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See all 5 routes on Patuxent River

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

Patuxent River

Wootons Landing to Jackson’s Landing

Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.

Route location

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DistanceApproximately 9.5 river miles from Wootons Landing to Jackson’s Landing
DifficultyEasy
Typical time3–7 hours depending on tide
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Patuxent River near Bowie, Maryland.
River contextPatuxent River near Bowie; same-river context only — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by U.S. Geological Survey via Wikimedia Commons

Need to know

Why this call
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
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Conditions

Gauge history and hourly forecast

Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.

Gauge detail

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Gauge

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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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

On-water distanceApproximately 9.5 river miles from Wootons Landing to Jackson’s LandingWootons Landing to Jackson’s Landing
DifficultyeasyThe source describes recreational moving water, but shallow rock, current, cold water, debris, and bridge or access hazards remain material.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage at Jackson’s Landing, then shuttle to Wootons. Confirm the seasonal closure, permit, reservation, parking, and carry at both endpoints; preserve daylight for a route with large marsh bends and limited substitute landings.
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.
CampingOptions nearbyJackson’s Landing has reservation-based primitive camping in the Patuxent River Park system, while the intermediate sites are day-use or separately managed. Confirm the campsite, overnight parking, launch hours, and no-tie-up rules directly with the park.
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

Upcoming outlook

These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.

TomorrowChecking

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A lower-central Patuxent Water Trail route from Wootons Landing through Patuxent Wetlands Park and Mount Calvert to the public Jackson’s Landing launch at Jug Bay. It is a tidal freshwater route with explicit seasonal/permit controls and a reservation-based camping context at the endpoint park.

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On-water distanceApproximately 9.5 river miles from Wootons Landing to Jackson’s LandingLake to creek
On-water timeAbout 5 to 7 hrFull route option
ShuttleSelf-shuttleChoose a shorter in/out pair for a shorter day.

Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.

Prepare this trip

Take the plan with you

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Start

Put-in

Wootons Landing Wetland Park floating canoe/kayak launch
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Wootons Landing is an official county floating launch with a material carry from parking.

Finish

Take-out

Jackson’s Landing, Patuxent River Park
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The Patuxent Wetlands and Mount Calvert sites are listed by the water trail, but wet-edge access, hours, and park rules vary; verify before treating them as bailouts.

Plan this segment

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • Wootons Landing is an official county floating launch with a material carry from parking.
  • The Patuxent Wetlands and Mount Calvert sites are listed by the water trail, but wet-edge access, hours, and park rules vary; verify before treating them as bailouts.
  • Jackson’s Landing is public but seasonally closed January–March and subject to permits/reservations; use the current managing-agency instructions.

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’s Landing January–March seasonal closure, permit/reservation status, and sunset deadline

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.

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

Score & sources

Data and sources

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.

Read quality
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Next stepChecking

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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.

Why
  • Checking evidence-strength notes.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge sitePatuxent River near Bowie, MD
DischargeChecking
Gauge heightChecking
24h trendChecking
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Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
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Rain timingChecking
Ideal rangeNeeds paddler reports
Known low-water floorNot calibrated yet
High thresholdNot calibrated yet
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreNational Park Service Patuxent River boating guidance
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
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 corridorWootons Landing to Jackson’s Landing, approximately 9.5 miles

    The official Patuxent Water Trail map identifies the route’s public endpoint and intermediate access sequence.

    Source

  • Authoritative endpoint accessWootons Landing county floating launch and Jackson’s Landing M-NCPPC launch

    Anne Arundel County documents Wootons; the official Jackson’s Landing record documents operator, hours, seasonal closure, permits, parking, and water-trail use.

    Source

  • Tidal flow and camping guidanceUse local tide/wind and launch depth; Jackson’s Landing primitive camping is reservation-based

    The water trail identifies tidal launch/camping posture, and the NPS provides the broad/shallow river context. The upstream USGS station is a proxy rather than a local threshold.

    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

Paddler reports

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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.

More in Maryland

All 140 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
Governor Bridge Natural Area to Queen Anne Canoe LaunchPrince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties / Central MarylandEasy · Approximately 8.5 river miles from Governor Bridge to Queen Anne, following the Patuxent Water Trail mid-river access sequenceJackson’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 Watson

Nearby routes by distance

Calvert County Water TrailsMarina West at Kellam’s Park Fishing Creek loop · about 14 mi awayModerate · Approximately 5.5 miles round trip along Fishing Creek, shorter turnarounds permittedAnacostia River Water TrailBladensburg Waterfront Park to Anacostia Park boat ramp · about 14 mi awayModerate · Approximately 9 miles one way from Bladensburg to Anacostia ParkCalvert County Water TrailsKings Landing Park to Cocktown Creek loop · about 16 mi awayModerate · Approximately 3 miles round trip, shorter turnarounds permittedKent Island Water TrailsShipping Creek Landing to Romancoke Pier · about 19 mi awayHard · Approximately 3.6 miles one way from Shipping Creek Landing to Romancoke Pier

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 Wootons Landing Wetland Park floating canoe/kayak launch and ends at Jackson’s Landing, Patuxent River Park, about Approximately 9.5 river miles from Wootons Landing to Jackson’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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