Paddle TodayFind the best paddle near you today

Live score, water level, and weather.

See all 14 routes on Potomac River

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

Potomac RiverShepherdstown Princess Street Boat Ramp to Dargan Bend Boat Ramp

A bounded Class I Potomac reach from the public Shepherdstown Princess Street landing to the public Dargan Bend ramp. The route includes the Antietam Creek mouth and C&O camping context, but ends before the Dam 3/Needles whitewater section and does not imply access at Harpers Ferry.

Route location

Loading the route map.

Open access map

Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 7.9 moving-water miles from Shepherdstown to Dargan Bend
DifficultyEasy
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
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
View Primary Source
Embed this route

Route alerts

Email me when this route improves

We'll email you when this route climbs into Good or Strong. Every email includes an unsubscribe link.

We only email on a new threshold crossing.

Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceApproximately 7.9 moving-water miles from Shepherdstown to Dargan BendShepherdstown Princess Street Boat Ramp to Dargan Bend Boat Ramp
DifficultyeasyThe source describes recreational moving water, but shallow rock, current, cold water, debris, and bridge or access hazards remain material.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage at Dargan Bend, verify the current NPS/DNR ramp and parking, then shuttle to Shepherdstown Princess Street using current local and C&O roads. Leave daylight for wind, debris, the Antietam mouth, and a deliberate Dargan landing; do not rely on the closed ferry or informal shoreline access.
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 nearbyAntietam Creek C&O hiker-biker camping is documented along the reach, with additional C&O camping near Shepherdstown and Dargan. Confirm current NPS status, fees/reservations, water, vehicle staging, and whether the itinerary supports an overnight; 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

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

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 reach from the public Shepherdstown Princess Street landing to the public Dargan Bend ramp. The route includes the Antietam Creek mouth and C&O camping context, but ends before the Dam 3/Needles whitewater section and does not imply access at Harpers Ferry.

Access map

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Start

Put-in

Shepherdstown Princess Street Boat Ramp
Open mapDirections to put-in

Shepherdstown Princess Street is a civic public riverfront landing on the shared Potomac; Dargan Bend is an NPS/DNR-documented public ramp. Confirm current town, park, road, parking, waterline, and closure conditions before launch.

Finish

Take-out

Dargan Bend Boat Ramp
Open mapDirections to take-out

The Antietam Creek campground and mouth are along-route context only and are not promised boat landings, vehicle bailouts, or access across private shoreline.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Shepherdstown Princess Street is a civic public riverfront landing on the shared Potomac; Dargan Bend is an NPS/DNR-documented public ramp. Confirm current town, park, road, parking, waterline, and closure conditions before launch.
  • The Antietam Creek campground and mouth are along-route context only and are not promised boat landings, vehicle bailouts, or access across private shoreline.
  • Dargan Bend is a hard downstream endpoint before Dam 3 and the Class II+ Needles section. The direct Shepherdstown gauge cannot certify local Dargan depth, wind, debris, landing, or downstream hydraulics.

Watch for

  • USGS 01618000 Shepherdstown stage, discharge, and trend
  • American Whitewater 2.05 ft low-runnable context, flood products, wind, cold water, floating wood, strainers, and private/railroad boundaries
  • Antietam Creek mouth and campground context, Dargan Bend ramp/parking, current park conditions, the Dam 3 exclusion, and the hard take-out before the Needles

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.

Trip schedule

Times use the selected time zone. Check it against the river’s location before saving or sharing.

Browser plans

Browser plans stay on this device. Sharing opens your device’s share tools or gives you text to copy.

Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.

Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

Gauge detail

Water-level history and forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

------------

Weather

Hourly forecast

Checking weather.

Loading today's forecast.

Next 8 hours

Short-route forecast

Checking the next several hours.

Checking the best short-route window.
----Loading--

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 corridorShepherdstown to Dargan Bend, approximately 7.9 miles, Class I

    American Whitewater names the reach, public Shepherdstown put-in, Antietam campground context, public Dargan take-out, direct Shepherdstown gauge, and route-specific low-runnable context.

    Source

  • Authoritative public accessShepherdstown Princess Street public riverfront launch and NPS/DNR Dargan Bend public ramp

    The Shepherdstown civic riverfront documents public launch/parking context; NPS current conditions and Maryland DNR identify Dargan Bend as an open public Potomac ramp. Verify current entry and closure status.

    Source

  • Direct flow evidenceUSGS 01618000 Potomac River at Shepherdstown; approximately 2.05 ft low-runnable context

    The gauge is directly at the upstream endpoint and American Whitewater supplies the route correlation. It cannot certify Dargan local depth, debris, wind, or landing conditions.

    Source

  • Boundary and safety postureDargan Bend hard take-out before Dam 3/Needles

    NPS identifies the Dam 3-to-US 340 area as Potomac whitewater; this route intentionally ends at Dargan before that section.

    Source

  • Camping postureAntietam Creek C&O hiker-biker camping context; no riverbank camping

    American Whitewater identifies the campground along the reach; current NPS status, access, and reservations must be confirmed separately.

    Source

  • Live gaugeUSGS 01618000, Potomac River at Shepherdstown, 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 route context; it does not certify current flow, ramp, weather, dam, or take-out 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

See recent photos and notes from people on the route.

Share your trip

Help build the route page

Add photos or send a quick condition report.

Photos

Upload route photos

Add access, hazard, or on-water photos.

No files selected yet.

Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

More in Maryland

All 131 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 14
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 MarylandHard · 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 legBrunswick Boat Ramp to Point of Rocks Boat RampMontgomery, Frederick, and Washington Counties / Central MarylandModerate · Approximately 6.8 river miles downstream from C&O Canal mile 55.0 to mile 48.2

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Antietam CreekMD 34 / Porterstown Bridge to Antietam Creek C&O Campground and Potomac confluence · about 5 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 5.8 river miles, American Whitewater Lower Antietam/Burnside Bridge SectionAntietam CreekDevil’s Backbone Park to MD 34 / Porterstown Bridge · about 9 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 7.9 Antietam Creek miles from Devil’s Backbone Park to MD 34Conococheague CreekKemps Mill Park to Williamsport River Bottom Park · about 13 straight-line mi awayEasy · Approximately 4.5 miles from Kemps Mill Park to Williamsport River Bottom ParkCatoctin CreekCatoctin Creek Park & Nature Center to C&O Lander Boat Ramp / Potomac · about 13 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 10.1 moving-water miles from Catoctin Creek Park to the C&O Lander Boat Ramp at the Potomac

Quick answers

Potomac River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Shepherdstown Princess Street Boat Ramp to Dargan Bend Boat Ramp 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 Shepherdstown Princess Street Boat Ramp to Dargan Bend Boat Ramp route on the Potomac River start and end?

This route starts at Shepherdstown Princess Street Boat Ramp and ends at Dargan Bend Boat Ramp, Approximately 7.9 moving-water miles from Shepherdstown to Dargan Bend on the water.

Is the Shepherdstown Princess Street Boat Ramp to Dargan Bend Boat Ramp 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.

Flag a change

See something outdated?

Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.

Report a changeEmail update