Lower Susquehanna River Water Trail
centroid 51 mi from Baltimore
The Susquehanna River Water Trail (Lower Section) offers 53 miles of paddling adventures from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to Broad Creek in Maryland. This Chesapeake Gateways Network Water Traill connects paddlers to the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and the greater Chesapeake Bay watershed. The trail reveals the Susquehanna’s diverse character, from urban landscapes and historic river towns to striking natural features like the White Cliffs of Conoy, Chickies Rock, and the Conejohela Flats.
Paddlers encounter a rich blend of cultural landmarks, ecological treasures, and wildlife viewing opportunities, including bald eagles and migrating shorebirds. The Susquehanna National Heritage Area provides interpretive river history panels at 21 access points, sharing the river’s natural, historical, and cultural importance. Water trail maps, visitor services, and educational programs are available at Columbia Crossing River Trails Center and the Zimmerman Center for Heritage.
The Lower Susquehanna River Water Trail invites exploration, adventure, and stewardship, connecting communities and visitors to one of the Chesapeake Bay’s most vital tributaries. Learn more about river access, maps, and educational programming by visiting the Susquehanna National Heritage Area website.
- States
- DC
- Trail type
- trail
- Centroid nearest city
- Baltimore, MD · 51 mi · ~1.5 hr drive
- Centroid coords
- 40.0306°, -76.5092°
About Chesapeake Bay
This trail is inside Chesapeake Bay, a national park service unit managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.
Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/lower-susquehanna-river-water-trail.htm
Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/cbpo/index.htm
Plan your hike
Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.
Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.
When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.
If you've hiked Lower Susquehanna River Water Trail and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.
Stay nearby
Other trails within 50 miles
Conestoga Trail System
11 miles from this trail's centroid
Mason-Dixon Trail
16 miles from this trail's centroid
York County Heritage Rail Trail
16 miles from this trail's centroid
Conestoga River Water Trail
17 miles from this trail's centroid
Horse-Shoe Trail
25 miles from this trail's centroid
Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail
30 miles from this trail's centroid
Sources
Trail data on this page is compiled from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the maintaining organisation's public-facing materials, and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA where excerpts are quoted). Distance, terminus, and descriptive text for nationally-designated trails are hand-curated from federal land-manager websites and trail-association sources. We do not modify the underlying data; this page presents what is already publicly recorded. To suggest corrections, see our methodology page.