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Delaware | Sussex County / Assawoman Wildlife Area and Little Assawoman Bay

Miller CreekStrawberry Landing to Sassafras Landing

A bounded tidal Miller Creek day route linking two public Assawoman Wildlife Area boat-access facilities, with direct Little Assawoman Bay stage evidence and a hard wildlife-area/open-water boundary.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 1.5 tidal creek miles between Strawberry and Sassafras Landings; actual line varies with channel choice, tide, water level, and marsh conditions
DifficultyModerate
Typical time1.5–3 hours depending on tide
ShuttleCar shuttle
A broad waterway and marsh shoreline at Assawoman Wildlife Area in Delaware.
Route photoAssawoman Wildlife Area waterway context for the Miller Creek routePhoto by Southern Delaware Tourism / Visit Southern Delaware

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 1.5 tidal creek miles between Strawberry and Sassafras Landings; actual line varies with channel choice, tide, water level, and marsh conditionsStrawberry Landing to Sassafras Landing
DifficultymoderateThis is non-whitewater tidal creek paddling, but shallow marsh channels, tide-dependent direction, wind exposure near Little Assawoman Bay, limited bailout, private frontage, wildlife-area rules, and the need to return to a named facility require prepared moving-water and navigation skills.
ShuttleCar shuttleArrange a lawful shuttle or pickup at Sassafras before launching, or confirm a same-day return plan around the tide and daylight window. Verify both wildlife-area facilities, parking, carry, waterline, posted access, and vehicle keys; do not stage on private property or use unmarked marsh shoreline as a finish.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow current Delaware boating/PFD/whistle rules, DNREC Assawoman Wildlife Area access and hunting notices, posted parking and facility rules, tide/weather advisories, wildlife and habitat restrictions, and any closure notices. The named boating access areas are identified as Conservation Access Pass-exempt for boat launching in current DNREC guidance; no route-specific paddle permit is claimed.
CampingDay tripNo on-route camping, marsh-island camping, public-ramp camping, private-shore landing, or overnight mooring is claimed. Use separately reserved legal lodging or a developed campground elsewhere.
SeasonApr-OctApril through October is the practical daylight planning season only after checking current wildlife-area access, tide, wind, weather, water level, habitat, hunting, and parking notices. Avoid strong wind, thunderstorms, poor visibility, unsafe cold water, storm surge, and low-tide mud or shoaling.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

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WeekendChecking

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A moderate, tide-dependent Miller Creek day route linking the public Strawberry and Sassafras Landings in Assawoman Wildlife Area, with direct Little Assawoman Bay water-level context and no informal camping posture.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Strawberry Landing public canoe/boat access
Open mapDirections to put-in

The official state access features and DNREC plan establish public facility anchors, not a guarantee of a launch-ready wetted edge, open gate, available parking, or a clear channel on the travel date. Verify both landings immediately before travel.

Finish

Take-out

Sassafras Landing public canoe/boat access
Open mapDirections to take-out

Miller Creek is a shallow tidal marsh route. The regional paddling guide warns that up-creek travel can be difficult on an outgoing tide; retain a conservative turnaround and do not rely on a single tide or gage value.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • The official state access features and DNREC plan establish public facility anchors, not a guarantee of a launch-ready wetted edge, open gate, available parking, or a clear channel on the travel date. Verify both landings immediately before travel.
  • Miller Creek is a shallow tidal marsh route. The regional paddling guide warns that up-creek travel can be difficult on an outgoing tide; retain a conservative turnaround and do not rely on a single tide or gage value.
  • The stored coordinates are official facility anchors rather than surveyed landing-edge points. Do not substitute nearby private canals, marsh banks, residential shoreline, roads, or the broad open bay as access or bailout.
  • Strawberry and Sassafras are wildlife-area boating facilities with seasonal habitat and hunting controls. Current posted notices and staff direction override this planning card.

