Gunpowder Falls
🥇 Gold Medal
Baltimore Co. · 55 mi · Class Riffles
98.7CFS/ 1.05 ft
Optimal→Stable
Optimal: 50–250 CFS · USGS #01582500
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Optimal
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USGS Gauge
Gunpowder Falls State Park · Maryland Gold Medal Trout Stream
Maryland's premier trout tailwater — Gunpowder Falls below Prettyboy Dam is a Gold Medal trout stream just 30 minutes from downtown Baltimore. Cold dam releases maintain year-round trout water in a surprisingly wild forested valley within the Baltimore metro area.
Trip sections
Prettyboy Dam to Falls Road — 7 mi, fly-fishing-only Gold Medal water
Falls Road to Monkton — 8 mi, popular wade-and-paddle section
Big Gunpowder to Chesapeake Bay — 20 mi, tidal transition
Outfitters
Backwater Angler
Gunpowder Falls fly shop and guided trips, Monkton
72-Hour Flow Forecast
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10-Year Flow Patterns
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Data Quality
River conditions are community-verified. CFS ranges, difficulty ratings, and trip sections may not reflect every flow level or seasonal change. Always check current conditions, scout unfamiliar rapids, and paddle within your skill level. If you spot an error, use the Improve This River button at the top of the page — your local knowledge is what makes this atlas accurate.