C&O Canal

A good landmark of DC and great for walking, jogging or what exercise you wish to do with in reason. Not really crowded which is great.

I walk along the C&O canal almost every day. I work near the Georgetown waterfront, so walking along the canal is my preference when I’m grabbing lunch or shopping on M Street because it’s never crowded and it’s simply beautiful. I love being able to walk down it and pop up on busy M Street whenever I want instead of having to navigate all the busy sidewalks, crosswalks, etc. especially now that tourist season is upon us. It’s quiet, peaceful, and beautiful.

I am so thankful for the C&O trail during marathon training season! It’s such a beautiful trail that runs parallel to Georgetown’s M Street. I like to take the path straight out to the lockhouses which is about 9 miles. There are plenty of sights along the way that keeps my brain occupied for the 2ish hours I spend running.
The C&O trail is in the Georgetown area so I feel safe running my myself at night. The trail is well maintained and I haven’t seen much litter. It’s a nice flat course for cycling too.

The canal got magical that attract everyone to this place. Beautiful sounds of the falls from the canals. Perfect for all walkers, cyclists and others.

This endless trail is perfect for running long distances if you are training for a marathon. It’s beautiful every step of the way, as you are running along the water. The path is wide enough for bikers to comfortably pass you. It’s very safe and there are always plenty of other people on the trail. Stop to take a few pictures!

Run along the towpath and feed your soul. The Potomac on one side and the Canal on the other which is home to turtle families, ducks, geese and fish. Rabbits, squirrels and the occasional lizard and snake. Hiking trails are sprinkled along the way, inviting you to explore, but if you want to get in a long, uninterrupted run — on unpaved ground — or bike ride, there’s no better place.

A national treasure. This abandoned waterway is gradually be reclaimed by nature, and cuts through the heart of Georgetown, providing a dose of solace in a neighborhood badly in need of it. The path crosses the canal a few times, but continues uninterrupted along the river for a lot farther than anyone ever goes. It never quite reached Ohio, but you could bike up to West Virginia if you wanted.
It’s a shame that the boat that used to operate in Georgetown has been removed, but the value of the space remains.

This review is for the C&O site near Great Falls Tavern, which doesn’t seem to have it’s own site yet but people talk about it here. Went on a weekday and glad I called first to find out how many they expected. They had reservations for two large groups so we hustled to get there for the remaining vacant seats. Loved the 1 hour tour by mule-​pulled barge. Definitely best to sit on the top area because that is where the guide is and you can ask questions and see artifacts first. Great for 13 and 11 year old boys.
For post-​ride lunch, there is a snack shack onsite but we drove out of the park and turned left. About 2 – 3 miles down the road, found a 5 Guys on the left.

Awesome urban path off the beaten roads of the masses. Easy way to get from point A to B without a fuss too.

Went to visit some friends in DC who are super into cycling and part of our 15 mile round trip trek was a stretch down the C&O canal. We biked between lock houses 5 and 8 which is probably a good 4 or 5 miles each way. Lined by the canal on one side and the beautiful Potomac river on the other side, this is a perfect escape. It is really difficult to believe you’re in the city and not on some gorgeous countryside. In one way, it’s great there are not a lot of people or cyclists on the path because it’s not very wide but in another sense, it makes me sad that so many people who live nearby have no idea such a fantastic little gem like this exists.
I don’t know if this is just a spring thing but certainly wear some kind of glasses because there is a stretch where you will encounter a face FULL of buzzing gnats.

Yet another hidden gem of DC!
Flowing parallel to Georgetown’s M Street, the C&O Canal is a great walking alternative (no stop lights, no cars, and far fewer tourists walking along!) It’s also fabulous for running or biking. The trail extends VERY far — so there are lots of paths to explore as well as spots to picnic and camp. If you are any sort of an outdoorsy person and you are in DC — this is a must for you!

I love the beauty of the canal, the wonderful bike/​walking trail that follows it for miles, and the tourist boat that goes through the locks in Georgetown is worth doing once.

I had to do a run for my 250^th review.
I ran this trail the other day and god, do I miss being able to run it on a regular basis. Starting right at the north side of the key bridge this trail runs for miles. My run was about 12 miles round trip and there was never a need to cross a road, or stop for anything. Sure heading north on the paved trail takes an up hill slant after a couple miles, but the gravel path stays level with the river.
The trail took me past the old canal houses and lock operations on the right side, and views of the Potomac and Virginia on my left as I ran north. Perfect eye candy and distractions on a long run, bike ride, or a simple afternoon walk.
The trail was crowded this time out, but even crowded there is no problem having space to bike, run or dollar blade. Just pay attention and stay to the right unless you are passing.
I that this is one of my favorite city runs of all time. And getting here from the neighborhoods around Georgetown is fun as well, there are runs all through the woods, past the back of the French embassy, through the Georgetown university campus, and most lead right to the under ground tunnel that feeds into the start of the trail from the far side of fox hall road.
I will not pass up an opportunity to run here, and highly recommend it to any visitor or local has not discovered it just yet.

