Appalachian Trail at Weverton Cliffs overlooking the Potomac River.
Piedmont Water Trails
Exploring Maryland’s Rolling Hills and Valleys
Appalachian Trail at Weverton Cliffs overlooking the Potomac River.
If you’re looking to paddle some moving and bouncy water, but aren’t up for the big waves, Maryland’s Piedmont Water Trails may be right for you. These water trails wind among rolling hills and through valleys, offering the best trips for paddlers with some experience and an intermediate skill level. There are slow-moving river sections that are ready for newbies too. You’ll love the gorgeous scenery and verdant green landscapes along these water trails. Catch a glimpse of historic sites built on the riverbanks in these rural landscapes. Stop to check out Civil War history in quaint 19th-century towns flourishing with vibrant shops and restaurants, providing the best of both worlds.
Monocacy Aqueduct
The Monocacy Scenic River is known as the river with many bends. This serene, slow-moving river provides a mostly flatwater paddling excursion, with the exception of a stretch of bouncy Class I rapids near its end. Starting at Rocky Ridge off of Maryland Rt. 77, the Monocacy River flows 42 miles to its confluence with the Potomac River. Local parks with picnic areas provide multiple access points to the river.
Along the way, you’ll paddle through Civil War history and find natural, historical and cultural attractions, pastoral farmland, forests and towns. Highlights of the water trail include the LeGore Bridge (on the National Register of Historic Places), Monocacy National Battlefield, Buckeystown Dam, Michael’s Mill (a 1739 grist mill), Buckeystown Historic District, and the Greenfield Bridge ruins. Just before the Monocacy spills into the Potomac River, you’ll see the forested riverbanks of the Monocacy Natural Resources Management Area, and pass under the Monocacy Aqueduct on the C&O Canal. Make sure to check the water levels before you go.
C & O Canal’s Billy Goat Trail (A) above Mather Gorge on the Potomac River
The Middle Potomac River Water Trail extends 100 miles from Sharpsburg, Maryland to Washington, D.C. This river segment follows the C&O Canal National Historical Park and passes by the historic town of Harpers Ferry, steeped in Civil War, African-American and 19th-century industrial history, and now the site of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. The river threads through mountains surrounding this town and joins the Shenandoah River.
A series of exciting rapids near Harpers Ferry add some variety to the trip. Tour this area with a whitewater rafting guide to make the best memories. Overnight stays are available at primitive campsites along the C&O Canal Towpath Trail, or you can lodge in unique accommodations: a former Canal lock tender’s home, available through the Canal Quarters Program. Be sure to reserve in advance. From here the river passes Point of Rocks and the Seneca area.
Just before Washington, D.C. in Potomac, MD, the river runs through the Great Falls of the Potomac, where it builds up speed and descends through a series of 20-foot waterfalls and Class VI rapids, navigable only by the most experienced whitewater kayakers, so plan to take out your canoe or kayak well in advance. You can see the falls on land near the C&O Canal’s National Historical Park Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center. The Great Falls Overlook and the River Trail provide the best vantage points. This dramatic drop takes you through the “fall-line” where rolling hills transition to the level coastal plain.
After Great Falls, the river rushes through the narrow Mather Gorge and flows toward Georgetown, D.C. at the mouth of Rock Creek, where the C&O Canal starts.
