Delaware | Sussex County / Delaware Seashore State Park
Rehoboth Bay
Savages Ditch Road to New Road water trail
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
Loading the route coverage map.
Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.
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
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
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
An experienced-only four-mile Rehoboth Bay water-trail course with official park access at Savages Ditch and New Road, tide/wind dependence, seasonal waterfowl restrictions, and a same-launch return option.
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
Delaware Seashore State Park Savages Ditch kayak launchThe official map supplies park access and route anchors, not a guarantee of a launch-ready wetted edge, open gate, parking, fee status, or current channel clearance. Verify conditions at both ends immediately before travel.
Take-out
Delaware Seashore State Park New Road access areaThe route map’s approximately four-mile distance is a planning figure; channel choice, tide, water level, wind, and marsh conditions can change the practical line and paddling time.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The official map supplies park access and route anchors, not a guarantee of a launch-ready wetted edge, open gate, parking, fee status, or current channel clearance. Verify conditions at both ends immediately before travel.
- The route map’s approximately four-mile distance is a planning figure; channel choice, tide, water level, wind, and marsh conditions can change the practical line and paddling time.
- The map specifically notes active waterfowl hunting from October through February and asks paddlers to respect nesting habitat and private property. Current closure signs and park staff direction override the route card.
- The stored coordinates are public park access/parking anchors with uncertainty, not surveyed launch-edge points. Do not infer public landings at islands, beaches, private banks, docks, jetties, bridges, or the Indian River inlet.
Watch for
- NOAA 8558690 Indian River Inlet tide predictions, USGS 01484670 Rehoboth Bay proxy context, local wind/marine forecast, heat, recent weather, visibility, water level, and daylight
- Savages Ditch kayak-launch condition, New Road access/carry, park entry and parking/fee status, posted closures, waterfowl hunting October–February, nesting habitat, and private shoreline
- shallow/muddy marsh channels, narrow turns, submerged vegetation, marsh debris, reversing current, wind waves, inlet/marina boat traffic, limited lawful bailout, shuttle keys, and same-launch return margin
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
Data and sources
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 | Rehoboth Bay at Dewey Beach, DE |
| 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 | Not calibrated yet |
| 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 | Delaware State Parks Savages Ditch–New Road water-trail map and NOAA Indian River Inlet tide predictions |
| 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 corridorDelaware State Parks Savages Ditch Road to New Road Rehoboth Bay water trail
The official park water-trail map names the approximately four-mile course, identifies Savages Ditch and New Road, and provides a loop/out-and-back alternative from either access. This record preserves the bounded park course and does not claim the inlet, ocean, or broader Indian River Bay.
- Authoritative public endpoint evidenceDelaware Seashore State Park Savages Ditch kayak launch and New Road access area
Delaware State Parks’ current map marks the park access/parking locations and describes the launch-to-finish course. Coordinates are official park anchors rather than surveyed wetted-edge points; verify carry, waterline, gate, parking, fee, and closure status in the field.
- Proxy tidal-flow evidenceUSGS 01484670 Rehoboth Bay at Dewey Beach, DE, with NOAA 8558690 Indian River Inlet tide predictions
The USGS station is clearly labeled same-estuary proxy context and NOAA provides the local tide reference. Combine both with current wind, marine forecast, observed water level, channel depth, and route-specific judgment; no numeric cutoff is transferred.
- Route-specific safety and seasonal guidanceDelaware State Parks water-trail map and Paddle Coastal Delaware Rehoboth Bay zone guidance
The park map classifies the course for experienced kayakers, warns about heat, wind, and tide, identifies nesting/private-property controls, and closes the area to recreational use during October–February waterfowl season. The regional trail guide adds local tide, weather, fee/parking, and inlet-traffic context.
- Camping postureNearby basecamp only
The route uses day-use park access. Separate Delaware Seashore State Park campground reservations may be available, but no campsite, overnight moorage, marsh-island landing, or private-shore camping is claimed by this route.
- Approved route imageryState of Delaware Paddlefest Rehoboth Bay salt-marsh photograph
The official State of Delaware Paddlefest image supplies route-context imagery for the same Delaware Seashore salt-marsh paddling setting; it does not certify current access, tide, channel condition, seasonal opening, or endpoint landing.
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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Quick answers
Rehoboth Bay paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Rehoboth Bay?
Paddle Today watches Rehoboth Bay at Dewey Beach, DE and uses Not calibrated yet as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Rehoboth Bay route start and end?
This route starts at Delaware Seashore State Park Savages Ditch kayak launch and ends at Delaware Seashore State Park New Road access area, about Approximately 4 tidal salt-marsh miles from Savages Ditch Road to New Road; official park map also permits a loop or out-and-back from either access point on the water.
Is this Rehoboth Bay route good for beginners?
This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.