Wednesday Evening Trips

For the past few decades there has been a regular Wednesday Night Paddle, sponsored by CCA. We usually start around May, (weather and water levels permitting) and continue into September’s early sundowns.

The standard route is from Angler’s Inn to Lock 10 (the first lock inside the Beltway, Maryland side). Sometimes we run the Violettes Lock loop, and in late summer when the gauge gets below 2.8 we may go to Little Falls.

We meet at 6:00 PM at Lock 10 (preferably earlier to consolidate boats) then drive upriver to put in at Angler’s. This is usually a class II+ practiced novice run, ideal for people who have some experience on easy whitewater or have taken a beginners class.

Please contact the trip coordinator before heading out for a trip. And please check for location updates on Wednesdays on the Trip Schedule or Paddle Prattle. Rain or the lack thereof have resulted in high/low water levels that cause many trips to be cancelled or relocated. 

You do not have to belong to a club to come, but we will encourage you to join one (Canoe Cruisers Association or Blue Ridge Voyageurs).You need basic safety skills such as some degree of boat control, ability to wet exit a decked boat, and a willingness to follow occasional directions.

All need to wear PFDs and helmets. Boats should have air bags to facilitate recovery. Throw bags, cell phones, flashlights, and whistles are nice. There are usually quite a few experienced boaters willing to teach you some stuff and rescue you if needed.

If you are new to the Potomac, you will find that most of our paddling access points are on the Maryland side of the river.  This is thanks to the C&O Canal National Park which runs for 184 miles along the Potomac from Georgetown in Washington, DC, to Cumberland, Maryland.  The C&O Canal Association has a list of all the access points with descriptions, coordinates and Google map links.