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Maryland | Montgomery, Frederick, and Washington Counties / Central Maryland
Potomac River
Taylors Landing Boat Ramp to Snyders Landing 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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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 Middle Potomac moving-water reach between two public C&O Canal boat ramps, with hiker-biker camping context near both endpoints and no dam passage inside the selected ramp-to-ramp boundary.
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
Taylors Landing Boat RampBoth ramps are federal C&O Canal access points with current park, parking, road, and water-entry conditions that must be verified on launch day.
Take-out
Snyders Landing Boat RampThe Point of Rocks gauge is direct same-river context but is upstream of this reach; local tributary inflow, wind, debris, and ramp flooding can differ materially.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Both ramps are federal C&O Canal access points with current park, parking, road, and water-entry conditions that must be verified on launch day.
- The Point of Rocks gauge is direct same-river context but is upstream of this reach; local tributary inflow, wind, debris, and ramp flooding can differ materially.
- Do not continue below Snyders toward Dam 3, Harpers Ferry, or other reaches without a new route and hazard review.
Watch for
- USGS 01638500 stage, discharge, and trend
- NWS 2.0 ft caution and 5.5 ft danger screens, flood products, wind, cold water, wakes, floating wood, strainers, and private-bank boundaries
- C&O road, parking, ramp, restroom, campground, and hard Snyders take-out status
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 Point of Rocks, 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 | 2.00 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 | NWS/MARFC Point of Rocks boating stages and C&O/NPS moving-water access guidance |
| 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 corridorTaylors Landing to Snyders Landing, approximately 4.3 Potomac river miles
The NPS/C&O ramp inventory names both public river ramps and the canal-mile sequence; the route is conservatively bounded between them.
- Authoritative public accessTaylors Landing and Snyders Landing public C&O/NPS boat ramps
The C&O Canal Trust documents both ramps, their canal miles, parking, and nearby facilities. Coordinates are water-entry anchors requiring current field verification.
- Direct flow and safety evidenceUSGS 01638500 Point of Rocks; NWS 2.0 ft caution and 5.5 ft danger stages
USGS supplies live direct same-river data; NWS/MARFC supplies route-context boating thresholds. Neither replaces visual inspection at the ramp or on the river.
- Camping postureNearby C&O hiker-biker campsites; no riverbank camping
The C&O Trust identifies Horseshoe Bend and Killiansburg Cave camping near the endpoints; current NPS status and access must be confirmed.
- 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.
- 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.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- Maryland DNR Middle Potomac water trail
- NPS C&O boating and river ramps
- C&O Canal Trust boat-ramp inventory
- C&O Canal Trust Taylors Landing ramp
- C&O Canal Trust Snyders Landing ramp
- NWS/MARFC Point of Rocks boating stages
- USGS Point of Rocks current conditions
- Maryland public water-access layer
- USGS 01638500 monitoring location
- USGS 01638500 current conditions
- Approved corridor image
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 Point of Rocks, MD and uses 2.00 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 Taylors Landing Boat Ramp and ends at Snyders Landing Boat Ramp, about Approximately 4.3 river miles downstream from C&O Canal mile 80.9 to mile 76.6 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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.