Last year, Chesapeake Bay Program partners opened 36 new public access sites along rivers and streams in the watershed, bringing the total number of access sites in the region to 1,208. In fact, more public access sites were opened in 2013 than in previously tracked years as states work to meet the public’s consistently high demand for ways to get on the water. Across the watershed, new trails, beaches and boat ramps will allow people to walk, play, swim, fish and launch their paddleboats, sailboats and powerboats into the Bay and its rivers.

From three new concrete boat ramps in Pennsylvania to 11 new canoe and kayak launches in Virginia, increasing public access to open space and waterways can strengthen the bond between people and place, boosting local tourism economies and creating citizen stewards who are engaged in conservation efforts.

The Bay Program tracks public access as an indicator of restoration success. Working alongside the National Park Service (NPS), the Bay Program’s Public Access Planning Action Team works to improve public access across the watershed. In January of 2013, this team released a public access plan designed to help partners achieve their goal of opening 300 new public access sites by 2025.

Facts

In 2013, 36 new public access sites were opened to the public, bringing the total access sites in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to 1,208. Cumulatively, more public access sites were developed in 2013 than in previously tracked years: 15 sites were opened in 2011, and 18 were opened in 2012. In 2013, Virginia opened 15 sites, Maryland opened 9, Pennsylvania opened 8, New York opened 3 and Delaware opened 1.

SiteWater BodyCountyDescription
Sharon ParkCowpasture RiverAlleghanyCanoe and kayak launch
Great Bridge Lock ParkElizabeth RiverCity of ChesapeakeCanoe and kayak launch
Chapel IslandJames RiverRichmond CityBoat ramp
Eco-Discovery ParkJames RiverJames CityBank fishing
GalaJames RiverBotetourtCanoe and kayak launch
Lawrence Lewis Jr. ParkJames RiverCharles CityBoat ramp and pier
Mill Creek at Fort MonroeJames RiverHamptonCanoe and kayak launch
Powhatan State ParkJames RiverPowhatanBoat ramp for small water craft, canoe and kayak launch
River Edge ParkJames RiverAmherstCanoe and kayak launch
Tucker ParkJames RiverGoochlandCanoe and kayak launch
Occoquan ADA Kayak Public AccessOccoquan RiverPrince WilliamCanoe and kayak launch
Perrin WharfPerrin RiverGloucesterBoat ramp and commercial fishing
Caledon State ParkPotomac RiverWestmorlandCanoe and kayak launch and campsite
George Washington Birthplace National MonumentPotomac RiverRichmondCanoe and kayak launch
Old Mill ParkRappahannock RiverCity of FredericksburgCanoe and kayak launch
Virginia
SiteWater BodyCountyDescription
Bladensburg Waterfront ParkAnacostia RiverPrince George'sFloating universally accessible launch and pier
Jack Creek ParkChesapeake BayAnne ArundelNatural shoreline--hand-carry soft launch
Centreville Wharf Soft LaunchCorsica RiverQueen Anne'sFloating soft launch and pier
Black Rock Mill Soft LaunchGreat Seneca CreekMontgomeryNatural shoreline--hand-carry soft launch
Riffle Ford Road Creek AccessGreat Seneca CreekMontgomeryNatural shoreline--hand-carry soft launch
Friendship Landing Soft LaunchNanjemoy CreekCharlesFloating soft launch
Accokeek Foundation Boat DockPotomac RiverPrince George'sPier
Accokeek Foundation Soft Launch and Fishing PierPotomac RiverPrince George'sFloating soft launch
Seneca Creek Soft LaunchSeneca CreekMontgomeryNatural shoreline--hand-carry soft launch
Maryland
SiteWater BodyCountyDescription
Little JuniataLittle Juniata RiverHuntingdonBank fishing
Little JuniataLittle Juniata RiverHuntingdonBank fishing
Crary ParkSusquehanna River (North Branch)LuzerneBoat ramp, fishing and walking trails
North BendSusquehanna River (West Branch)CintonBoat ramp and fishing
Isle of QueSusquehanna RiverSnyderBoat ramp and fishing
Millersburg Borough Riverfront ParkSusquehanna RiverDauphinWater view and walking trails
Quittie Creek Nature ParkQuittie CreekAnnville TownshipWater view
Irvona BoroughWitmer RunClearfieldWater view and fishing
Pennsylvania
SiteWater BodyCountyDescription
Chenango River Car-Top AccessChenango RiverBroomeBoating and fishing
Nanticoke Creek Fishermen Parking LotsNanticoke CreekBroomeFishing
West Branch Owego CreekOwego CreekTompkinsFishing
New York
SiteWater BodyCountyDescription
Concord Pond Access AreaNanticoke RiverSussexCanoe and kayak launch and bank fishing
Delaware

Issues

As development continues across the Chesapeake Bay watershed, demand for places that allow the public to reach the water remains high. State, federal and local governments are often the guardians of these places, providing opportunities for everyone to enjoy the region’s natural and cultural bounty. Because physical access to the Bay and its tributaries remains limited—with real consequences for quality of life, the economy and long-term conservation—Chesapeake Bay Program partners set a goal in 2010 to add 300 new public access sites to the watershed by 2025. As of 2013, partners have added 69 sites, meeting 23 percent of this goal.

Importance

Public access to open space and waterways can bolster public health and quality of life. It allows people to exercise, relax and recharge their spirits. It strengthens family bonds and nurtures fit, creative children. And it builds personal connections between people and the places that have shaped life in the region for centuries. This has a distinct economic and environmental value, too, as it boosts tourism and creates citizen stewards who share feelings of responsibility toward the Bay and its many resources.

Quotes

“We hear a lot of support for creating more access for the public to enjoy the waters of the Chesapeake and its rivers. We look forward to continuing to work with partners across the watershed to develop more access and improve our quality of life.”

--- Chuck Hunt, Superintendent, National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office

“Having public access to enjoy and learn about the value of nature is important. I believe that you value what you know, and you are motivated to protect what you value. Whether it’s a relaxing trip along a shoreline or a paddle on a pond or stream, when more people get to know and value the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers and streams, more people will be driven to protect it.”

--- Nick DiPasquale, Director, Chesapeake Bay Program