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Maryland | Washington County / Western Maryland
Potomac River
Little Tonoloway Boat Ramp / Hancock to Big Pool / Fort Frederick State Park
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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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
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
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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 bounded Class I Potomac moving-water reach from Hancock to the Fort Frederick/Big Pool area. The route includes a documented C&O launch, a Maryland DNR Potomac carry at the Fort Frederick park boundary, and a non-negotiable power-dam/portage hazard near Williamsport that must be scouted and treated as a hard route decision.
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
Little Tonoloway Boat Ramp / HancockLittle Tonoloway is an NPS-designated Potomac launch with trailer parking and a vault toilet. Confirm current road, parking, ramp, and river conditions.
Take-out
Big Pool / Fort Frederick State Park Potomac accessFort Frederick DNR distinguishes the Big Pool lake ramp from the Potomac footpath. Store and use the Potomac carry coordinate as the endpoint anchor; do not present the lake ramp as river access.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Little Tonoloway is an NPS-designated Potomac launch with trailer parking and a vault toilet. Confirm current road, parking, ramp, and river conditions.
- Fort Frederick DNR distinguishes the Big Pool lake ramp from the Potomac footpath. Store and use the Potomac carry coordinate as the endpoint anchor; do not present the lake ramp as river access.
- The direct Hancock gauge is upstream of the route and does not replace local inspection at the dam, portage, Fort Frederick carry, or take-out.
Watch for
- USGS 01613000 stage, discharge, and trend
- Williamsport power-plant dam, approach hydraulics, portage route, high water, debris, cold water, wind, and private-bank boundaries
- C&O and Fort Frederick hours, fees, parking, carry surface, and the Big Pool/Potomac endpoint distinction
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
Why this score
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 | Potomac River at Hancock, MD |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | 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 | 3.30 ft |
| 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 | American Whitewater Hancock to Big Pool flow context |
| 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 corridorHancock to Big Pool/Fort Frederick, approximately 12 miles, Class I
American Whitewater names the route, Hancock gauge, power-plant dam portage hazard, camping context, and Big Pool-area take-out.
- Public accessNPS Little Tonoloway ramp to Maryland DNR Fort Frederick Potomac carry
NPS documents the Hancock Potomac ramp; Maryland DNR documents Potomac access by footpath across from Beaver Pond parking and separately describes the Big Pool lake ramp.
- Direct flow evidenceUSGS 01613000 Hancock; American Whitewater low-runnable context around 3.3 ft
USGS provides live same-river stage/discharge context; American Whitewater provides the route-specific planning screen.
- Dam/portage boundaryWilliamsport power-plant dam requires upstream caution and portage
American Whitewater explicitly describes the dam and the need to approach from upstream with caution.
- CampingFort Frederick State Park campground near the endpoint
Maryland DNR identifies camping at Fort Frederick; current reservation, fee, and access status must be checked separately.
- Live gaugeUSGS 01613000, Potomac River at Hancock, MD
This is a direct same-river station. Readings are provisional and must be combined with trend and visual conditions.
- 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, dam, carry, or access 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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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
Potomac River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Potomac River?
Paddle Today watches Potomac River at Hancock, MD and uses 3.30 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 Little Tonoloway Boat Ramp / Hancock and ends at Big Pool / Fort Frederick State Park Potomac access, about Approximately 12 river miles, American Whitewater Potomac reach 0.35 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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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.