The Patuxent River is a river that has suffered at the hands of man in the name of progress but much of it has been maintained in a semi-wilderness character that makes for some attractive cruising right in the heart of the Washington-Baltimore metropolis. On this section scenery is beautiful but navigation can be a challenge as the river periodically braids into numerous tiny channels with fallen trees often blocking the path. After about halfway, tidewater begins and the tangled trees clear up. The scenery changes to become sand and gravel pits and renegade trash dumps.