access, waterline and hours; club equipment, rentals and neighboring marina berths have separate rules.
- Rash Field public dock approachNortheast park edge beside Rusty Scupper
The public floating launch is at the northeast edge of Rash Field beside Rusty Scupper, across from the Inner Harbor Marina. Use the park boardwalk and public dock, not private marina berths. This approximate dock-area anchor is not a surveyed water entry; confirm the current gangway, waterline, hours and launch availability.
- Documented harbor itineraryBaltimore Blueway Inner Harbor Heritage Water Trail, Approximately 2 miles one way
The current Baltimore Blueway trail page names the route, publishes the distance/difficulty, and identifies connected public launch choices.
- Authoritative public accessInner Harbor Kayak Launch at Rash Field Park to Fells Point Kayak Launch at Bond Street Wharf
The Blueway directory names both public launches and the dock owner explains the public floating-dock access. Coordinates are approximate dock-area anchors, not surveyed gangway or water-entry positions; check current operation, carry and waterline.
- Proxy flow and tidal evidenceUSGS 01589035 Patapsco River near Elkridge, clearly labeled same-estuary proxy, plus NOAA Baltimore tide station 8574680
The USGS station supplies upstream Patapsco trend context, not a local harbor discharge, tide, depth, or safe-flow cutoff. Use NOAA tide/marine forecast, water-quality monitoring, and observed water.
- Route-specific safety and water qualityBlueway working-waterfront, 48-hour heavy-rain water-contact, channel, traffic, and PFD guidance
Baltimore Blueway and NPS provide the public paddling, boat-traffic, channel, PFD, and rainfall/water-quality posture for this urban tidal route.
- Camping postureDay-use urban route. Use separately arranged lodging; neither public launch grants overnight parking, shoreline camping, or dock camping.
The named city launches and Blueway rest stops are day-use access; no route or shoreline camping is claimed.
- Live gaugeUSGS 01589035, Patapsco River near Elkridge, MD (same-estuary proxy)
This is a clearly labeled proxy or route-context station; local water, tributaries, releases, and weather can differ materially.
- Approved route imageryRights-cleared public-agency or public-domain corridor image
Rights-cleared Wikimedia Commons Patapsco Valley State Park river image used as regional context; it does not certify Baltimore Harbor tide, traffic, water quality, access, or current conditions.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- Baltimore Blueway Inner Harbor Heritage Water Trail
- Fells Point dock owner: public access and gangway
- Rash Field public floating dock and approach
- Baltimore Blueway trail directory
- Baltimore Blueway launch directory
- Baltimore Blueway trip planning and safety
- NPS Paddle the Baltimore Blueway
- Maryland public water-access layer
- USGS Patapsco near Elkridge proxy
- NOAA Baltimore tide station 8574680
- USGS 01589035 monitoring location
- USGS 01589035 current conditions
- Approved corridor image
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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Quick answers
Baltimore Blueway paddling FAQ
What water level is best for the Rash Field Park to Fells Point / Inner Harbor perimeter route on the Baltimore Blueway?
This planning route has no live Paddle Today score. Review the linked water-level sources, current access notices and route-specific hazards before travel.
Where does the Rash Field Park to Fells Point / Inner Harbor perimeter route on the Baltimore Blueway start and end?
This route starts at Inner Harbor Kayak Launch at Rash Field Park and ends at Fells Point Kayak Launch at Bond Street Wharf, Approximately 2 miles one way on the water.
Is the Rash Field Park to Fells Point / Inner Harbor perimeter route on the Baltimore Blueway suitable for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Review the difficulty notes, hazards and current access conditions against your group's skills. No live score assesses this trip.
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