See all 4 routes on Charles County Water Trails
Maryland | Charles County / Southern Maryland
Charles County Water Trails
Purse State Park to Mallows Bay
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
Loading the route coverage map.
Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
An experienced Lower Potomac route from Purse State Park to the Mallows Bay ship graveyard, using the official long-portage Purse launch and paddle-in day-use Mallows Bay boundary.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Purse State Park public accessPurse State Park requires an approximately quarter-mile portage and high tide can leave little beach; inspect the landing before committing.
Take-out
Mallows Bay paddle-in day-use beachMallows Bay is paddle-in day use, not a guaranteed vehicle take-out or overnight area.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Purse State Park requires an approximately quarter-mile portage and high tide can leave little beach; inspect the landing before committing.
- Mallows Bay is paddle-in day use, not a guaranteed vehicle take-out or overnight area.
- Stay clear of submerged and exposed shipwreck structures and follow current sanctuary/park closures.
Watch for
- USGS 01660795 lower-Potomac proxy and, for Mattawoman, USGS 01658000 same-creek station
- tide, wind, waves, current, shallow beach, driftwood, strainers, thunderstorms, cold water, and boat traffic
- parking/fees, long portage, launch hours, private or federal shoreline, day-use/camping permits, and hard named take-outs
- Purse portage and tide, Mallows Bay ship structures, driftwood, wind/waves/current, day-use boundary, and return margin
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
Score & sources
Data and sources
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Potomac River near Newburg, 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | Not calibrated yet |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Maryland DNR/Charles County water-trail wind, tide, and access guidance |
| 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 corridorCharles County/DNR Lower Potomac River Water Trail Purse to Mallows Bay, Approximately 3 miles from Purse State Park to Mallows Bay
The official Maryland DNR/Charles County water-trail package names the corridor, public access, route options, and relevant distance or same-launch boundary.
- Authoritative public accessPurse State Park public access to Mallows Bay paddle-in day-use beach
Charles County and Maryland DNR identify the endpoint facilities. Coordinates are near-water anchors and current operation/fees/permits must be confirmed.
- Proxy flow and tidal evidenceUSGS 01660795 Potomac River near Newburg, MD clearly labeled proxy
The station provides regional or upstream planning context, not a local safe-flow, safe-depth, or tide cutoff. Use current marine/tide conditions and observed water.
- Camping postureMallows Bay is day-use only in the official guide. Use nearby lodging or separately permitted camping; do not camp on the beach or shipwreck islands.
Camping is separately controlled by the named park, marina, permit, or day-use rules; no informal shoreline camping is claimed.
- Live gaugeUSGS 01660795, Potomac River near Newburg, MD
This is a clearly labeled proxy or route-context station; local water, tributaries, releases, and weather can differ materially.
- 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 Charles County tide, wind, access, or route hazards.
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 jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
More in Maryland
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Quick answers
Charles County Water Trails paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Charles County Water Trails?
Paddle Today watches Potomac River near Newburg, MD and uses Not calibrated yet as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Charles County Water Trails route start and end?
This route starts at Purse State Park public access and ends at Mallows Bay paddle-in day-use beach, about Approximately 3 miles from Purse State Park to Mallows Bay on the water.
Is this Charles County Water Trails route good 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
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.