--- CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO CANAL ---

Where can you take a 184.5 mile hike or bike ride, and not meet a motor vehicle? The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. This dear passageway began as a dream of George Washington, took 22 years to build, being continually battered by flooding, resisting becoming a paved highway, and ending up as a national historical park. This is a pathway to nature, recreation, and history. And it is absolutely free.

The Canal parallels the Potomac River from Georgetown, D. C. to Cumberland. Coupling the Canal with the river gives you a wide range of outdoor activities. There are numerous neighboring towns along the way for food and lodging. You can hike, bike, run, horseback ride, and the like on the Canal’s tow-path, which was used by the mules to tow the canal boats. The towpath is level with a crushed stone surface and with bumpy spots courtesy of flooding. Flooding has been part of the Canal history because by design it was constructed in a flood plan. Access to the towpath is easy. If you can find the river, you have found the Canal. The busiest sections are from Washington (Mile 1-23) and near Harpers Ferry (Mile 60). The more isolated sections are from Shepherdstown to Dam 4(Miles 70-85), and from Hancock to 6 miles east of Cumberland (Mile 125-180).

For most of the length of the Canal, the bed of the Canal is populated by trees. However there are watered sections. The longest is from Georgetown to Violettes Lock (Mile 22), a short section between Big Pool and Little Pool near Hancock, and a 4.5 mile stretch between Town Creek and Old Town below Cumberland. There are no hazards, so enjoy the placid, flat water with your paddle or fishing pole.

Gas powerboats are not permitted in the Canal, however there are numerous fee-free boat ramps maintained by the Park Service, giving river access. Beavers build dams to provide water for their activities. The Canal engineers did the same. They built seven dams on the Potomac to supply water for the Canal. Two of those dams are still maintained and provide deep water for power boating. For water skiing, it’s absolute great to ski in a mountain setting. Dam 4 above Sharpsburg has an 11 to 13 mile impoundment, with Dam 5 below Hancock having a 5 mile impoundment. There are other boating areas on the river, such as Dam 3 above Harpers Ferry, but you need to know the river. For campers there are 30 hiker-biker campsites (tents only) spaced 5 miles apart between Swains Lock above Great Falls and Evitts Creek in Cumberland with water and pit toilets. Drive in camping is available at Paw Paw, McCoys Ferry, Fifteen Mile Creek, Spring Gap, and Antietam Creek, with water and pit toilet and no electricity. The campsite toilets and water are available to all towpath users.

Many of our national parks have special areas which epitomizes the park. With the C&O Canal, this area would be Great Falls, located a short distance from the Capital Beltway. It is popular, often crowded, and it is “great”. The Canal is fully watered with a visitor’s center in the historic Great Falls Tavern. Here you can see the “Great Falls” of the Potomac cascading through canyons and over rocks. The river unnavigable. You can clearly see why George Washington wanted a canal.

Great Falls has several hiking trails, the most notable being the Gold Mine Loop and the Billy Goat Trails. Section A of the Billy Goat Trail is physically demanding as you climb rocks and boulders, to be are rewarded with spectacular views of Mather George and the river (1.7 miles).

Interpretative canal boat rides are usually available at Great Falls, but they may not operate this season. The Georgetown boat ride is operating. Call first: Great Falls at 301-767-3714, Georgetown: at 202-653-5190.

Rock climbing is popular in the Great Falls area and various spots along the Canal because of the bordering cliffs. From Harpers Ferry west, there are limestone cliffs with explorable caves. My favorite is Dam 4 Cave at (Mile 83), less than ½ mile below the dam. Bring a flashlight and “stream walking shoes”. Follow the stream into the cave, watch your head as you explore 200 feet of cave.

For summer activities, the Canal provides shade, and because of its proximity to the river, the temperature is lower.

The C&O Canal is one of a kind. It is ours. Enjoy its entire length. For a good comprehensive guide to the Canal see The C&O Canal Companion, by Mike High, The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1-800- 537-5487.

Contact: C&O National Historical Park 301-739-4200, www.nps.gov/choh