Susquehanna State Park

Susquehanna River

This ramp is directly across the Susquehanna River from the town of Port Deposit, where the river is tidal and quite wide. There is an ample paved parking lot with permanent restroom facilities. This is a double ramp and the pier in the middle was recently replaced. Unlike most public boat ramps, the sign here says that the fee ($10 for Maryland residents, $11 for out-of-state people) applies to "all vehicles", not just trailers, so apparently kayakers and canoeists have to pay up. It's an envelope system with a tear-off tag that hangs from your rear-view mirror.

This ramp allows easy access to several islands in the river. Just upstream are Spencer, Wood, and Robert islands, also part of Susquehanna State Park. The ruins of a line of stone bridge piers go across the river there, marking the location of a nineteenth century wooden toll bridge. Toward the upstream end of those islands, the river becomes shallow and rocky, and you begin to encounter significant current as you enter the non-tidal part of the river.

Less than three miles downstream from the ramp, and closer to the opposite shore, is Garrett Island, now a no-access national wildlife refuge (see notes on the Perryville boat ramp, which is closest). Also downstream are four bridges: in order, I-95 (Tydings Bridge), CSX, US40 (Hatem Bridge) and Amtrak; the middle two cross Garrett Island. Some fishermen think that bass congregate around the bridge piers on their way to shallow water in the spring.

— GHK