Explore the River Center and Waterfront!

SMCM prides itself on having one of the finest college waterfront facilities in the country; take advantage of it! All students, faculty & staff have free daily access to kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, windsurfing equipment, and FJ sailboats for their own recreational use. Also, be sure to take your lunch up to the common room (aka "the Awesome Room") or the second floor deck of the River Center some time; the views are spectacular!

During the school year Waterfront Hours are 1pm to 5pm daily, 7 days/week. Summer hours are 12 Noon to 5pm, 7 days/week during summer school through one week after Gov Cup. The monitor station is staffed by two student workers during those hours and is located under the stairs on the lower deck of the River Center.

• Waterfront Rules:

1. Everyone must be able to swim, staff will check by swiping your One Card.

2. Sign in and leave your ID in the checkout box.

3. Boats must stay within sight of the River Center.

4. Those sailing small boats must wear life jackets.

5. Those in kayaks or on SUP's must wear a life jacket or have it on board.

6. All youngsters under the age of 18 must wear life jackets in both sailboats and kayaks at all times.

7. Caution- Footwear Required for wading- Sharp Oysters and Barnacles!!

• Be sure and go take the swim test at the Aquatics Center! You may take the swim test at the Aquatics Center any time it is open. The Aquatic Center hours are: Noon - 2pm, & 6pm-9pm Weekdays; 12-4pm Saturdays; Closed on Sundays

Check out Waterfront Equipment & Facilities - Waterfront (smcm.edu) 

Soak Up the History and Beauty That Surrounds Us!

• Visit the St. John’s Site Museum of Historic St. Mary's City (located between the Wellness Center and Cobb House). Of course you should visit the rest of HSMC, too! The trails are great and Daffodil Gulch there is especially lovely in the spring.

• Walk the labyrinth at Trinity Church. 

• Visit the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland (located in the fields off of Mattapany Rd next to the Jamie L. Roberts Stadium) and attend the Sacred Journey

• Watch the sunset from the Waterfront, Garden of Remembrance, or the bluff outside St. Mary’s Hall

• Take a walk and discover the “Seven Wonders of SMCM” - SMCM was the first college in Maryland and the 4th in the country to become Audubon International certified. The natural beauty is abundant here and the grounds crew works hard to keep our campus looking spectacular. Just stroll about to see the various species tagged with Arboretum markers and/or make it a goal to find/visit these spots: 

1. Garden of Remembrance - Located on the waterfront side of Kent Hall, this is a much-beloved space for reflection, with views of the St. Mary's River just beyond the framing arch of its pergola. Generations of SMCM students, as well as community members, have enjoyed this spot over the years. Proposals and weddings occur here annually; students study and play in its green surroundings. 

2. Freedom of Tolerance (aka Naked Man) Statue 

3. Hidden Grave (at Trinity Church Cemetery)

4. Church Point (You have to walk through the Trinity Church Cemetery and down a hill to get there but the views are worth it, especially at sunset)

5. The Bell Tower 

6. St. John's Pond 

7. Shoe Tree (next to Dorchester Hall)