Susquehanna State Park

Susquehanna State Park, in Harford County in northeastern Maryland, preserves 2,753 acres of dramatic lower Susquehanna River gorge and floodplain where the great river — the largest tributary of the Chesapeake Bay — approaches tidewater through a final stretch of rocky gorge, forested bluffs and historic mill-country landscape just above Conowingo Dam and the head of the Bay.

The park protects a remarkable concentration of natural and historical resources: the forested bluffs above the river (with sweeping views of the Susquehanna gorge), the Steppingstone Museum and Farm (a living-history farm), the 18th-century Rock Run Grist Mill and the Jersey Toll House, the river bottom trails, and access to some of the finest shad and rockfish fishing in the mid-Atlantic. The spring shad migration up the Susquehanna is one of the great fish migrations of the East Coast — the park provides outstanding access to this natural spectacle. Susquehanna State Park is a cherished natural and historical icon of Maryland.

Susquehanna State Park offers hiking on over 15 miles of trails (the river bluff trails with panoramic views of the Susquehanna gorge, the floodplain trail along the river’s edge through the bottomland forest, and the connecting ridge trails), fishing the lower Susquehanna (one of the East Coast’s premier shad and rockfish fisheries — the spring hickory shad and American shad runs are spectacular; also striped bass, catfish, smallmouth bass and walleye year-round; the park boat launch on the river provides direct access), camping at the park campground, picnicking at the developed areas, and visiting the historic Rock Run Grist Mill (a working 18th-century grist mill, demonstrated seasonally — one of the finest historic mill sites in Maryland) and the Steppingstone Museum. The river bluff hikes, the shad fishing and the grist mill are the signature draws.

Spring (April through May) is the most extraordinary season at Susquehanna State Park — the hickory shad and American shad run upriver in April and May, the fishing is spectacular (shad fishing with light tackle on the Susquehanna is a beloved spring Maryland tradition), the warblers and migratory songbirds pour through the riverside forest, and the wildflowers bloom on the bottomland. Fall brings the river bluff foliage and excellent rockfish (striped bass) fishing. Summer is pleasant on the shaded river trails. Spring for the shad run and the warblers, and fall for the rockfish and the color, are the seasonal highlights.

The lower Susquehanna Valley was one of the most historically significant industrial corridors in early Maryland — the river powered a series of grist mills, iron forges and sawmills from the colonial period. The Rock Run Grist Mill (ca. 1794) and the Carter-Archer Mansion represent the mill-country heritage of the lower Susquehanna. The river above Conowingo Dam (just downstream) was one of the nation’s most important commercial shad fisheries in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the spring shad runs were vast. The Conowingo Dam (1928) blocked the historical shad migration; ongoing fish passage work seeks to restore the run. The park preserves the mill-country and river-heritage of the lower Susquehanna Valley.

The lower Susquehanna River cuts through the Maryland Piedmont in a dramatic gorge of ancient Precambrian and Paleozoic metamorphic rocks — schists, gneisses and quartzites typical of the Piedmont province — before spreading into the broad tidal estuary of the upper Chesapeake Bay at Havre de Grace. The river has incised a significant gorge through the resistant Piedmont terrain. Conowingo Dam (just downstream of the park) impounds a large reservoir on the river, and the dam’s tailwaters create the concentrated fishing zone that draws anglers from across the region. The resistant Piedmont geology, the river incision and the proximity to the Bay created the gorge-to-tidal transition landscape.

Susquehanna State Park’s river gorge and bottomland forest support bald eagles (very common along the lower Susquehanna — one of the highest concentrations of wintering and nesting eagles in Maryland, particularly near Conowingo Dam), osprey (nesting in season), great blue herons, great horned owls, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, and a rich spring warbler migration through the riverside forest. The spring shad run (hickory shad and American shad) and the rockfish (striped bass) are the fishery highlights. The Conowingo Dam tailwaters downstream of the park are famous for massive concentrations of bald eagles in late fall and winter.

