HIKING AT MALLOWS BAY

EXPLORE THE TRAILS & ECOLOGY AT MALLOWS BAY

Explore Trails Safety Information Current Conditions Printed Guide

Elena Gilroy, Mallows Bay Operations Manager, Charles County Recreation, Parks and Tourism, gives an introduction of what you can experience while exploring Mallows Bay Park and its associated hiking trails in Nanjemoy, Maryland. Credit: National Marine Sanctuary Foundation/NOAA.

Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary

The three main hiking trails in Mallows Bay Park are the Nature Loop, the Beaver Trail, and the Ridge Trail. They can be completed one at a time or hiked all together on about a 2-mile loop. Each trail ranges in difficulty from easy to moderate and offers many plants, wildlife, and habitat types. These trails move between forests and wetlands and offer photos and videos of the plants, animals, and fungi that live there. You can even see some changes among the different seasons in the beautiful Mallows Bay Park.

Emergency & Safety Information

Due to the location of the park, during an emergency please call the Charles County Sheriff's Department, they will connect caller with the county 911 services.

301-932-2222

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Emergency Call Station

1442 Wilson Landing Rd
Nanjemoy, MD 20662

GPS: 38.468261, -77.263518

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Paddling Safety Tips

ALWAYS WEAR YOUR LIFE JACKET.
PADDLE WITH OTHERS IF POSSIBLE.
COLD WATER TEMPERATURES ARE HAZARDOUS TO PADDLERS. Paddling is recommended between May and September.
WHEN PADDLING IN WIND, STAY CLOSE TO SHORE.
RESPECT WILDLIFE. Animals and birds should be viewed from a distance.
BEWARE OF HIDDEN WRECKS. It is dangerous to travel through the central shipwreck cluster, especially during high tide when ship remains lie just below the waterline and are invisible to the paddler.

Explore the Trails

Trail Legend

Nature Loop Beaver Trail Ridge Trail

Hiking Trails

Nature Loop

Length: 1 mile Difficulty: Easy/moderate The Nature Loop is an easy trail that winds up and down through an area...

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Beaver Trail

Length: 0.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate/difficult Along this trail, hikers will walk along the slopes of the Beaver Pond, where evidence...

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Ridge Trail

Length: 0.5 miles Difficulty: Easy/moderate Winding through an upland forest dominated by pine trees, visitors to the Ridge Trail can...

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Current Conditions

December 31, 2025 05:48 PM

Air Temperature

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Water Temperature

Maryland DNR Buoy

Forecast

Water Level

NOAA Data

Additional Weather Data

Today's Tides

Time	Tide	Height

Tide Predictions - Mallows Bay

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