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Maryland | St. Mary’s County / Southern Maryland

St. Mary’s County Water TrailsWicomico Shores Landing to Bushwood Wharf

The official Wicomico River Trail follows the western St. Mary’s shoreline from Wicomico Shores through Chaptico Bay to Bushwood Wharf, with a public intermediate take-out.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 8 miles one way, with Chaptico Wharf at approximately 5 miles as an intermediate public endpoint
DifficultyModerate
Typical time4–8 hours depending on tide
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 8 miles one way, with Chaptico Wharf at approximately 5 miles as an intermediate public endpointWicomico Shores Landing to Bushwood Wharf
DifficultymoderateThe source describes recreational moving water, but shallow rock, current, cold water, debris, and bridge or access hazards remain material.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage at Bushwood Wharf and confirm the small public landing, then shuttle to Wicomico Shores. Chaptico Wharf is an optional intermediate endpoint only when current access and parking are confirmed.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow current St. Mary’s County public-landing hours, sunset-to-sunrise closure, no-overnight-parking/camping/open-fire rules, Maryland boating/PFD requirements, tide, marine-weather, and posted closure notices.
CampingOptions nearbySt. Mary’s public-landings rules prohibit overnight parking, camping, night fishing, and open fires. Use separate lodging or a legal campground; no riverbank 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

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

The official Wicomico River Trail follows the western St. Mary’s shoreline from Wicomico Shores through Chaptico Bay to Bushwood Wharf, with a public intermediate take-out.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Wicomico Shores Landing
Open mapDirections to put-in

County landings are closed sunset to sunrise except loading/unloading; preserve daylight for the full one-way route.

Finish

Take-out

Bushwood Wharf public landing
Open mapDirections to take-out

The guide identifies public landing control but most intervening shoreline is private; do not improvise a bailout.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • County landings are closed sunset to sunrise except loading/unloading; preserve daylight for the full one-way route.
  • The guide identifies public landing control but most intervening shoreline is private; do not improvise a bailout.
  • Bushwood has limited parking and a beach launch for canoes/kayaks; verify current conditions and portable-toilet season.

Watch for

  • USGS 01594440 Patuxent proxy and current tide/marine forecast
  • shallow water, sand/portage, strainers after rain, wind, waves, current, wakes, cold water, marina traffic, and private shoreline
  • sunrise/sunset landing hours, parking/carry, small public beaches, limited lots, and hard same-launch returns
  • Wicomico Shores launch, Chaptico Bay, Chaptico Wharf sandy endpoint, Bushwood beach, wind, tide, powerboats, private shoreline, and daylight

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

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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

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Weather

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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 corridorSt. Mary’s County/DNR Wicomico River Trail, Approximately 8 miles one way, with Chaptico Wharf at approximately 5 miles as an intermediate public endpoint

    The official county water-trail guide names the route, public endpoints, distance or bounded option, and route-specific tide/wind/shallow-water guidance.

    Source

  • Authoritative public accessWicomico Shores Landing and Bushwood Wharf public landing

    St. Mary’s County public-landing records and the water-trail guide identify the endpoint facilities. Coordinates are on/near-water access anchors and current operations must be verified.

    Source

  • Proxy flow and tidal evidenceUSGS 01594440 Patuxent River near Bowie, clearly labeled regional proxy

    The station is not local to these routes and supplies no safe-depth or tide cutoff. Use current tide/marine conditions and observed water.

    Source

  • Camping postureSt. Mary’s public-landings rules prohibit overnight parking, camping, night fishing, and open fires. Use separate lodging or a legal campground; no riverbank camping is claimed.

    County landing rules prohibit overnight parking/camping/open fires; camping requires a separate legal site or campground.

    Source

  • Live gaugeUSGS 01594440, Patuxent River near Bowie, 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 context; it does not certify St. Mary’s tide, 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.

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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

All 131 routes
Maryland route guideBrowse every tracked Maryland route.St. Mary’s County / Southern MarylandJump to routes in this region.

More on St. Mary’s County Water Trails

All 8
Great Mills Launch to St. Mary’s CitySt. Mary’s County / Southern MarylandModerate · Approximately 7 miles one way along the shoreline; guide describes route choices from approximately 1 to 10 milesPiney Point Lighthouse and Museum Creek loopSt. Mary’s County / Southern MarylandModerate · Approximately 5.5 miles round trip within Piney Point Creek; the 4-mile Piney Point Landing extension is excludedPort of Leonardtown Park to Abell’s WharfSt. Mary’s County / Southern MarylandModerate · Approximately 6 miles one way; the guide also identifies Leonardtown Wharf and Camp Calvert as intermediate public access pointsSt. Inigoes Landing Jutland Creek loopSt. Mary’s County / Southern MarylandModerate · Approximately 6.75 miles round trip

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Charles County Water TrailsChapel Point State Park to Port Tobacco Marina · about 11 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 2.5 miles one way between Chapel Point and Port Tobacco MarinaCalvert County Water TrailsHallowing Point to Caney Creek and Benedict Community Park · about 14 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 4 miles round trip into Caney Creek; the Hallowing Point to Benedict crossing is just over 1 mile round tripCharles County Water TrailsFriendship Landing: Church Creek and Hilltop Fork options · about 17 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 2 miles round trip to Church Creek or 4 miles round trip to Hilltop ForkCalvert County Water TrailsNan’s Cove to Rock Creek and Broomes Island bounded loop · about 17 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 1 mile for adjacent coves, 2 miles round trip to Rock Creek, or 5 miles round trip to the mouth of Island Creek

Quick answers

St. Mary’s County Water Trails paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Wicomico Shores Landing to Bushwood Wharf route on the St. Mary’s County Water Trails?

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 Wicomico Shores Landing to Bushwood Wharf route on the St. Mary’s County Water Trails start and end?

This route starts at Wicomico Shores Landing and ends at Bushwood Wharf public landing, Approximately 8 miles one way, with Chaptico Wharf at approximately 5 miles as an intermediate public endpoint on the water.

Is the Wicomico Shores Landing to Bushwood Wharf route on the St. Mary’s County Water Trails 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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