Susquehanna State Park protects a significant block of lower Susquehanna River gorge forest and floodplain in the transitional zone between the Piedmont and the Chesapeake Bay tidal estuary — a critical ecological juncture where the great river delivers its water and sediment load to the Bay. Protecting the river-bank forest, the water quality and the floodplain habitat directly benefits Chesapeake Bay health. The shad migration restoration (ongoing at Conowingo Dam and upstream) is one of the most significant fish-passage restoration efforts in the mid-Atlantic. Protecting the gorge forest and the river corridor sustains this ecologically critical park.

Susquehanna State Park holds a treasured place among the natural and historical icons of Maryland — the dramatic lower Susquehanna gorge, the 18th-century Rock Run Grist Mill, the spring shad run (one of the East Coast’s great fish-migration traditions), and one of Maryland’s finest river-bluff trail systems, all in the historic mill-country landscape of Harford County. The park is a cherished natural and cultural icon of northeastern Maryland.

Susquehanna State Park is in Harford County, Maryland, about 3 miles north of Havre de Grace on Rock Run Road off MD Route 155. The main park entrance and campground are on Rock Run Road; the Rock Run Grist Mill, boat launch and riverside trailhead are at the end of Rock Run Road at the river. Havre de Grace (3 miles south — a charming historic waterfront city at the head of the Chesapeake Bay, with excellent seafood restaurants and the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum) has full services. Check Maryland DNR for current campground reservations, boat launch conditions and Rock Run Mill demonstration dates.

Maryland DNR manages Susquehanna State Park. Bald eagles and osprey nest along the river — respect all posted nesting buffer areas and never approach nesting birds. The shad restoration effort (ongoing at Conowingo Dam) is a critical conservation initiative; support the effort by following all fish-stocking and catch-and-release guidelines during the spring shad season. Protect the Chesapeake Bay by packing out all trash and never dumping anything in or near the river. Invasive plants (Japanese stiltgrass, garlic mustard) are managed on the floodplain. Protecting the gorge forest, the river water quality and the eagle nesting habitat sustains this exceptional park.

The Susquehanna River can rise dramatically and quickly after upstream rain — never wade or fish from the bank when the river is running fast or high, and heed all park warnings about river conditions. The river-bluff trails are rocky and uneven; wear sturdy footwear (the exposed roots and rocks near the gorge overlooks require attention). Ticks are abundant in the bottomland and ridge forest; check thoroughly after any hiking. Bald eagles near Conowingo Dam downstream are concentrated near a public viewing area on the dam structure — respect all posted safety rules on the dam access road. Respect the rising river, the rocky trails and the ticks.

Maryland state park entrance fee applies; campground reservations required. Fishing requires a Maryland license (check Maryland DNR for current shad and rockfish seasons, size limits and bag limits — shad regulations are strictly managed). Boat launch fees apply. Pets on leash on all trails. No swimming in the Susquehanna River. Rock Run Grist Mill demonstrations are seasonal — check Maryland DNR for dates. Check Maryland DNR for current hours, fees, boat launch conditions and campground availability before visiting.

The historic city of Havre de Grace (3 miles south at the head of the Chesapeake Bay — the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum, the Concord Point Lighthouse, excellent seafood restaurants and the Chesapeake Bay waterfront), Conowingo Dam (3 miles downstream — one of the finest bald-eagle viewing sites on the East Coast in late fall and winter, with hundreds of eagles congregating below the dam), the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, the Elk Neck State Park (to the east), and the full upper Bay landscape define the region. Susquehanna State Park, Havre de Grace and Conowingo Dam together create one of Maryland’s finest nature-and-history day combinations.

Visit in late April or early May for the hickory shad run — light spinning tackle with small darts or shad rigs, fishing the swift water below the park boat launch, produces the most exciting shad fishing in Maryland. Walk the river-bluff trail in the morning for outstanding eagle and osprey watching — bald eagles are almost always visible from the bluff overlooks above the Susquehanna. Visit the Rock Run Grist Mill on a demonstration day (seasonally — check Maryland DNR) for a superb working-mill experience. Drive to Conowingo Dam (3 miles downstream) after the park visit to watch the bald eagles working the tailwaters, particularly in November through January when hundreds of eagles congregate.