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Maryland | Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties / Central Maryland

Patuxent RiverGovernor Bridge Natural Area to Queen Anne Canoe Launch

An upper-mid Patuxent Water Trail day route from the Governor Bridge Canoe Launch through the Davidsonville corridor to Queen Anne. It is broad, tidal freshwater with public county-park access, no universal numeric runnable cutoff, and a strong need to coordinate tide, wind, daylight, and launch depth.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 8.5 river miles from Governor Bridge to Queen Anne, following the Patuxent Water Trail mid-river access sequence
DifficultyEasy
Typical time3–6 hours depending on tide
ShuttleCar 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 8.5 river miles from Governor Bridge to Queen Anne, following the Patuxent Water Trail mid-river access sequenceGovernor Bridge Natural Area to Queen Anne Canoe Launch
DifficultyeasyThe source describes recreational moving water, but shallow rock, current, cold water, debris, and bridge or access hazards remain material.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage at Queen Anne Canoe Launch, then shuttle to Governor Bridge. Verify both park entrances, parking, carry routes, and daylight before committing; the river’s winding channel makes road distance a poor substitute for water distance.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow current county-park and Patuxent River Park hours, day-use or special-use permit requirements, launch reservations, Maryland boating/PFD rules, weather advisories, and posted closures. No route-specific paddling permit is claimed beyond the named park requirements.
CampingDay tripNo on-route camping is claimed. Patuxent River Park has separate reservation-based primitive campsites, but neither named endpoint implies overnight parking or camping.
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.

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

An upper-mid Patuxent Water Trail day route from the Governor Bridge Canoe Launch through the Davidsonville corridor to Queen Anne. It is broad, tidal freshwater with public county-park access, no universal numeric runnable cutoff, and a strong need to coordinate tide, wind, daylight, and launch depth.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Governor Bridge Canoe Launch, Patuxent River Park
Open mapDirections to put-in

Governor Bridge and Queen Anne are public Patuxent River Park launch anchors, but access is subject to park hours, permits, parking, seasonal closures, and water-entry conditions.

Finish

Take-out

Queen Anne Canoe Launch, Patuxent River Park
Open mapDirections to take-out

Davidsonville is a useful named intermediate site but the official launch guide warns of long carries and possible gate/route confusion; verify before using it as a bailout.

Road shuttle

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Access planner

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This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.

On-water distance8.5 miMixed access
On-water time3–6 hours depending on tideFull route option
ShuttleCar shuttleChoose a shorter in/out pair for a shorter day.

Governor Bridge Canoe Launch to Queen Anne Canoe Launch is about 8.5 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.

Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Governor Bridge and Queen Anne are public Patuxent River Park launch anchors, but access is subject to park hours, permits, parking, seasonal closures, and water-entry conditions.
  • Davidsonville is a useful named intermediate site but the official launch guide warns of long carries and possible gate/route confusion; verify before using it as a bailout.
  • The upstream proxy gauge cannot represent local tidal stage or wind setup at the route.

Watch for

  • USGS 01594440 upstream proxy discharge/stage and trend
  • tide and wind direction, shallow mud, marsh vegetation, strainers, cold water, thunderstorms, and water-quality advisories
  • park hours, permits/reservations, parking/carry distance, current launch depth, private-bank boundaries, and daylight

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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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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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 corridorGovernor Bridge to Queen Anne, approximately 8.5 miles on the Patuxent Water Trail

    The Patuxent Water Trail map identifies the route sequence and public launch sites.

    Source

  • Authoritative public accessGovernor Bridge, Davidsonville Park, and Queen Anne launch anchors

    The official Patuxent Water Trail map lists all three sites and their coordinates; current carry, hours, parking, and water entry still require confirmation.

    Source

  • Tidal flow guidanceUse upstream USGS trend only with tide, wind, and actual launch depth; no numeric local cutoff is claimed

    NPS describes the Patuxent as broad/shallow and recreation-accessible, while the route’s tidal setting makes a single upstream discharge number insufficient.

    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 moving-water context; it does not certify Patuxent tide, wind, access, or water-quality conditions.

    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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Photos

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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

All 131 routes
Maryland route guideBrowse every tracked Maryland route.Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties / Central MarylandJump to routes in this region.

More on Patuxent River

All 5
Jackson’s Landing to Selby’s LandingPrince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties / Central MarylandEasy · Approximately 2.7 river miles from Jackson’s Landing to Selby’s LandingQueen Anne Canoe Launch to Wootons LandingPrince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties / Central MarylandEasy · Approximately 5.2 river miles from Queen Anne to Wootons LandingSelby’s Landing to Clyde Watson Boating AreaPrince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties / Central MarylandEasy · Approximately 13.5 river miles from Selby’s Landing to Clyde WatsonWootons Landing to Jackson’s LandingPrince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties / Central MarylandEasy · Approximately 9.5 river miles from Wootons Landing to Jackson’s Landing

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Anacostia River Water TrailBladensburg Waterfront Park to Anacostia Park boat ramp · about 13 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 9 miles one way from Bladensburg to Anacostia ParkKent Island Water TrailsShipping Creek Landing to Romancoke Pier · about 19 straight-line mi awayHard · Approximately 3.6 miles one way from Shipping Creek Landing to Romancoke PierCalvert County Water TrailsMarina West at Kellam’s Park Fishing Creek loop · about 20 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 5.5 miles round trip along Fishing Creek, shorter turnarounds permittedPatapsco RiverOrange Grove Area to Avalon / Glen Artney Area · about 21 straight-line mi awayEasy · Approximately 2.8 river miles between the stored Orange Grove and Avalon area anchors; exact moving-water distance varies with the landing and channel

Quick answers

Patuxent River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Governor Bridge Natural Area to Queen Anne Canoe Launch route on the Patuxent River?

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 Governor Bridge Natural Area to Queen Anne Canoe Launch route on the Patuxent River start and end?

This route starts at Governor Bridge Canoe Launch, Patuxent River Park and ends at Queen Anne Canoe Launch, Patuxent River Park, Approximately 8.5 river miles from Governor Bridge to Queen Anne, following the Patuxent Water Trail mid-river access sequence on the water.

Is the Governor Bridge Natural Area to Queen Anne Canoe Launch route on the Patuxent River suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a easy 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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