boating

Boating Facilities & Launch Sites

Indian Head

• Slavin's Dock (Mattingly Avenue): Situated on Mattawoman Creek, this facility offers a full-length fishing pier and a boat and kayak launch cove. Canoes, bicycles, and kayaks are available for rent from Atlantic Kayak & Canoe, located nearby. 

• Atlantic Kayak Company: Provides guided kayak tours and rentals on Mattawoman Creek. Rentals are available on weekends, with weekday rentals by appointment. Atlantic Kayak Company

Nanjemoy

• Friendship Landing: This 382-acre park overlooks Nanjemoy Creek and features a single-lane boat ramp providing access to the Potomac River. The park also offers hiking, fishing, and ball fields.

• Mallows Bay Park: Home to the "Ghost Fleet," the largest shipwreck fleet in the Western Hemisphere, Mallows Bay offers a boat ramp, soft launch, walking trails, interpretive signs, and picnic areas. It's a popular spot for kayaking and wildlife viewing.

• Sweden Point Marina: Located at Smallwood State Park, this marina has six boat ramps and piers, facilitating easy access to the Potomac River. The park hosts many bass tournaments and offers various amenities.

Fishing & Wildlife

The waterways around Indian Head and Nanjemoy are teeming with diverse fish species, making them ideal for fishing enthusiasts. Common catches include catfish, largemouth bass, carp, snakehead, and crappie. Indian Head Charters offers custom-designed small fishing charter trips in the area.

Wildlife is abundant, with opportunities to observe great blue herons, eagles, turtles, and ospreys along the river and wetlands. The Nanjemoy Wildlife Management Area encompasses several parcels of land open to recreational activities such as bird watching, fishing, and hunting.

Accommodations

For visitors planning extended stays, Indian Head offers several lodging options that cater to boaters:

• Pentagon Suites: Offers 5 rooms and rents out quickly. Provides accommodations with amenities suitable for boaters, including ample parking space and outdoor power receptacles.

• Red Carpet Inn: Features 43 rooms, with amenities including free parking, pet-friendly accommodations, and boat parking for fishing tournaments. 

• Indian Head Inn: Offers 25 units, 11 of which have complete kitchen areas. The inn provides free parking, Wi-Fi, and is pet-friendly.