Stevensville, Maryland

There is no better way to travel into Annapolis then by under your own power on water.  Put in your kayak, canoe, or stand up paddle board at the Truxton Park Boat Launch (run by the City Parks Department) and paddle into downtown Annapolis on Spa Creek.  Pass other boaters, beautiful waterfront ...

With over 2,400 acres of managed land, Wye Island Natural Resource Management Area is the perfect spot to explore via the water.  There is a public boat launch in Wye Landing near the island, put in your boat there and head south a little to connect with the island's coast.  To fully circle the i...

First, a few disclaimers: The parking lot may be "at capacity" if you choose to visit the park in the summer. Do not despair; there is an auxiliary lot of sorts just near the gate.The park may be "full" but chances are you'll have the trails to yourself. Most people are here to hang in the design...

Follow the main entrance road down and to the right of the nature center to a turn around loop, where a car can be temporarily parked to unload/load boats onto the pier. You can launch canoes and kayaks on the end of the pier which goes directly out to Dundee Creek. From the launch site, paddlers...

From the visitors center, start on the Fire Road trail. From there, it's a choose-your-own adventure (choose-your-own ecosystem, actually). Pick the Laurel and Valley Trails to stay in the quiet (and maybe enchanted? It felt enchanted) forest. Goose Pond trail is a short jut to a--yup--pond, wher...

While there are many parks along its length, one of the best places to explore along the 115 mile long Patuxent River is by putting in at Kings Landing Park.  There is ample parking near the launch, and while vehicles are not allowed to park near the water, vehicles are encouraged to open the gat...

The Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is a perfect place to get away for a day. It offers more than 28,000 acres of marsh, forrest, and croplands which are teeming with wildlife.  The refuge has a visitors center which is a good place to start the adventure and acquire knowledge of the area, th...

The Killens Pond Campground is tucked in a section of forest overlooking the 66-acre millpond. During your stay, you can explore the woodland trails, grassy fields, disc golf course, game courts, ball fields, picnic areas, water park and the nature center. Be sure to take a kayak out to explore t...

Parking along 36th Road in Arlington, VA, head down the path on the Gulf Branch Trail. Walk northeast for roughly a quarter mile, where you will intersect with the Potomac River. Find a spot along the sand, cast out, and watch the catfish bite! Chicken liver seems to work well.  Don't forget to h...

Barren Island is an uninhabited island located in the Chesapeake Bay. It is part of the Chesapeake Marshlands NWR Complex and is known to be a swan nesting ground, as well as an active restoration project led by Army Corps of Engineers, NOAA, the FWS, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, an...

Griffith Lake, located in Milford Delaware, is a peaceful spot for an easy, scenic paddle.  There is a free, public boat ramp just off the road where you can launch a kayak. The water itself is flat and calm, but offers great views of the surrounding forest, especially in the fall! Rentals are no...