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Maryland | Washington County / Western Maryland

Conococheague CreekKemps Mill Park to Williamsport River Bottom Park

A short, low-gradient lower Conococheague Creek float from the public Kemps Mill Park walk-in access to Williamsport River Bottom Park. The reach is shallow and agricultural, with a direct Fairview gauge, an old mill-dam boundary immediately upstream, submerged summer vegetation, and a confluence-area take-out that must not be confused with downstream Potomac travel.

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Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 4.5 miles from Kemps Mill Park to Williamsport River Bottom Park
DifficultyEasy
Typical time2–4 hours depending on stage
ShuttleCar shuttle
The C&O Canal aqueduct crosses Conococheague Creek near Williamsport, Maryland.
Route photoConococheague Creek aqueduct near Williamsport; same-creek contextPhoto by Wikimedia Commons contributor

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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceApproximately 4.5 miles from Kemps Mill Park to Williamsport River Bottom ParkKemps Mill Park to Williamsport River Bottom Park
DifficultyeasyThe source describes recreational moving water, but shallow rock, current, cold water, debris, and bridge or access hazards remain material.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage at River Bottom Park, then shuttle to Kemps Mill Park. Confirm the park lot, walk-in carry, and ramp approach on launch day; do not use Cresspond Road, Wishard Road, Kemps Mill Road, or the private dam as substitute access without current permission.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow Washington County park hours and seasonal rules, Maryland boating/PFD requirements, C&O Canal and River Bottom Park rules, posted private-property boundaries, and current closures. No route-specific paddling permit is claimed.
CampingDay tripNo on-route camping is claimed. Williamsport and the C&O Canal corridor provide nearby lodging/camping context, but neither named endpoint implies overnight creek camping; check current C&O and private-campground rules separately.
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

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A short, low-gradient lower Conococheague Creek float from the public Kemps Mill Park walk-in access to Williamsport River Bottom Park. The reach is shallow and agricultural, with a direct Fairview gauge, an old mill-dam boundary immediately upstream, submerged summer vegetation, and a confluence-area take-out that must not be confused with downstream Potomac travel.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Kemps Mill Park walk-in Conococheague access
Open mapDirections to put-in

Kemps Mill Park is a public walk-in access point, not a guaranteed trailer ramp. Confirm the carry, bank, parking, and water entry before unloading.

Finish

Take-out

Williamsport River Bottom Park boat ramp
Open mapDirections to take-out

River Bottom Park is a public Potomac boat ramp at the confluence, but its narrow approach and Potomac hazards require a deliberate take-out plan. Do not miss the endpoint or continue toward Dam 5.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Kemps Mill Park is a public walk-in access point, not a guaranteed trailer ramp. Confirm the carry, bank, parking, and water entry before unloading.
  • River Bottom Park is a public Potomac boat ramp at the confluence, but its narrow approach and Potomac hazards require a deliberate take-out plan. Do not miss the endpoint or continue toward Dam 5.
  • Maryland DNR states that traditional access through Wishard Road, Cress Pond Road, and Kemps Mill Road is through private property and that the private Kemps Mill Dam access is no longer available. Those locations are excluded from the verified access chain.

Watch for

  • USGS 01614500 stage and trend
  • 2.0–9.0 ft AW range, 2.4–6.0 ft planning band, shallow cobble, submerged vegetation, wood, cold water, and fast rise
  • Kemps Mill Park carry, River Bottom Park ramp/parking, private-bank boundaries, confluence current, and the Dam 5 boundary downstream

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Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

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Gauge detail

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Gauge

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Photos

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The C&O Canal aqueduct crosses Conococheague Creek near Williamsport, Maryland.
Conococheague Creek aqueduct near Williamsport; same-creek contextPhoto by Wikimedia Commons contributor
Wikimedia Commons license on linked file page

Score & sources

Why this score

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Data status
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Why this scoreData reliability: checking

This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.

Why
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times

These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.

Gauge siteConococheague Creek at Fairview, MD
Gauge heightChecking
DischargeChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Preferred range2.40 ft to 6.00 ft
Low threshold2.00 ft
High threshold9.00 ft
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreAmerican Whitewater Conococheague Creek Fairview gauge guidance
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Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
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 corridorKemps Mill Park to Williamsport River Bottom Park, approximately 4.5 miles, Class I context

    Maryland DNR identifies the lower creek as floatable from River Bottom upstream and names Kemps Mill Park walk-in access. American Whitewater provides the Class I corridor and the direct Fairview gauge range.

    Source

  • Authoritative public accessKemps Mill Park walk-in access and Williamsport River Bottom Park public boat ramp

    Maryland DNR names Kemps Mill Park as public walk-in access; the Maryland public water-access record and C&O Canal Trust document the public River Bottom ramp at the confluence.

    Source

  • Direct flow evidenceUSGS 01614500 at Fairview; American Whitewater 2.0–9.0 ft route guidance

    USGS supplies the live same-river stage station and American Whitewater supplies the route-specific runnable bands. Local rainfall, shallow channel, vegetation, and confluence conditions still control.

    Source

  • Access boundaryPrivate Kemps Mill Dam access is excluded; the route starts below the dam

    Maryland DNR explicitly says private Kemps Mill Dam access is no longer available and warns against private-property access.

    Source

  • Live gaugeUSGS 01614500, Conococheague Creek at Fairview, MD

    This is a direct same-river station. Readings are provisional and must be combined with trend and visual conditions.

    Source

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

    Rights-cleared Maryland public river image used as regional moving-water context; it does not certify Conococheague access or current conditions.

    Source

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More routes to check next

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More in Maryland

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Maryland route guideBrowse every tracked Maryland route.Washington County / Western MarylandJump to routes in this region.

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Potomac RiverWilliamsport River Bottom Park to Big Slackwater Boat Ramp above Dam 4 · about 2 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 14.4 Potomac river miles from Williamsport to Big Slackwater above Dam 4Antietam CreekDevil’s Backbone Park to MD 34 / Porterstown Bridge · about 8 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 7.9 Antietam Creek miles from Devil’s Backbone Park to MD 34Potomac RiverBig Slackwater Boat Ramp to Taylors Landing Boat Ramp with Dam 4 portage · about 9 straight-line mi awayHard · Approximately 3.4 river miles downstream from C&O Canal mile 85.5 to mile 80.9, with a mandatory Dam 4 portagePotomac RiverDam 4 downstream access to Shepherdstown Princess Street Boat Ramp · about 9 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 11.6 moving-water miles from below Dam 4 to Shepherdstown

Quick answers

Conococheague Creek paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Kemps Mill Park to Williamsport River Bottom Park route on the Conococheague Creek?

Paddle Today watches Conococheague Creek at Fairview, MD and treats 2.40 ft to 6.00 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does the Kemps Mill Park to Williamsport River Bottom Park route on the Conococheague Creek start and end?

This route starts at Kemps Mill Park walk-in Conococheague access and ends at Williamsport River Bottom Park boat ramp, Approximately 4.5 miles from Kemps Mill Park to Williamsport River Bottom Park on the water.

Is the Kemps Mill Park to Williamsport River Bottom Park route on the Conococheague Creek suitable for beginners?

This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.

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