CityLens
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Park

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park

142 W. Potomac St.

Williamsport, MD

Directions

Type

Park

Lens

Landmarks

About this place

Preserving America's early transportation history, the C&O Canal began as a dream of passage to Western wealth. Operating for nearly 100 years the canal was a lifeline for communities along the Potomac River as coal, lumber, and agricultural products floated down the waterway to market. Today it endures as a pathway for discovering historical, natural, and recreational treasures.

Website

National Park Service information

Hours

C&O Canal Towpath

Monday
Sunrise to Sunset
Tuesday
Sunrise to Sunset
Wednesday
Sunrise to Sunset
Thursday
Sunrise to Sunset
Friday
Sunrise to Sunset
Saturday
Sunrise to Sunset
Sunday
Sunrise to Sunset

The towpath is open 365 days a year.

Fees & Passes

Entrance - Private Vehicle

Pass is for one private, non-commercial vehicle — passenger cars, pickup trucks, RVs and vans — and is valid at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River and Great Falls Park on the Virginia side of the Potomac River.

$20.00

Entrance - Motorcycle

Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers to the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River and at Great Falls Park on the Virginia side of the Potomac River.

$15.00

Entrance - Per Person

Pass is for one person 16 years of age or older — entering on foot or by bicycle — and is valid at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River and at Great Falls Park on the Virginia side of the Potomac River.

$10.00

Entrance - Non-commercial Groups

Includes church groups, college/school groups, scouts, service organizations, military, etc... Vehicles with passenger capacity of fewer than 16 persons, $20 for the vehicle. Vehicles with a passenger capacity of 16 or more persons, $10 per person age 16 and over. Removal of seats from a vehicle does not then qualify for the lower rate. Age and pass exemptions apply. The total fee charged for an Organized Non-Commercial Group will not exceed the $100 fee per vehicle.

$100.00

Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach

The commercial pass is valid for date of purchase plus six days at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Please note that fees are based on vehicle capacity and not actual occupants.

$100.00

Commercial Entrance - Van

The commercial pass is valid for date of purchase plus six days at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Please note that fees are based on vehicle capacity and not actual occupants.

$40.00

Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus

The commercial pass is valid for date of purchase plus six days at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Please note that fees are based on vehicle capacity and not actual occupants.

$40.00

Commercial Entrance - Sedan

The commercial pass is valid for date of purchase plus six days at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Please note that fees are based on vehicle capacity and not actual occupants.

$25.00

Annual Entrance - Park

Valid for one full year from the month of purchase. Permits access to the Great Falls area of the C&O Canal National Historical Park in Maryland and Great Falls Park in Virginia. The annual pass allows entrance for the pass holder and additional passengers in a single private non-commercial vehicle, or pass holder plus three adults when entering on foot or bicycle

$35.00

Directions

The park has numerous access points. There is no main entrance. In Washington, DC, the C&O Canal begins at mile 0 in Georgetown near 29th St NW, south of M St, and runs alongside Canal Rd to the west. The entrance to Great Falls Tavern area is at MacArthur Blvd and Falls Rd in Potomac, MD. Park Headquarters and the Cushwa Basin Visitor Center are in Williamsport, MD off I-81 at exit 2. The Cumberland Terminus Visitor Center and mile 184.5 are off I-68 at exit 43C. See the maps page for more.

Official directions

Weather & Seasonal Notes

The Washington, DC, area has a four-season Mid-Atlantic climate. Summertime is warm and humid, while winter can be cold and snowy. Precipitation averages 2-4” monthly, year-round. The climate gradually gets cooler and wetter further west along the canal where the elevation is higher.

Activities

BikingRoad BikingBoatingBoat TourCampingCar or Front Country CampingGroup CampingFishingFreshwater FishingGuided ToursBoat TourHikingFront-Country HikingHorse TrekkingHorseback RidingIce SkatingPaddlingJunior Ranger ProgramSkiingCross-Country SkiingSnowshoeingWildlife WatchingBirdwatchingShopping

Courtesy of the National Park Service

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