Watch for

  • USGS 01484701 Little Assawoman Bay water-surface elevation and trend, NOAA local tide predictions, wind against tide, weather, recent rain, visibility, water temperature, and daylight
  • Strawberry and Sassafras landing condition, sandy or shallow carry, parking, wildlife-area hours, posted closures, habitat/hunting notices, and shuttle keys
  • shallow mud, exposed shoals, narrow marsh turns, submerged vegetation, strainers, wind waves, limited lawful bailout, private banks, and the hard Little Assawoman Bay/open-water boundary

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

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Gauge

Recent trend

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Short-route forecast

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Route gallery

Photos

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

A broad waterway and marsh shoreline at Assawoman Wildlife Area in Delaware.
Assawoman Wildlife Area waterway context for the Miller Creek routePhoto by Southern Delaware Tourism / Visit Southern Delaware
Official tourism image; source page credited

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 corridorMiller Creek between Strawberry Landing and Sassafras Landing in the Assawoman Wildlife Area

    DNREC’s Assawoman Canal Trail Concept Plan explicitly identifies Strawberry and Sassafras Landings as water access on Miller Creek. This record preserves the bounded Miller Creek reach and does not claim Dirickson Creek, the Assawoman Canal, the open bay, or an interstate route.

    Source

  • Authoritative public endpoint evidencePublic Strawberry Landing and Sassafras Landing canoe/boat access facilities

    The current official Delaware access layer lists Strawberry and Sassafras Landing as public canoe-launch/boat-access facilities, and the current Assawoman Wildlife Area map identifies the three named boating access areas and their posted access posture. Coordinates are official facility anchors; verify the wetted edge and carry in the field.

    Source

  • Direct tidal-flow evidenceUSGS 01484701 Little Assawoman Bay at Fenwick Island, DE

    USGS identifies this as a direct tidal water-level station with current-year elevation data and no discharge determination. Use water-level trend with NOAA tide, wind, local depth, and visual scouting; no numeric discharge or universal safe-paddling cutoff is transferred.

    Source

  • Route-specific tide and safety guidanceMiller Creek paddling guidance and DNREC Assawoman Wildlife Area controls

    The regional route guidance identifies Strawberry/Sassafras as Miller Creek access, warns that an up-creek paddle is difficult on an outgoing tide, and calls out wind and open-water boat traffic. DNREC supplies current wildlife-area, parking, access, and no-camping controls.

    Source

  • Camping postureNearby basecamp only; no wildlife-area or launch-property camping

    DNREC wildlife-area guidance prohibits camping and open fires. The public landing facilities do not grant overnight mooring or shoreline camping rights.

    Source

  • Approved route imageryOfficial Southern Delaware tourism Assawoman Wildlife Area water-scene image

    The official tourism listing supplies same-preserve waterway context for the route gallery; it does not certify current access, tide, channel condition, or endpoint landing.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

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

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Keep exploring

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

More in Delaware

All 16 routes
Delaware route guideBrowse every tracked Delaware route.Sussex County / Assawoman Wildlife Area and Little Assawoman BayJump to routes in this region.

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Rehoboth BaySavages Ditch Road to New Road water trail · about 9 straight-line mi awayHard · Approximately 4 tidal salt-marsh miles from Savages Ditch Road to New Road; official park map also permits a loop or out-and-back from either access pointLewes & Rehoboth CanalLewes Canalfront Park to Grove Park Canal Dock · about 19 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 7.5 canal miles from Lewes Canalfront Park to Grove Park Canal Dock; tide, wind, and route line can change the practical distanceSinepuxent Bay Water TrailsBayside Drive Loop around Little Egging Island · about 22 straight-line mi awayHard · Bounded Bayside Loop around Little Egging Island; confirm current distance on the DNR guide/mapSinepuxent Bay Water TrailsOld Ferry Landing Loop around Little Egging Island · about 23 straight-line mi awayHard · Bounded Old Ferry Landing Loop around Little Egging Island; confirm current distance on the DNR guide/map

Quick answers

Miller Creek paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Strawberry Landing to Sassafras Landing route on the Miller Creek?

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 Strawberry Landing to Sassafras Landing route on the Miller Creek start and end?

This route starts at Strawberry Landing public canoe/boat access and ends at Sassafras Landing public canoe/boat access, Approximately 1.5 tidal creek miles between Strawberry and Sassafras Landings; actual line varies with channel choice, tide, water level, and marsh conditions on the water.

Is the Strawberry Landing to Sassafras Landing route on the Miller Creek 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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