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Maryland | Calvert County / Southern Maryland

Calvert County Water TrailsMarina West at Kellam’s Park Fishing Creek loop

A sheltered Fishing Creek loop from Marina West at Kellam’s Park through working waterfront, marsh, and upland forest, with the creek’s same-launch return as the hard boundary.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 5.5 miles round trip along Fishing Creek, shorter turnarounds permitted
DifficultyModerate
Typical time2–5 hours depending on tide
ShuttleNo shuttle
Two paddlers move downstream on the Monocacy River beneath wooded banks in Maryland.
Route photoMonocacy River Water Trail paddling contextPhoto by Saki / National Park Service

Need to know

Why this call
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceApproximately 5.5 miles round trip along Fishing Creek, shorter turnarounds permittedMarina West at Kellam’s Park Fishing Creek loop
DifficultymoderateThe source describes recreational moving water, but shallow rock, current, cold water, debris, and bridge or access hazards remain material.
ShuttleNo shuttleNo shuttle is required; launch and return at Marina West/Kellam’s Park after confirming the honor-box fee, parking, soft-launch location, and marina hours.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow current Calvert County, Maryland DNR, park, marina, launch-fee, parking, tide, marine-weather, and Maryland boating/PFD rules. No route-specific permit beyond the named endpoint rules is claimed.
CampingOptions nearbyMarina West/Kellam’s Park is day-use access. Arrange separate legal lodging or campground; no creek-bank camping is claimed.
SeasonMar-NovSpring through fall is the practical planning season, but Maryland water levels, recent rain, temperature, debris, and daylight control every launch decision.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

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Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A sheltered Fishing Creek loop from Marina West at Kellam’s Park through working waterfront, marsh, and upland forest, with the creek’s same-launch return as the hard boundary.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Chesapeake Beach Marina West / Kellam’s Park soft access
Open mapDirections to put-in

The official guide identifies a soft launch across from the marina office and an honor-box launch fee; call ahead for current operations and rental/access rules.

Finish

Take-out

Chesapeake Beach Marina West / Kellam’s Park soft access return
Open mapDirections to take-out

The 5.5-mile figure is a full-length round trip, not a promise of safe depth or a fixed current condition.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • The official guide identifies a soft launch across from the marina office and an honor-box launch fee; call ahead for current operations and rental/access rules.
  • The 5.5-mile figure is a full-length round trip, not a promise of safe depth or a fixed current condition.
  • Do not use working waterfronts, private docks, or marsh margins as informal exits.

Watch for

  • USGS 01594440 Patuxent watershed proxy and current marine/tide forecast
  • wind, waves, current, wakes, shallow creek turns, debris, thunderstorms, cold water, cliffs, and private shoreline
  • park hours, parking, launch carries/fees, marina traffic, fishing lines, and hard named endpoints
  • Marina West soft launch, marina traffic, Fishing Creek turns, shallow marsh, railway-trail corridor, tide, wind, and daylight

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

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Trip schedule

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Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

Gauge detail

Water-level history and forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Route gallery

Photos

Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.

Two paddlers move downstream on the Monocacy River beneath wooded banks in Maryland.
Monocacy River Water Trail paddling contextPhoto by Saki / National Park Service
National Park Service public-agency image

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.

  • Named moving-water corridorMaryland DNR/Calvert County Fishing Creek Trail, Approximately 5.5 miles round trip along Fishing Creek, shorter turnarounds permitted

    The official county guide describes the named route, route-specific distance or bounded option, access facility, and local hazards.

    Source

  • Authoritative public accessChesapeake Beach Marina West / Kellam’s Park soft access and Chesapeake Beach Marina West / Kellam’s Park soft access return

    Current Maryland DNR public-access records and the county guide identify the access facility. Coordinates are on/near-water anchors; verify current operations, fees, and carry.

    Source

  • Proxy flow and tidal evidenceUSGS 01594440 Patuxent River near Bowie, clearly labeled watershed proxy

    The station is not local to these tidal routes and supplies no safe-depth or tide cutoff. Use current marine/tide conditions and observed water.

    Source

  • Camping postureMarina West/Kellam’s Park is day-use access. Arrange separate legal lodging or campground; no creek-bank camping is claimed.

    Camping is separate from day-use launch access and must follow the named park, marina, or county rules.

    Source

  • Live gaugeUSGS 01594440, Patuxent River near Bowie, MD

    This is a clearly labeled proxy or route-context station; local water, tributaries, releases, and weather can differ materially.

    Source

  • Approved route imageryRights-cleared public-agency or public-domain corridor image

    Rights-cleared Maryland public-river image used as regional context; it does not certify Calvert County tide, wind, access, or route hazards.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Reports

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Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

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More on Calvert County Water Trails

All 6
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Nearby routes within 75 miles

Patuxent RiverSelby’s Landing to Clyde Watson Boating Area · about 10 straight-line mi awayEasy · Approximately 13.5 river miles from Selby’s Landing to Clyde WatsonTilghman Island and Bay Hundred Water TrailsBlack Walnut Cove and Bar Neck shoreline loop · about 11 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 3.5 miles round trip from Black Walnut Cove around the shorelinePatuxent RiverJackson’s Landing to Selby’s Landing · about 11 straight-line mi awayEasy · Approximately 2.7 river miles from Jackson’s Landing to Selby’s LandingTilghman Island and Bay Hundred Water TrailsLowes Wharf to Cabin Cove loop · about 12 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 1.82 miles round trip from Lowes Wharf through Cabin Cove

Quick answers

Calvert County Water Trails paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Marina West at Kellam’s Park Fishing Creek loop route on the Calvert County Water Trails?

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 Marina West at Kellam’s Park Fishing Creek loop route on the Calvert County Water Trails start and end?

This route starts at Chesapeake Beach Marina West / Kellam’s Park soft access and ends at Chesapeake Beach Marina West / Kellam’s Park soft access return, Approximately 5.5 miles round trip along Fishing Creek, shorter turnarounds permitted on the water.

Is the Marina West at Kellam’s Park Fishing Creek loop route on the Calvert County Water Trails 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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