River guideMaryland
Potomac River
Plan a paddle across 4 paddle areas. Compare distance, difficulty, and today’s conditions before choosing your stretch.
Trip picker
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Start with distance, then compare today’s conditions.
Showing all 15 trips.
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River overview
Potomac River paddle planning
What to verify before you commit.
Water levels
These Potomac River routes use 6 gauge references depending on the stretch.
Route options
Compare 15 scored routes across Allegany County / Western Maryland, Allegany and Washington Counties / Western Maryland, Montgomery, Frederick, and Washington Counties / Central Maryland, Washington County / Western Maryland. Open a route page for put-in, take-out, distance, source confidence, and access notes.
Difficulty
Potomac River routes here are marked advanced and easy and moderate, so choose the stretch that fits your group and conditions.
Quick answers
Potomac River paddling FAQ
Where can I paddle the Potomac River?
Paddle Today tracks 15 Potomac River routes across Allegany County / Western Maryland, Allegany and Washington Counties / Western Maryland, Montgomery, Frederick, and Washington Counties / Central Maryland, Washington County / Western Maryland. Compare the route cards on this page, then open an individual route for put-in, take-out, distance, and access notes.
How should I check Potomac River water levels?
Start with the route score and gauge notes for the stretch you plan to paddle. This hub includes routes watched with 6 gauges or gauge references, and each route page explains its own target range or low-water floor.
Which Potomac River route is best today?
Use the live route cards above to compare today's Paddle Today scores. The best stretch can change with water level, recent trend, weather, access, and route difficulty.