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Maryland | Calvert County / Southern Maryland

Calvert County Water TrailsNan’s Cove to Rock Creek and Broomes Island bounded loop

A same-launch Nan’s Cove route with official short, Rock Creek, and longer Broomes Island/Island Creek options, kept inside the public access and shoreline boundaries.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 1 mile for adjacent coves, 2 miles round trip to Rock Creek, or 5 miles round trip to the mouth of Island Creek
DifficultyModerate
Typical time1–4 hours depending on selected loop
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 1 mile for adjacent coves, 2 miles round trip to Rock Creek, or 5 miles round trip to the mouth of Island CreekNan’s Cove to Rock Creek and Broomes Island bounded 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; Nan’s Cove is the public start and hard return. Confirm daylight parking limits, carry, and current county access before launching.
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 nearbyNan’s Cove is day use with no overnight parking. Arrange a separate campground or lodging basecamp; no cove or island 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.

TomorrowChecking

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A same-launch Nan’s Cove route with official short, Rock Creek, and longer Broomes Island/Island Creek options, kept inside the public access and shoreline boundaries.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Nan’s Cove soft access
Open mapDirections to put-in

The county access record identifies a small non-motorized floating launch and daylight/no-parking limits; verify the carry and parking before unloading.

Finish

Take-out

Nan’s Cove soft access return
Open mapDirections to take-out

The guide presents multiple distance choices; choose one that leaves a same-launch return margin rather than extending into the open Patuxent by default.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • The county access record identifies a small non-motorized floating launch and daylight/no-parking limits; verify the carry and parking before unloading.
  • The guide presents multiple distance choices; choose one that leaves a same-launch return margin rather than extending into the open Patuxent by default.
  • All nearby shoreline beyond the named public site is treated as private or access-uncertain.

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
  • Nan’s Cove floating launch, stone revetment, sandbar, Rock Creek mouth, Island Creek mouth, Patuxent wind/current/tide, and private shoreline

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.

Trip schedule

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Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.

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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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.

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 Nan’s Cove Trail, Approximately 1 mile for adjacent coves, 2 miles round trip to Rock Creek, or 5 miles round trip to the mouth of Island Creek

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

    Source

  • Authoritative public accessNan’s Cove soft access and Nan’s Cove 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 postureNan’s Cove is day use with no overnight parking. Arrange a separate campground or lodging basecamp; no cove or island 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.

More in Maryland

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Maryland route guideBrowse every tracked Maryland route.Calvert County / Southern MarylandJump to routes in this region.

More on Calvert County Water Trails

All 6
Hallowing Point to Caney Creek and Benedict Community ParkCalvert County / Southern MarylandModerate · Approximately 4 miles round trip into Caney Creek; the Hallowing Point to Benedict crossing is just over 1 mile round tripJefferson Patterson Park to St. Leonard Creek bounded routeCalvert County / Southern MarylandModerate · Bounded St. Leonard Creek route from the JPPM south access; confirm the current creek option distance on the park mapKings Landing Park to Cocktown Creek loopCalvert County / Southern MarylandModerate · Approximately 3 miles round trip, shorter turnarounds permittedMarina West at Kellam’s Park Fishing Creek loopCalvert County / Southern MarylandModerate · Approximately 5.5 miles round trip along Fishing Creek, shorter turnarounds permitted

Nearby routes within 75 miles

St. Mary’s County Water TrailsPort of Leonardtown Park to Abell’s Wharf · about 10 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 6 miles one way; the guide also identifies Leonardtown Wharf and Camp Calvert as intermediate public access pointsSt. Mary’s County Water TrailsGreat Mills Launch to St. Mary’s City · about 13 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 7 miles one way along the shoreline; guide describes route choices from approximately 1 to 10 milesSt. Mary’s County Water TrailsWicomico Shores Landing to Bushwood Wharf · about 17 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 8 miles one way, with Chaptico Wharf at approximately 5 miles as an intermediate public endpointSt. Mary’s County Water TrailsTall Timbers Landing and Herring Creek loop · about 17 straight-line mi awayModerate · Bounded Herring Creek loop along approximately 10 miles of shoreline; confirm the current route distance and turnaround on the county map

Quick answers

Calvert County Water Trails paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Nan’s Cove to Rock Creek and Broomes Island bounded 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 Nan’s Cove to Rock Creek and Broomes Island bounded loop route on the Calvert County Water Trails start and end?

This route starts at Nan’s Cove soft access and ends at Nan’s Cove soft access return, Approximately 1 mile for adjacent coves, 2 miles round trip to Rock Creek, or 5 miles round trip to the mouth of Island Creek on the water.

Is the Nan’s Cove to Rock Creek and Broomes Island bounded 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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