See all 3 routes on Gunpowder Falls
Maryland | Baltimore County / Central Maryland
Gunpowder FallsMasemore Road to Monkton Road
A bounded Upper Gunpowder moving-water corridor through Gunpowder Falls State Park from Masemore Road to Monkton Road. The reach mixes cold Class I–II water, a quarry rapid, shallow sections, multiple public access points, and recurring wood/parking constraints.
Checking current river conditions…
Route location
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
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.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
A bounded Upper Gunpowder moving-water corridor through Gunpowder Falls State Park from Masemore Road to Monkton Road. The reach mixes cold Class I–II water, a quarry rapid, shallow sections, multiple public access points, and recurring wood/parking constraints.
Access map
Put-in
Masemore Road Gunpowder Falls State Park accessMasemore Road and the other access areas are designated public recreation/parking anchors, but lot capacity, bank condition, and water entry can change. Confirm on launch day.
Take-out
Monkton Road / Monkton Station Gunpowder accessBlue Mount parking has been reported as constrained; do not treat it as guaranteed bailout access without a current check.
Road shuttle
Choose a shorter tripOptional
Access planner
Choose your launch and take-out
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Masemore Road Gunpowder Falls State Park access to Monkton Road / Monkton Station Gunpowder access is about 7.8 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.
Access notes and hazards
Access caveats
- Masemore Road and the other access areas are designated public recreation/parking anchors, but lot capacity, bank condition, and water entry can change. Confirm on launch day.
- Blue Mount parking has been reported as constrained; do not treat it as guaranteed bailout access without a current check.
- The direct Parkton gauge is upstream of the lower part of the reach, and the reservoir-regulated system still responds to local tributary rain, wood, and shallow channel conditions.
Watch for
- USGS 01581920 discharge, stage, and trend
- 72.5–1230 cfs AW correlation, shallow quarry water, low-water scraping, strainers, cold water, and fast rise
- Masemore/Bunker Hill/York/Big Falls/Blue Mount/Monkton lot capacity, carries, private property, and daylight margin
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.
Times use the selected time zone. Check it against the river’s location before saving or sharing.
Browser plans stay on this device. Sharing opens your device’s share tools or gives you text to copy.
Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.
Conditions
Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast
Check how the river is changing and what weather to expect.
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
Gunpowder Falls near Parkton, MD. 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
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampWeather
Hourly forecast
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route gallery
Photos
Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today’s call.
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.
- Checking data sources and update times.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Gunpowder Falls near Parkton, MD |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | 105 cfs to 800 cfs |
| Low threshold | 73 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,230 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater Upper Gunpowder flow correlation |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
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 corridorMasemore Road to Monkton Road, 7.8 miles, Class I–II
American Whitewater names the reach, six access points, route character, wood and quarry hazards, gauge, and 72.5–1230 cfs correlation.
- Authoritative public accessGunpowder Falls State Park Hereford Area access network
Maryland DNR and Maryland public recreation guidance identify the designated river-crossing parking/access areas and park rules.
- Direct flow evidenceUSGS 01581920 near Parkton; American Whitewater 72.5–1230 cfs runnable correlation
USGS provides live same-river discharge/stage and American Whitewater ties the correlation to this reach.
- Live gaugeUSGS 01581920, Gunpowder Falls near Parkton, MD
This is a direct same-river station. Readings are provisional and must be combined with trend and visual conditions.
- 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 Upper Gunpowder 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.
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.
Share your trip
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
All 131 routesMore on Gunpowder Falls
All 3Nearby routes within 75 miles
Quick answers
Gunpowder Falls paddling FAQ
What water level is best for the Masemore Road to Monkton Road route on the Gunpowder Falls?
Paddle Today watches Gunpowder Falls near Parkton, MD and treats 105 cfs to 800 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does the Masemore Road to Monkton Road route on the Gunpowder Falls start and end?
This route starts at Masemore Road Gunpowder Falls State Park access and ends at Monkton Road / Monkton Station Gunpowder access, 7.8 miles from Masemore Road to Monkton Road on the water.
Is the Masemore Road to Monkton Road route on the Gunpowder Falls suitable for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.