Antietam Creek
3) MD 34 to Potomac River(Lower Antietam/Burnside Bridge Section)
| Difficulty | I-II |
| Length | 5.8 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 7 fpm |
| Gauge | Antietam Creek Near Sharpsburg, Md |
| Flow Rate as of 37 minutes | 2.64 ftlow runnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | May 8, 2026 |
River Description
Antietam Creek is a great Class I-II run through beautiful natural scenery and the historic Antietam civil war battlefield park.
located southeast of Hagerstown, MD.
Putin at the Rt. 34 bridge (downstream side; river left) between Keedysville and Sharpsburg.
Takeout on the Potomac River at the C&O Canal camprgound located just upstream of the creek's confluence with the river.
An excellent website for the creek is maintained by Antietam Creek Canoe Co..
Description:
This section is primarily characterized by Class I-II water with rapids created by dam ruins and sharp, tight turns on this narrow creek. Spring-fed, it holds water longer than other small streams in the area and is the last to freeze and first to thaw. Practiced novice boaters should be able to handle the rapids but watch out for downed trees, which can pose serious hazards on this tree-lined run.
Landing at the historic Burnside Bridge at the Antietam battlefield is prohibited by the National Park Service. Below the bridge is an intact dam/weir that provides a two foot drop and bump. It is best run a little left of center. About 50 yards below the dam there is a landing on river left if you'd like to visit the battlefield site. The long middle part of the run consists of Class I moving water: shoals, eddys, small chutes and occasional strainers. Near the end of the run the gradient picks up as you approach the Potomac River.
The last rapid - Furnace Rapids - is a long Class II that can be scouted on the left. Immediately below is a bridge where an old but now closed takeout point was located. Continue down the Potomac River and paddle upstream to the takeout.
Shorter or longer trips can be made on this creek, but some of the bridge crossings other than at Rt 34 and at the C&O Canal park have historic preservation and/or landowner access issues.
River Features
Put In - MD.34
MD Rt 34 River left side immediately below the road bridge.
Burnside Bridge
Landing at the historic Burnside Bridge at the Antietam battlefield is prohibited by the National Park Service. But you can paddle under it and admire it from the water. About 400 yards below the bridge there is a landing on river left at 'Molly's Hole' if you'd like to walk upstream to visit the Burnside Bridge battlefield site.
Burnside Bridge Weir
Below Burnside Bridge is an intact dam/weir that provides a two foot drop and bump. It is best run a little left of center.
Molly's Hole & Burnside Bridge Rd. Access
Molly's Hole refers to a deep spot in the creek that has been used as a swimming hole for locals. The New Burnside Bridge Rd. parallel's the creek at this point which provides access and some parking.
Furnace Rapid
Furnace Rapids - (AKA 'Ironworks Rapid') is a long Class II that can be scouted on the left. Immediately below is a bridge where an old but now closed takeout point was located.
Take Out - Potomac River
Continue down the Potomac River and paddle upstream to the takeout.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportWe ran this at a gauge height of 2.8' today, 09 Oct 2021, in packrafts, entirely smooth trip. Very pleasant paddle throughout, no strainers present and no portages required. Biked back up to the put-in at the bridge on MD-34, with a few hills but easy ride. (Note that Sherrick Farm Trail from Burnside Bridge Rd to MD-34, which some apps give as the fastest route by bike, is not actually open to bikes; go into Sharpsburg then out 34 instead.)
Have recently run this section at 2.3 ft in October 2020 (lots of dragging, but possible) and 2.65 ft in December 2020 (much better). No strainers on bridges. Pretty easy. The higher water level obviously made the dam smoother. There's just one spot to play around/surf/learn. December trip was showing 15 mph winds, but with the exception of about 2 minutes of the trip down, there was no wind, likely from bank/tree protection. This made a huge difference for a 45 degree day.
Went down this section on June 16th, 2018. Noticed that a large metal canoe had sunk and wrapped
around a rock about a mile and a half before the takeout, creating a new rapid, now dubbed 'Manard
Falls'.
Waterfall and rapids on Antietam Creek
Ran it on 28 and 29 May: some hazards but easy mostly obvious and easy to avoid. Take the dam all the way to the left.
The previously mentioned river-wide strainer below Burnside has been removed, however there is still a TON of wood on this stream right now. Both the Keedysville Rd bridge and the Rte 34 bridge have massive log jams blocking most of the usual channels. Keedysville bridge is blocked on all but the extreme right passage, and the Rte 34 bridge is blocked in the middle. The left channel has some strainers in it that are avoidable, but the gravel beds downstream before the next rapid will give you fits if you go that way, stay to the right under both bridges.
Below Keedysville Rd Bridge where the river makes a sharp bend to the right, there is a strainer/tree across the entire creek. It is passable over the middle where the trunk dips under the surface of the river, but only at or above 2.7' Anything lower and you WILL need to carry on river right. The only way I made it over today was by hitting the low-spot at full speed with my bow popped up.
We ran today at 2.65-2.7' from Devil's Backbone down to Burnside Bridge and it was very scrape-y. Recommend at least 2.8' for a scrape-free run.
Colin has it right, Ran this on 5/1/2011 and there were no strainers. The river is moving along really well right now, and I would factor on about 2/3 of the normal trip time. Most of the normal stopping points are underwater right now.
Make sure you check out this link to the antietam creek canoe club. This map shows exactly what to expect.
The old B&O railroad bridge pilings across Antietam Creek. This line was the Washington County branch line which was taken over by CSX and abandoned in the 1970's according to online sources
Class II Furnace rapid upstream of the Harpers Ferry Rd. Bridge. Final rapid of this section.
Ran today at 3.22' from Devil's Backbone down to the Potomac take-out. Minor wood accumulation on piers at Keedysville Rd. and Rte. 34 bridges, but easily noticed with clear channels on either side.
Great beginner/novice run w/ good surfing at dam below Burnside Bridge. Furnace rapid was a blast.