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Maryland | Harford County / Lower Susquehanna Maryland

Lower Susquehanna Water TrailFrank J. Hutchins Park to Lapidum Boating Facility

A lower-river route from Havre de Grace’s non-motorized Frank Hutchins Park launch upstream to Lapidum.

Route location

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DistanceApproximately 5.1 miles access to access; confirm the current Lower Susquehanna Water Trail map distance and channel choice
DifficultyModerate
Typical time3–8 hours depending on tide/wind
ShuttleCar shuttle
Two paddlers move downstream on the Monocacy River beneath wooded banks in Maryland.
Route photoMonocacy River Water Trail paddling contextPhoto by Saki / National Park Service

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 5.1 miles access to access; confirm the current Lower Susquehanna Water Trail map distance and channel choiceFrank J. Hutchins Park to Lapidum Boating Facility
DifficultymoderateThe source describes recreational moving water, but shallow rock, current, cold water, debris, and bridge or access hazards remain material.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage at Lapidum and confirm its fee, gate, parking, and ramp, then shuttle to Frank Hutchins. Verify the floating-dock carry and city/park hours before committing to the one-way route.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow current Maryland State Park and Harford County launch fees, hours, parking, PFD/boating rules, Conowingo dam-release warnings, flashing-light/siren notices, hunting notices, marine/weather conditions, and posted closures. Camping at Susquehanna State Park requires a separate reservation; no riverbank camping is claimed.
CampingOptions nearbyLapidum is adjacent to reservable Susquehanna State Park camping and cabins. Frank Hutchins is day-use city access; no lower-river or dock camping is claimed.
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.

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A lower-river route from Havre de Grace’s non-motorized Frank Hutchins Park launch upstream to Lapidum.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Frank J. Hutchins Park floating canoe/kayak launch
Open mapDirections to put-in

Frank Hutchins is a floating-dock soft launch for canoes and kayaks; verify current restrooms, parking, and waterline.

Finish

Take-out

Susquehanna State Park Lapidum Boating Facility
Open mapDirections to take-out

Lapidum has a state-park launch charge and posted hours; current operations control.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Frank Hutchins is a floating-dock soft launch for canoes and kayaks; verify current restrooms, parking, and waterline.
  • Lapidum has a state-park launch charge and posted hours; current operations control.
  • Open lower-river wind, wakes, and current can turn the route into a long rescue commitment; retain a hard Lapidum take-out.

Watch for

  • USGS 01578310 Conowingo discharge/stage and dam-release trend
  • flashing red lights, sirens, dam and wing-wall exclusion zones, current, wakes, wind, cold water, floating debris, thunderstorms, and bridge traffic
  • park fees/hours, limited lots, ramp versus soft access, downstream tide/wind, private shorelines, and hard named take-outs
  • Frank Hutchins floating docks, Havre de Grace waterfront, lower-river current/wind, wakes, boat traffic, Lapidum ramp, park fee, and daylight

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

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Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

Gauge detail

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Gauge

Recent trend

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Route gallery

Photos

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

Two paddlers move downstream on the Monocacy River beneath wooded banks in Maryland.
Monocacy River Water Trail paddling contextPhoto by Saki / National Park Service
National Park Service public-agency image

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 corridorMaryland DNR/NPS Lower Susquehanna Lower Susquehanna Frank Hutchins to Lapidum, Approximately 5.1 miles access to access; confirm the current Lower Susquehanna Water Trail map distance and channel choice

    The official DNR and NPS materials establish the Lower Susquehanna water-trail setting, public endpoint chain, park access, and route-specific dam/shallow-water controls. No fixed mileage is invented where the source does not publish one.

    Source

  • Authoritative public accessFrank J. Hutchins Park floating canoe/kayak launch to Susquehanna State Park Lapidum Boating Facility

    The current Maryland DNR public-water-access layer identifies the endpoint facilities and their ramp, soft-launch, fee, parking, or exclusion-zone controls. Coordinates are on/near-water access anchors and current operations must be verified.

    Source

  • Direct flow evidenceUSGS 01578310 Susquehanna River at Conowingo, direct same-river regulated-flow station

    This direct station provides current Susquehanna discharge/stage and release context, but it does not replace dam notices, visual conditions, marine forecast, or local endpoint checks.

    Source

  • Camping postureLapidum is adjacent to reservable Susquehanna State Park camping and cabins. Frank Hutchins is day-use city access; no lower-river or dock camping is claimed.

    Susquehanna State Park camping requires a separate reservation; public docks and riverbanks are not assumed campsites.

    Source

  • Live gaugeUSGS 01578310, Susquehanna River at Conowingo, MD

    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

    Rights-cleared Maryland public-river image used as Lower Susquehanna context; it does not certify current release, dam, wind, access, or route hazards.

    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

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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

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Maryland route guideBrowse every tracked Maryland route.Harford County / Lower Susquehanna MarylandJump to routes in this region.

More on Lower Susquehanna Water Trail

All 3
Broad Creek Public Landing and returnHarford County / Lower Susquehanna MarylandModerate · Approximately 1–4 miles bounded same-launch exploration; current map and shallow-water conditions control the turnaroundLapidum Boating Facility to Shuresville LandingHarford County / Lower Susquehanna MarylandModerate · Approximately 8.7 miles access to access; confirm the current Lower Susquehanna Water Trail map distance and dam-safe endpoint boundary

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Elk Neck Water TrailsNorth East Beach canoe/kayak launch and Northeast River return · about 6 straight-line mi awayModerate · Bounded North East Beach/Northeast River same-launch exploration; use the current park map and marine chart for route distance and turnaroundElk Neck Water TrailsRogues Harbor Boat Launch and Elk River return · about 8 straight-line mi awayModerate · Bounded Rogues Harbor/Elk River same-launch exploration; the park source establishes access but does not publish a stable paddling mileageGreat Bohemia CreekBohemia River Bridge public soft access and Great Bohemia Creek return · about 13 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 1–2 miles bounded same-launch Great Bohemia Creek settingDeer Creek Water TrailWalters Mill Canoe/Kayak Launch to Benjamin’s Bridge · about 15 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 6 miles downstream from Walters Mill to Benjamin’s Bridge, per the current Maryland DNR access record

Quick answers

Lower Susquehanna Water Trail paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Frank J. Hutchins Park to Lapidum Boating Facility route on the Lower Susquehanna Water Trail?

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 Frank J. Hutchins Park to Lapidum Boating Facility route on the Lower Susquehanna Water Trail start and end?

This route starts at Frank J. Hutchins Park floating canoe/kayak launch and ends at Susquehanna State Park Lapidum Boating Facility, Approximately 5.1 miles access to access; confirm the current Lower Susquehanna Water Trail map distance and channel choice on the water.

Is the Frank J. Hutchins Park to Lapidum Boating Facility route on the Lower Susquehanna Water Trail suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a moderate 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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