Dorchester County Boat Ramps

Dorchester County Boat Ramps

Clint Waters

As I was launching my boat "Reeler" at one of the 20 free, yes I said free, boat ramps we have in Dorchester County, I thought what a great subject to write about. Unlike most counties in our State of Maryland, there is no charge for the use of the boat ramps maintained by DNR and the Dorchester County Roads. There are other privately owned boat ramps in the county that may have a fee to launch your boat. I'm going to write about the 20 ramps that are free. Some of these ramps are unknown by people who live in Dorchester County, so I'll not only inform the locals but others from outside the county who enjoy boating and fishing.

I will start with the three ramps in Cambridge and work my way clockwise around the County, giving you locations and places you can reach by boat for sightseeing or fishing.

1. Great Marsh - Choptank River - Great Marsh Park at the end of Somerset Street in Cambridge.

2. Trenton Street - Cambridge Creek - mid-way of Trenton Street, Cambridge.

3. Franklin Street - Choptank River - Franklin Street by Dorchester General Hospital.

The first three mentioned ramps give you access to most of the Choptank River and all the rivers and creeks that run into the Choptank and also access to Tilghman Island area and across the Chesapeake Bay to areas below the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

4. Secretary - Warwick River -end of Temple Street -access to areas of the Choptank River above the Choptank River Bridge to Denton in Caroline County or further if you want to travel that far.

5. Transquaking  - Transquaking River -Airey's Road.

6. Bestpitch - Transquaking River - Bestpitch Ferry Road and Griffin Neck --Ramp 5 and 6 can take you to the Fishing Bay area.

7. New Bridge - Chicamacomico, River -1.7 miles on Newbridge Road from Ravenswood Road to Salem - good area for small boat fishing and sightseeing.

8. Shorter's Wharf - Blackwater River - 13 miles south from Cambridge on Maple Dam Road from Route 16 - this is a new ramp that replaced the old one across the bridge at Shorter's Wharf - access to most of the Blackwater river water shed and Blackwater Wildlife Preserve.

9. Vienna - Nanticoke River - end of Race Street in Vienna -access to all of the Nanticoke River above the bridge at Vienna to Seaford, Delaware to below the bridge to Hooper Strait and the Wicomico River.

10. Elliott's Island - McCready Creek - Elliott's Island Road at the end of Wharf Road. Access to Fishing Bay and Fishing Bay Wildlife Management area.

11. Crocheron - Tedious Creek - end of Route 335 - Bishops Head Road and Crocheron Road.

I call ramps 10 and 11 “end of the world" ramps because of their distance from Cambridge. However, at Crocheron Ramp you have access to Hooper Strait, Tangier Sound and Crisfield.

12. Toddville  - Farm Creek - Farm Creek Road - access to Fishing Bay and mouth of Blackwater River.

13. Kerwins - Insley Cove at Wingate - access to Honga River and lower Chesapeake Bay.

14. Hoopersville - Muddy Hook Cove - Hoopersville Road beside Rippons Crab House - access to Honga River and Mid and Lower Chesapeake Bay.

15. Tylers Cove - Tylers Cove - Rt. 33 Fishing Creek Bridge -access to Honga River, Barren Island Gap (watch navigation markers carefully) - Mid and Lower Chesapeake Bay - -straight across from Solomons Island, Patuxent River on the Western Shore of Maryland.

16. Golden Hill - Wallace Creek - behind Gootee's Marina at Golden Hill - one of my favorite boat ramps because of the closeness to Cambridge and access to most of the Mid and Lower Chesapeake Bay; also Honga River and Western Shore of Maryland.

17. Smithville - Beaver Darn Creek - Smithville Road - small boat access to the upper Blackwater River.

18. Taylors Island - Slaughter Creek - Route 16, 13 miles south of Cambridge across Slaughter Creek Bridge on right behind store - access to Little Choptank River, James Island Power Plant and Gas Docks -can cover most of the Chesapeake Bay.

19. Madison - Madison Bay - Route 16 in Madison behind firehouse - this is another of my favorite ramps because of the closeness to Cambridge and access to all parts of the Chesapeake Bay as well as access to Little Choptank River, James Island, Power Plant, Gas Docks, Diamonds, Gooses -just to name a few.

20. Ragged Point - Brooks Creek - Hills Point Road to Ragged Point Road - access to same areas as described for Madison Bay - good ramp and I use it often, but longer by road from Cambridge and is same distance by water to all points described from Madison.

I hope this bit of information helps you to enjoy our waterways and the boat ramps of Dorchester County. Our Chapter 11 MSSA Fishing Club meets the 3rd Thursday of each month at the American Legion Post #91 in Cambridge. See you at the meeting or on the water.

Used with the permission of the MSSA.

DORCHESTER COUNTY BOAT RAMP PICTURES
( new photos coming in '06 )