The Back Creek Circuit: A Paddle Toward Calm
Start with a rented board on the harbor, cross to a boardwalk park where crab lines hang off the pier, and close among sculpture gardens above the South River. The sequence moves from effort to quiet without ever leaving the shoreline.
Three Shoreline Stops, One Easy Arc
Before the Harbor Wakes
Rentals open at eight on weekends, and kayaks or paddleboards start at $25 for a first turn around Spa Creek. Staff hand over phone protectors and gear storage, so a solo launch takes minutes. Lessons, fitness classes and guided tours fill the rest of the schedule. For anyone chasing flat water, the 6 AM sunrise paddleboard cruise ends with breakfast.
Twenty Quiet Minutes
Crushed-shell trails and short wooden boardwalks trace the creek here, and the loop takes well under an hour. The picnic pavilion runs in partnership with the Annapolis Maritime Museum, which gives the small site real weight. Out on the public pier, visitors drop hand lines for crabbing beside kayakers pushing off. Gates never close, so a late visit works too.
Room to Wander
Entry costs $8 per vehicle, and 340 acres unfold on paved loops between the South River and Harness Creek. Rubbing stations and interpretive signs line the way down to a cartop boat launch with rentals nearby. Near the visitor center, botanical and sculpture gardens ring a fountain. Allow one to two hours, longer if the dog beach or the seasonal rink is running.
