Potomac

0.9 Point of Rocks to Mouth of Monocacy

DifficultyI
Length6.2 mi
Avg Gradientn/a
GaugePotomac River at Point of Rocks, Md
Flow Rate as of 1 hour
1.43 ftlow runnable
Reach Info Last UpdatedMay 19, 2023

River Description

Flat and moving water.  Putin is at a river access area at Point of Rocks, MD.  About 2/3 of a mile below Point of Rocks is the Calico Rocks C&O hiker/biker campground.  About 3.8 miles below Point of Rocks is the Nolands Ferry boat ramp for river access.  Indian Flats C&O hiker/biker campground, on the Maryland side, is just above (about 1/3 mile) the Mouth of Monocacy and the Monocacy Aqueduct, which is the take-out for this section.


River Features

Put In - Point of Rocks

Distance: 0 mi

Putin is at a river access area at Point of Rocks, MD

Nolands Ferry River Access

Distance: 3.8 mi
Access Point

Nolands Ferry River Access.

Take Out -- Mouth of Monocacy and the Monocacy Aqueduct

Distance: 6.2 mi
Take Out

Take-Out -- Mouth of Monocacy and the Monocacy Aqueduct


Abreviated trip from Nolands Ferry up to Point of Rocks and return.  Total time on river 3.5h.

Looks like a good learning stretch for newer boaters that are already comfortable on lakes.  Some submerged rocks to read, but at this river level the current is slow enough to either avoid, or learn better how to see and avoid.

If taking out at Nolands Ferry, make sure to take the left channel around Nolands Island.  The takout ramp is angled downstream and might be easily overlooked when approaching from upstream.  Ramp is marked to indicate warning (yellow stripe) and dangerous (red stripe) river levels.  Parking is limited at Nolands Ferry, but there is overflow parking on the north side of the rail road (short walk).

Meet up with the Keep Loudoun Beautiful crew doing a river cleanup.  Thanks guys!!