Triadelphia Reservoir in Maryland

Trip Overview

Medium-sized lake best suited for day paddles. Lake is part of the water supply for Washington, D.C., so no powerboats are allowed. The few times that I have been there, the lake hasn't been overly crowded, so it was a nice, relaxing destination. It is nice to see such a pleasant, relaxing, place to paddle so close to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The entire lake is tree-lined (mostly conifers).

Fees:

$3 per day or $30 per year, available from the Brighton Dam visitor's center.

Directions:

Near Olney, Maryland. Look for Brighton Dam or Triadelphia Reservoir on a map. Permits are available at the Brighton Dam visitor's center, which is located in a log cabin right at the dam.

Launches:

Three launch areas, one off of Maryland route 97, one off of Maryland route 650, and a third one on the opposite side of the reservoir.

Contact:

Brighton Dam visitor's center, (301)-774-9124.

Resources:

Free maps available at the visitor's center.