antietam creek

This is a clean creek that is easy to paddle with little to no obstruction to impede you outing in a canoe or kayak. It is scenic and rustic in setting. Access is good as is pickup. It is a good sized creek with nice banks and gravel bars. There are enough rapids to make it swift paddling. Usually you ill see others on the creek but it is not very busy.

We saw this over and over as we toured the entire battlefield with a private guide. Lots of signs and markers, but be sure and take a private or do-it-yourself tour of the entire area.

This campground is directly on the banks of the Potomac River. There are about 20 sites that are pretty close together-first come, first served. Your experience can depend on the other campers around you. Tents are set up on a grassy area with a picnic table and fire ring. It's $10.00 per night for a site for six people. We took two sites for our two tents for room to spread out. I am not a fan of a toilets only site, no bath house but sitting around a campfire over looking the Potomac was wonderful. You are directly on the C & O canal so there are lots of hikers/bikers going past the campsite. It's an easy 4 mile bike riser to Sheperdstown or a ten mile ride to Harpers Ferry. Shepherds town has a peddle and paddle shop that rents bikes, inner tubes, kayaks and canoes.

I spent a full day paddling the antietem with a group of Boy Scouts. Most had not been in canoes much so there were some challenges. The water is pretty shallow so you will need to walk some. the views are good and the water clean. There are really 2 other choices in the area: the Monacacy is even shallower and the scenery isn't as nice. The Potomac has a lot more water but can be dangerous when the water is fast.

You can see the creek in several places such as the Antietam Battlefield and you can bike/walk across it on the C&O canal. There is also many places you can drive and see the creek. You can do some fishing on it the creek, but I am not sure if you can canoe on it. If you like to do photography the creek is a great place to shoot pictures at Burnside bridge at the battlefield and on the C&O canal.

The park tour takes you to Antietam Creek and you should view the creek from the overlook and then walk down to the Union positions across from Burnside Bridge. There is a trail leading downstream to Snavely's Ford. There is also a trail on the bluff that leads to an overlook of Snavely's Ford. It is also worth it to drive to the Keedysville Road and cross the Antietam at the Upper Bridge to view the creek.

Rt 68 to Burnside is a nice 3 hour trip. Antietam Creek Canoe is only outfitter I know of. A small operation but nice guy. Use them for a shuttle/rental if you don't have your own gear/2nd vehicle. One of the nicest streams I have been on. class I-II water

We have been walking some trails surrounded by very nice nature.