Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park Adventures

Spanning approximately 184.5 miles from Georgetown in Washington, D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland, the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park preserves an important piece of 19th-century American industrial history. Established to protect the remnants of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, which operated from 1831 to 1924, the park offers a linear greenway that follows the Potomac River and showcases canal structures such as locks, aqueducts, lockhouses, and towpaths. The park encompasses a diverse riparian ecosystem including floodplain forests, wetlands, and river habitats that support wildlife like great blue herons, beavers, and white-tailed deer. Recreation thrives around the park’s extensive towpath trail, ideal for hiking, biking, running, and horseback riding. Anglers fish for smallmouth bass and catfish in the Potomac River, while paddlers enjoy sections of the river accessible from canal ramps. Notable landmarks include the Paw Paw Tunnel, a nearly mile-long engineering feat cut through the mountains, and the Great Falls area where the canal runs alongside spectacular rapids and waterfalls. The park offers both urban access near Washington, D.C. and remote rural experiences closer to its western terminus. Interpretive programs and visitor centers relay the canal’s role in commerce and transportation history. This blend of outdoor adventure, cultural heritage, and scenic river landscapes attracts a broad range of visitors year-round.