See all 5 routes on Patuxent River
Maryland | Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties / Central Maryland
Patuxent River
Jackson’s Landing to Selby’s Landing
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
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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
A compact Jug Bay section of the Patuxent Water Trail connecting two documented public M-NCPPC launches. It is a broad, shallow tidal-freshwater route with strong access documentation, seasonal park controls, and reservation-based primitive camping at both endpoint areas.
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
Jackson’s Landing, Patuxent River ParkJackson’s Landing is seasonally closed January–March and requires park confirmation.
Take-out
Selby’s Landing, Patuxent River ParkSelby’s Landing is public and lists parking, permits, toilets, and camping, but water entry and current park operations remain launch-day checks.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Jackson’s Landing is seasonally closed January–March and requires park confirmation.
- Selby’s Landing is public and lists parking, permits, toilets, and camping, but water entry and current park operations remain launch-day checks.
- The upstream Bowie gauge does not represent local tidal stage; do not use it as a standalone go/no-go number.
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
- Jackson seasonal closure, Selby/Jackson permits, sunset, camping reservation, and wildlife-area restrictions
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 | Patuxent River near Bowie, 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 | National Park Service Patuxent River boating 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 corridorJackson’s Landing to Selby’s Landing, approximately 2.7 miles in Jug Bay
Both launches are listed in the official Patuxent Water Trail directory and NPS boating guidance.
- Authoritative public accessM-NCPPC Jackson’s Landing and Selby’s Landing launch records
The records identify the operator, public hours, seasonal/permit controls, parking, facilities, and camping posture.
- Tidal flow guidanceFavorable local tide/wind and water depth; USGS 01594440 is upstream proxy context only
The NPS describes Jug Bay’s broad/shallow conditions and access; no universal numeric local cutoff is claimed.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
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Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
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Quick answers
Patuxent River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Patuxent River?
Paddle Today watches Patuxent River near Bowie, 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 Patuxent River route start and end?
This route starts at Jackson’s Landing, Patuxent River Park and ends at Selby’s Landing, Patuxent River Park, about Approximately 2.7 river miles from Jackson’s Landing to Selby’s Landing on the water.
Is this Patuxent River route good 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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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.