Paddling the Corsica River Water Trails in Centreville, Maryland

Written from an article by Saki, abridged and published by the National Park Service.

Like many water trails, the Corsica River Water Trails are easy to reach, scenic and good for spotting wildlife. What sets them apart is their history.

Where the town began

All three trails meet at Centreville Wharf, a trading hub in the 18th and 19th centuries. Tobacco, wheat, cattle — and once even circus elephants — passed through it. Only a few signs recall that now, but the trails keep the memory of how these waterways made Centreville, the largest town and county seat of Queen Anne's County, Maryland.

Three trails

All three suit people with little paddling experience in mild weather. Fit intermediate kayakers can do all of them in one day.

Launching

• Centreville Landing: needs a Queen Anne's County public landing permit (day or annual, sold at several places; good at 18 county landings). Restroom and concrete ramp.
• Centreville Wharf, next door: a floating dock at the end of a four-foot-wide walkway, free — as long as you don't park in trailer spaces or spots kept for boat slip renters.
• Millstream Park: launch non-motorized boats without a permit, with a 160-foot carry to the water.

All three in one day

Allow four hours and time it so high tide comes midway. Start with Alder Branch:

• The first and last 1.2 miles follow the open Corsica River, with likely powerboat traffic. The trip up the branch makes up for it.
• The rookery: on the north side, a little upstream of the mouth, usually occupied March to May. For photos, bring a telephoto lens, come with the morning sun, stay on the south side and look north. Don't go ashore — much of the land is private.

Then Mill Stream, for a break. Handholds on a sturdy wooden post make landing at Millstream Park easy. The park — once the Centreville spur of the Queen Anne's Railroad Company — has a portable toilet, picnic tables and a nearly one-mile, accessible paved trail along the stream: a good place for lunch and a walk.

Finish on Yellow Bank Stream. Watch for fishing lines under the Watson Road bridge, a favorite with anglers. You'll pass near the original homestead of the 1670 Chesterfield land grant to William Hemsley, on which Centreville was founded.

Sources

Based on "Paddling the Corsica River Water Trails," an abridged article originally written by Saki, published by the National Park Service and in the public domain; rewritten in hubnx's own words. The author's photograph is not reproduced.