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See all 15 routes on Potomac River

Maryland | Montgomery, Frederick, and Washington Counties / Central Maryland

Potomac River

Brunswick Boat Ramp to Point of Rocks Boat Ramp

Check current paddling conditions for this Potomac River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.

Route location

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DistanceApproximately 6.8 river miles downstream from C&O Canal mile 55.0 to mile 48.2
DifficultyModerate
Typical time3–6 hours depending on stage
ShuttleCar shuttle
The historic Town Creek Aqueduct crosses the C&O Canal corridor beside the Potomac River in Maryland.
Route photoC&O Canal and Potomac River corridor at Town CreekPhoto by Wikimedia Commons

Need to know

Why this call
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Conditions

Gauge history and hourly forecast

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Gauge detail

Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

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Weather

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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 6.8 river miles downstream from C&O Canal mile 55.0 to mile 48.2Brunswick Boat Ramp to Point of Rocks Boat Ramp
DifficultymoderateThe source describes recreational moving water, but shallow rock, current, cold water, debris, and bridge or access hazards remain material.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage at Point of Rocks, then shuttle to Brunswick using current C&O and local roads. Confirm the small Point of Rocks parking area, town/railroad crossings, ramp access, and a hard daylight take-out margin.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow current Maryland boating/PFD rules, C&O Canal National Historical Park ramp and parking rules, NPS closures, NWS flood products, local launch restrictions, and all posted dam, wildlife, and private-shoreline boundaries. No route-specific paddling permit is claimed.
CampingOptions nearbyBrunswick provides a nearby family-campground context, and Calico Rocks hiker-biker camping lies near the Point of Rocks end. Confirm current campground status, reservations/fees, vehicle staging, and park access; no riverbank camping is included.
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

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A bounded lower Middle Potomac moving-water reach between the public Brunswick and Point of Rocks C&O Canal ramps, using the American Whitewater Middle Potomac corridor and the direct Point of Rocks gauge.

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Prepare this trip

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Start

Put-in

Brunswick Boat Ramp
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Brunswick and Point of Rocks are public C&O/NPS boat ramps, but both are flood-sensitive and may have current road, parking, railroad, bridge, or ramp restrictions.

Finish

Take-out

Point of Rocks Boat Ramp
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Point of Rocks is a hard take-out before the downstream Monocacy/Great Falls decision boundary; do not continue into a new reach after a missed landing.

Plan this segment

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Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • Brunswick and Point of Rocks are public C&O/NPS boat ramps, but both are flood-sensitive and may have current road, parking, railroad, bridge, or ramp restrictions.
  • Point of Rocks is a hard take-out before the downstream Monocacy/Great Falls decision boundary; do not continue into a new reach after a missed landing.
  • USGS 01638500 is located at Point of Rocks and is direct for this route, but stage cannot certify local wind, debris, wake, landing, or shoreline conditions.

Watch for

  • USGS 01638500 stage, discharge, and trend
  • American Whitewater 1.25 ft low-runnable context and NWS 2.0 ft caution/5.5 ft danger screens
  • wind, wakes, cold water, strainers, bridge/railroad traffic, flood-sensitive ramps, private/industrial shoreline, parking, and the Point of Rocks take-out

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.

The historic Town Creek Aqueduct crosses the C&O Canal corridor beside the Potomac River in Maryland.
C&O Canal and Potomac River corridor at Town CreekPhoto by Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons: public domain

Score & sources

Why this score

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

Read quality
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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
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Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing

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

Gauge sitePotomac River at Point of Rocks, MD
Gauge heightChecking
DischargeChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Ideal rangeNeeds paddler reports
Known low-water floor1.25 ft
High thresholdNot calibrated yet
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreNWS/MARFC Point of Rocks boating stages and C&O/NPS moving-water access 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 corridorBrunswick to Point of Rocks, approximately 6.8 Potomac river miles

    American Whitewater names both access points within the Middle Potomac reach; the C&O Canal Trust documents both public ramps and canal-mile positions.

    Source

  • Authoritative public accessBrunswick and Point of Rocks public C&O/NPS boat ramps

    The C&O Canal Trust documents each ramp, parking/facility context, and coordinates; current NPS conditions control on launch day.

    Source

  • Direct flow evidenceUSGS 01638500 Point of Rocks; American Whitewater 1.25 ft context; NWS 2.0/5.5 ft screens

    USGS supplies direct same-site conditions and NWS/MARFC supplies official caution/danger stages. American Whitewater adds the route-specific low-runnable context.

    Source

  • Camping postureNearby Brunswick campground and Calico Rocks hiker-biker campsite

    Nearby camping is separately managed and does not imply riverbank or ramp camping.

    Source

  • Live gaugeUSGS 01638500, Potomac River at Point of Rocks, MD

    This is a direct same-river station. Readings are provisional and must be combined with trend and visual conditions.

    Source

  • Approved route imageryRights-cleared public-agency or public-domain corridor image

    Wikimedia Commons public-domain C&O/Potomac corridor image used as route context; it does not certify current flow, ramp, weather, dam, or take-out conditions.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

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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.Montgomery, Frederick, and Washington Counties / Central MarylandJump to routes in this region.

More on Potomac River

All 15
Big Pool / Fort Frederick Campground to Williamsport River Bottom ParkWashington County / Western MarylandModerate · Approximately 16.7 river miles, American Whitewater Potomac reach 0.4Big Slackwater Boat Ramp to Taylors Landing Boat Ramp with Dam 4 portageMontgomery, Frederick, and Washington Counties / Central MarylandAdvanced · Approximately 3.4 river miles downstream from C&O Canal mile 85.5 to mile 80.9, with a mandatory Dam 4 portageBond's Landing to Fifteen Mile Creek Boat Ramp / Little OrleansAllegany County / Western MarylandEasy · Approximately 9 river miles, Maryland DNR Green Ridge State Forest Bond’s Landing to Fifteen Mile Creek legDam 4 downstream access to Shepherdstown Princess Street Boat RampMontgomery, Frederick, and Washington Counties / Central MarylandModerate · Approximately 11.6 moving-water miles from below Dam 4 to Shepherdstown

Nearby routes by distance

Catoctin CreekCatoctin Creek Park & Nature Center to C&O Lander Boat Ramp / Potomac · about 7 mi awayModerate · Approximately 10.1 moving-water miles from Catoctin Creek Park to the C&O Lander Boat Ramp at the PotomacAntietam CreekMD 34 / Porterstown Bridge to Antietam Creek C&O Campground and Potomac confluence · about 12 mi awayModerate · Approximately 5.8 river miles, American Whitewater Lower Antietam/Burnside Bridge SectionMonocacy RiverGambrill Mill at Monocacy National Battlefield to Monocacy Boat Ramp / Dickerson · about 14 mi awayEasy · Approximately 17.6 river miles, official Monocacy Scenic Water Trail Section 3Catoctin CreekDoub's Meadow Park to Catoctin Creek Park & Nature Center · about 14 mi awayModerate · Approximately 16.2 river miles from Doub’s Meadow Park to Catoctin Creek Park & Nature Center

Quick answers

Potomac River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Potomac River?

Paddle Today watches Potomac River at Point of Rocks, MD and uses 1.25 ft as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.

Where does this Potomac River route start and end?

This route starts at Brunswick Boat Ramp and ends at Point of Rocks Boat Ramp, about Approximately 6.8 river miles downstream from C&O Canal mile 55.0 to mile 48.2 on the water.

Is this Potomac River 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.

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