Best Places to Kayak: Pocomoke River at Porters Crossing Maryland
The Pocomoke River is another must paddle for many kayakers and canoers. The Chesapeake area river runs for about 66 miles from southern Delaware through southeastern Maryland. A favorite kayaking trail is the four winding water miles from Porters Crossing to the rural village of Snow Hill.
Grain field, drainage ditches and chicken houses dominate much of the landscape that was once home to a huge refuge of black bears. But the Pocomoke retains much of the region’s natural forests including centuries old bald cypress trees and a variety of wildlife. It’s like a hidden gem, untouched by time that makes for one of the best places to kayak in the US.
Kayaking from Porters Crossing, Maryland
Just a few strokes out of Porters Crossing and you’ll have left the modern world behind for at least the next few hours. The river is no more than 50 feet wide and both shores are lined with some of the biggest, oldest trees you’ll ever see. Maples, gums, river birch and cypress overhang the Pocomoke, filtering the sunlight and creating a peaceful canopy.
The river is full of beautiful side channels you can explore on your kayak if you are looking for a chance to see more wildlife. Turtles, water snakes, herons, wood ducks and even otters can be seen. Just follow the flow of the dark, tea-colored water to find your back to the main channel.
The Hidden Forest
At about the midpoint of the trek to Snow Hill the Pocomoke will widen, the canopy will fall away, and the bank will rise steeply to the northwest. Here you will see more than a dozen species of trees including cypress, oaks, loblolly pines, gums, poplar, and ironwoods, very near to the size and diversity of the original Delmarva forest. This hidden patch of preserved forestry is private with no access, meaning your only chance to see it is from the river. And there’s no better way to take in the shear beauty than from your kayak.
Kayak Day Trip to Snow Hill
For the perfect kayaking day trip, you can end your journey from Porters Crossing at Snow Hill. The quaint village boosts a couple lovely bed and breakfasts and a few places to grab a bite. Or you can continue your kayaking adventure onto the main Pocomoke River, where you can continue kayaking for a few more days through untouched landscapes without seeing much for signs of human development.
Kayak Storage
But whenever and wherever you do pull your kayak from the water, be sure to keep it at the ready and safely stowed with a durable kayak rack. Proper kayak storage will help preserve your kayak so it lasts longer and requires less maintenance. That means you’ll get to spend more time on the water enjoying your kayak and less time repairing it. Give us a call at 715-543-2006 for a custom storage solution or shop the wide selection of canoe and kayak storage racks we have for sale online.