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Delmarva's Water Trails
Story and photos by
September 7th, 2021
The Delmarva Peninsula is a water lover’s haven. Surrounded on three sides by water, abundant inland with streams, ponds, and rivers, availability for just about every kind of water sport can be found here. With the coming of spring, Delmarva’s water trails burst with new life featuring their water fowl, birds, fish, turtles, otters, foxes, birds of all kinds, as well as scenic foliage. Now’s a good time to clean out the canoe, dust off the life jacket, and hit these amazing water trails, all accessible within an hour of Salisbury.
Wetipquin Creek, Nanticoke River WMA,
Tyaskin Park, Wicomico County
A perfect spot for a beginner paddler, the Wetipquin Creek is an easy-to-access trail located near the mouth of the Nanticoke River. The boat ramp, 16 miles west of Salisbury on Wetipquin Road in Tyaskin, is an ideal launch site for both large and small crafts. The wide mouth of the creek often gets heavy currents from the nearby Nanticoke River, so be sure to check the tide charts before setting out.
Turning right from the launch, the creek forks just beyond the Wetipquin Road Bridge. On the left, the main branch of Wetipquin Creek snakes through pristine salt-marsh landscape and wild, old-growth forest.
About two miles along the creek you will encounter the Long Hill Plantation House. It was built in 1767 by the Dashiell family who sold it to the Hambury family in 1884. In 1974, the house was listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Aside from the roof, the house remains almost exactly as it was since it was built 250 years ago.
Most of the land along the creek remains undeveloped. Paddling here, surrounded by the sounds of the marsh, the smell of the salty, tannic water, and the sight of gently swaying cedars, one gets a taste of what it might have been like for the native Nanticoke Indians to harvest fish, oysters and crabs from these creeks.
For more information, and other water adventures along the rivers of the Chesapeake, see A Boater’s Guide to the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail at https://www.findyourchesapeake.com/globalimages/user_uploads/CJS_BoatersGuide_PRINT.pdf
Nassawango Creek Canoe Trail, Nassawango Creek Preserve, Worcester County
Four miles north of Snow Hill sits the Nassawango Creek Preserve, 10,000 acres of bald cypress swamp that is part of the Great Cypress Swamp, the largest contiguous forest on the Delmarva Peninsula.
The Nassawango Creek Canoe Trail starts at the Red House Road Bridge near Creek Road. From here, the 2.5 mile trail winds south through the swampy landscape. Black gum, red maple, green ash, and the ever present bald cypress line both sides of the creek, which widens as it inches closer to the Pocomoke River in Snow Hill. The smell of pine needles will greet you anytime of the year. During the summer months, be sure to wear plenty of bug spray as the creeks are filled with biting insects.
Beginner paddlers can put in at Nassawango Road for a leisurely 1.5 mile journey, while more advanced canoeists and kayakers can continue another two miles down the Pocomoke River to Shad Landing Marina at Shad Landing State Park. From May to September, the camp store offers sandwiches and ice cream, well deserved treats after a long journey.
For more information, visit https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/nassawango-creek-preserve/
Janes Island Water Trails, Janes Island State Park, Somerset County
Janes Island State Park offers seven different water trails, and more than 30 miles of marked trails that wind through the saltmarsh. The trails offer paddling experiences for all levels of expertise, from beginners to advanced paddlers.
From the dock, the most popular, Yellow Trail, leads paddlers straight through the saltmarsh. Home to dozens of different species of birds, fish, crabs, and other animals, the island has been providing food for thousands of years. Fishing and crabbing are allowed with a valid Maryland Chesapeake Bay and Coastal Sport fishing license.
Where the Yellow Trail ends, five miles of pristine, bayside beach await. The water here is refreshing after a long paddle through the marsh. In the summer, be sure to bring sun screen and bug spray or you may be a feast for the greenhead flies.
More advanced paddlers, and those not looking for a quick trip to a secluded beach, can take any of the five other trails that wind through the marsh. The trails here are well marked, and because the island protects most of the waterways from wind and current, they are ideal for both advanced and beginner paddlers.
The longest trail wraps 12.5 miles around the island where paddlers can find themselves skimming along the open waters of Tangier Sound. The north end of the island sits at the mouth of the Big Annemessex River.
The Marina is open sunrise to sunset; however, access to the boat ramp outside of regular hours can be arranged by calling Park Headquarters. Boat rentals are available May through October, weather permitting, on a first come, first served basis. If you aren’t camping, arrive early to get a boat, as no reservations are accepted.
For more information, visit the Maryland DNR at https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/eastern/janesisland.aspx
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