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Maryland | Allegany County / Western Maryland

Potomac RiverPaw Paw Tunnel Campground to Bond's Landing

A bounded Class I Paw Paw Bends Potomac leg from the C&O Paw Paw Tunnel access to Maryland DNR's Bond's Landing ramp. It is the first day of the official Green Ridge two-day float and ends at a public riverside campground and vehicle-access point.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 12 river miles, Maryland DNR Green Ridge State Forest Paw Paw to Bond’s Landing leg
DifficultyEasy
Typical time4–7 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
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 12 river miles, Maryland DNR Green Ridge State Forest Paw Paw to Bond’s Landing legPaw Paw Tunnel Campground to Bond'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 Bond’s Landing and inspect the small lot, road, and carry, then shuttle to Paw Paw Tunnel through the C&O/MD-51 corridor. Confirm the campground, towpath, parking, and launch carry, and leave daylight for the remote access roads and a slow river day.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow current NPS C&O Canal, Maryland DNR Green Ridge, boating/PFD, camping, road, hunting-season, flood, and access-closure rules. No route-specific paddling permit is claimed.
CampingOptions nearbyBond’s Landing has a Maryland DNR canoe campsite at the take-out on a first-come, first-served basis. Paw Paw Tunnel and nearby C&O sites are separate NPS camping contexts; confirm current availability, fees, reservations, and flood/closure status. No private-bank 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

Tomorrow and the weekend

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A bounded Class I Paw Paw Bends Potomac leg from the C&O Paw Paw Tunnel access to Maryland DNR's Bond's Landing ramp. It is the first day of the official Green Ridge two-day float and ends at a public riverside campground and vehicle-access point.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Paw Paw Tunnel Campground river access
Open mapDirections to put-in

Paw Paw Tunnel is an NPS/C&O access-area anchor and Bond’s Landing is a Maryland DNR state-forest access anchor; both coordinates are near-water landing references, not a guarantee of current waterline or carry conditions.

Finish

Take-out

Bond's Landing - Green Ridge State Forest
Open mapDirections to take-out

Bond’s Landing has small unpaved parking, a gravel soft launch, temporary restroom, no turnaround, and a possible 4x4/stream-ford approach. Verify current road and flood conditions with Green Ridge headquarters before staging a shuttle vehicle.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Paw Paw Tunnel is an NPS/C&O access-area anchor and Bond’s Landing is a Maryland DNR state-forest access anchor; both coordinates are near-water landing references, not a guarantee of current waterline or carry conditions.
  • Bond’s Landing has small unpaved parking, a gravel soft launch, temporary restroom, no turnaround, and a possible 4x4/stream-ford approach. Verify current road and flood conditions with Green Ridge headquarters before staging a shuttle vehicle.
  • The Paw Paw gauge is direct same-river evidence but local rain, tributary inflow, wind, debris, and access flooding can differ from the instantaneous station reading.

Watch for

  • USGS 01610000 stage, discharge, trend, 4.62-ft American Whitewater low-runnable context, recent rain, and fast rise
  • strong/deceptive current, cold water, wind, strainers, floating wood, private/opposite-bank property, and limited shore exits
  • Paw Paw campground/towpath carry, Bond’s Landing gravel carry, small parking, road/stream fords, campsite status, and the hard Bond’s Landing take-out

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

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Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

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Gauge detail

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Gauge

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Weather

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Route gallery

Photos

Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.

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

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 corridorPaw Paw Tunnel Campground to Bond’s Landing, approximately 12 miles, Class I

    Maryland DNR names the leg and its distance, duration, class, access sequence, and camping posture; American Whitewater names the Paw Paw Bends family and gauge context.

    Source

  • Authoritative public accessNPS Paw Paw Tunnel access to Maryland DNR Bond's Landing

    NPS identifies the C&O river access context and Maryland DNR documents Bond’s Landing’s public ramp, parking, hours, launch type, and campsite.

    Source

  • Direct flow evidenceUSGS 01610000 at Paw Paw; American Whitewater low-runnable context around 4.62 ft

    The station is direct same-river context for the Paw Paw Bends; the American Whitewater value is a route-specific planning screen, not a guaranteed safe-flow limit.

    Source

  • Camping postureBond's Landing first-come canoe campsite at the take-out

    Maryland DNR identifies the riverside campsite and Green Ridge road/vehicle-access context; verify current flood and closure status.

    Source

  • Live gaugeUSGS 01610000, Potomac River at Paw Paw, WV

    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 same-river context; it does not certify current flow, access, or camping conditions.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

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Keep exploring

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Maryland route guideBrowse every tracked Maryland route.Allegany County / Western MarylandJump to routes in this region.

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Quick answers

Potomac River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Paw Paw Tunnel Campground to Bond's Landing route on the Potomac 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 Paw Paw Tunnel Campground to Bond's Landing route on the Potomac River start and end?

This route starts at Paw Paw Tunnel Campground river access and ends at Bond's Landing - Green Ridge State Forest, Approximately 12 river miles, Maryland DNR Green Ridge State Forest Paw Paw to Bond’s Landing leg on the water.

Is the Paw Paw Tunnel Campground to Bond's Landing route on the Potomac 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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