Maryland | Talbot County / Eastern Shore Maryland

Tilghman Island and Bay Hundred Water Trails

Neavitt Landing Balls Creek loop

Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.

Route location

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DistanceApproximately 3 miles round trip from Neavitt Landing around Balls Creek
DifficultyModerate
Typical time2–5 hours depending on Balls Creek/Choptank/Broad Creek wind
ShuttleCar shuttle
Blackwater River at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland.
River contextBlackwater River tidal-marsh corridor; Maryland regional context only — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region via 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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Gauge history and hourly forecast

Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.

Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view

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Quick facts and what's next

Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.

DifficultymoderateThe source describes recreational moving water, but shallow rock, current, cold water, debris, and bridge or access hazards remain material.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow current Talbot County landing permits, hours, parking, launch/carry rules, Maryland boating/PFD requirements, tide and marine forecasts, and posted closures. The official guide prohibits camping at public landings; no route camping is claimed.
CampingDay tripNo camping is permitted at Talbot County public landings. Use nearby lodging or a separately confirmed campground; do not treat private shoreline or marsh as overnight access.
SeasonMar-NovSpring through fall is the practical planning season, but Maryland water levels, recent rain, temperature, debris, and daylight control every launch decision.

Upcoming outlook

These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.

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Plan your trip

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

Access and shuttle

The official Balls Creek Trail is a roughly 3-mile loop from Neavitt Landing through contrasting residential, agricultural, marsh, and natural shorelines.

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Start

Put-in

Neavitt Landing
Open map

Neavitt is remote with limited parking and bulkhead access.

Finish

Take-out

Neavitt Landing return
Open map

The guide mentions longer extensions into Choptank or Broad Creek; those are not included in this bounded loop.

Plan this segment

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Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • Neavitt is remote with limited parking and bulkhead access.
  • The guide mentions longer extensions into Choptank or Broad Creek; those are not included in this bounded loop.
  • No camping is permitted at the public landing.

Watch for

  • USGS 01491000 Choptank watershed-context proxy and trend
  • wind, waves, wake, tide, current, shallow water, sandbars, bridge/drawbridge traffic, commercial watermen, thunderstorms, and cold water
  • Talbot County permits, 11 p.m.–4 a.m. landing closures, limited parking/carries, private property, and hard endpoint access
  • Balls Creek mouth, Choptank/Broad Creek exposure, private residential shore, Neavitt bulkhead, and limited parking

Data and sources

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.

Read quality
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Today'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.

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Gauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge siteChoptank River near Greensboro, MD
DischargeChecking
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Rain last 24hChecking
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Rain timingChecking
Ideal rangeNeeds paddler reports
Known low-water floorNot calibrated yet
High thresholdNot calibrated yet
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreTalbot County and Maryland DNR water-trail wind, tide, and access guidance
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What 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 corridorTalbot County/DNR Balls Creek Trail, Approximately 3 miles round trip from Neavitt Landing around Balls Creek

    The official Talbot County/DNR water-trail guide names the corridor, route option, distance, difficulty, public endpoints, and wind/tide posture.

    Source

  • Authoritative public accessNeavitt Landing to Neavitt Landing return

    The official guide gives the managed public landing, GPS, launch type, permit/hours, parking, and carry posture for the named endpoints.

    Source

  • Proxy flow and tidal evidenceUSGS 01491000 Choptank River near Greensboro watershed-context proxy

    This station is not local to every Talbot route and no numeric safe-depth cutoff is claimed. Use current tide, wind, observed depth, charts, and endpoint conditions.

    Source

  • Camping postureNearby basecamp only

    The Talbot guide states camping is prohibited at public landings; no on-route campsite is claimed.

    Source

  • Live gaugeUSGS 01491000, Choptank River near Greensboro, MD

    This is a clearly labeled proxy or route-context station; local water, tributaries, releases, and weather can differ materially.

    Source

  • Approved route imageryRights-cleared public-agency or public-domain corridor image

    Rights-cleared Maryland public-river image used as regional moving-water context; it does not certify Talbot County tide, wind, depth, access, or route hazards.

    Source

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Tilghman Island and Bay Hundred Water Trails paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Tilghman Island and Bay Hundred Water Trails?

Paddle Today watches Choptank River near Greensboro, MD 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 Tilghman Island and Bay Hundred Water Trails route start and end?

This route starts at Neavitt Landing and ends at Neavitt Landing return, about Approximately 3 miles round trip from Neavitt Landing around Balls Creek on the water.

Is this Tilghman Island and Bay Hundred Water Trails 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.

See something outdated?

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