c&o canal trust

This is a great national park. It runs for many miles between Cumberland MD and Washington DC. You can walk, bike and camp. It is a great national treasure.

Really interesting to learn about this part of history, and what a vital supply line these were. Lots of grounds to walk and explore, picnics are fun for families.

The C&O Canal is an excellent example of American ingenuity. It is also a very pretty place to visit and introduce your children and grand children to what it took to turn the U.S. into a global industrial power.

This is one of our must-do's with out of town guests- if we have time, we park across from Old Angler and hike to the falls. or if short on time or are with less ambitious walkers, drive to the Park and stroll from there. Wonderful escape from the 'burbs.

This is truly a fabulous resource that the locals know all about. With so much of DC to see, it is often missed. But the scenery is gorgeous and the trails are awesome for runs or bikes. It does get really crowded on weekends and I would not recommend a woman going alone for safety reasons.

Long after the C&O Canal ceased to operate, the little dirt path along its 184.5 miles is one of the greatest treasures around. Some highlights include great views of the Potomac, level walking and biking surface (recommend a hybrid or ruggeder, though), kayak and canoe rentals at Fletchers Boathouse (around mile 3), at least three authentic lockhouses youcan rent ad stay in overnight, Great Falls park at mile 14.5 in Potomac, boat access in a couple places, and White's Ferry up at and mile 35 (which has a nice grill, in season, and a little ferry that takes you across the river in the Leesburg area). Train up a bit and ride the whole 184.5 miles up to Cumberland, MD, then cross over to the Great Allegheny Passage and put in another 150 to Pittsburgh! My friend Jeff and I completed this in June 2013 - but note that starting in Pittsburgh is more common as it is somewhat downhill to DC.

A nice park to enjoy nature by visiting the museum, enjoying the river, fishing, walking, biking, watching birds and relaxing.

the canal gave DC a reason to exist. Learn about where you live. Knowing the history of the region, why the city developed and what changed is the difference between being a tourist and a resident