C & O Canal Towpath– 184 miles-​177 locks! They used to transport torpedoes in these canals! YOWZAAAA! It runs from Georgetown where ‘Jack’s Boat House’ is… allllllll the way to Cumberland! It is naturally, has some billy goats here and there. Something cool to do is to get a group of your friends, and go on a 75 mile bike trail to Harpers Ferry (should take about a day). Go camp out there for a fort night… and then head back to DC. It is awesome. It runs along the Potomac River for quite a bit of it and its as beautiful. It all relatively flat. The ride towards Cumberland has a slight slope upward so going back into the citys easy as pie. Lots of scenic views. I take this path from DC to the Piney Meeting House Road area to head into Gaithersburg about once a week. Try it out!
I pedicabbed from DC to Harpers Ferry once. it was awesome. Went camping there. good idea. Loved it. Do it.

Very few people know that the C&O Canal extends 184.5 miles from Washington DC to Cumberland, Maryland. Fewer people know that you can actually bike the entire length, virtually uninterrupted (there is one detour in place right now that is scheduled to be finished in 2012), and that the National Park Service maintains FREE hiker-​biker campgrounds with portapotties, potable water, picnic tables, and fire rings about every 10 – 15 miles or so along the way.
All you need are a couple friends, a sturdy bike (a hybrid or mountain bike does well, skinny road tires do not, some parts of the trail are not as well maintained as the section near Georgetown) with a rack, some saddlebags, camping gear, and you are ready for one of the classic bike tours in the U.S. For those who don’t camp, never fear, there is an abundance of small historic towns dotting the trail with everything from cheap motels, hostels, and beautiful bed and breakfasts.
I’ve have ridden from Cumberland to DC three times now, and each time, it’s absolutely amazing. There is so much comraderie on the trail and the friends you make there will be friends for life.
The bible of the trail can be found here
, which will identify every place for food, water, camping, hotels, bike shops, and provide a comprehensive packing list or itinerary for even the most unorganized. I highly recommend Shane at Freedom Trail Riders to shuttle you, your bike, and your gear to your starting point (
). Don’t forget to stop by Bill’s Place in Orleans… its a trail classic, pick fresh raspberries on the trail near Harpers Ferry when they are season.
For those itching for a bigger challenge, you can tack on the Great Allegheny Passage from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, which connects right to the C&O.

I’ve ridden a small section of this. I haven’t done the full 187 miles or so of it though. I’ve only done the section from Gtown connecting to the Georgetown trail from bethesda.
This was one of my fav rides on bicycle, however the crushed gravel does not treat bicycles and bike chains too well. It’s better for your knees than concrete though.
I like to stop by and watch fishermen catch catfish and see what they’ve caught. It’s also neat to see some paddlers in the water too.

Field Trip Fairy strikes again!
Got to tag along on the C&O Canal boat tour with a group of excited 6^th graders. I hadn’t ridden the canal boats since I was a freshman in high school new to DC, and my parents dragged us kids around to every tourist destination imaginable and then some. I remember liking it well enough as a teenager, but going again as an adult — *and* experiencing it through the eyes of a bunch of glinty-​eyed kids — is even better.
The park rangers in their 19^th-​century garb. The historical info imparted with passion. The authentically replicated canal boat, complete with flapping canvas cover. The sinewy mules plodding along the canal bank. The water rushing into the locks and buoying our boat like a cork. The gentleman playing «The Battle Hymn of the Republic» and «O Susannah» on the concertina, and the salty lady who volunteered to try the spoons but couldn’t seem to get the hang of it and pouted the rest of the tour. Well, they all conspired to make quite an enjoyable and entertaining afternoon. For the very reasonable price of five bucks.
It also reminded me how nice [and oh so easy] it is to bike along the towpath enjoying the sights and sounds of the canal. Or to stroll along leisurely, people-​watching or wildlife-​spotting. We’re lucky to have the C&O Canal, exactly as it was built over 175 years ago, to serve as a vivid reminder of a simpler past. Even the mighty Erie doesn’t exist in its original state. The C&O Canal National Park — and our little corner of it – is a quiet, underrated treasure.

Whenever I’m in DC, i always make a special effort to go to Georgetown and especially the C&O canal. This historical site of locks along the Patomac makes for a perfect spot for long walks, pensive runs and amazing nature photos.
It’s nothing terribly special, but it is amazing compared to the vast numbers of tourists throughout the rest of DC. It’s a completely dirt trail, so it’s very easy on the knees and ankles, and it’s far enough away from the main streets and bridges to feel more secluded. It is a perfect spot for watching the people, the boats, the ducks/​turtles, and taking time for a cute lunch or some quiet reflection.
Every time I return to the C&O canal it seems different even though I’ve never much explored past about 6 miles from Georgetown. Perhaps it is different, perhaps I’m different, perhaps I only manage to go there when I have a lot on my mind and many decisions to make. Either way, the 180 mile canal is the perfect place for so much nature, exploration, history and beautiful scenery. I will be back, but perhaps next time I’ll explore the canal further, perhaps up into Great Falls and we’ll see where it takes me from there.

I have a crush on a tour guide named Possum!
This ride in the canal was just the thing to do on a hot summer day… and Possum tells a good story, and plays a mean harmonica whilst the mules and the rest of the very strong staff dressed in period clothing move the boat along. The 11 and 15 year old were as entertained as the grandparents.
It’s right in the heart of everything, affordable ($ 5/​person), and fun!
So– if you have to choose which boat to ride…
You can pay $ 25/​person to ride the DC ducks (which is a great ride), you can pay about $ 14/​person to ride the boat in the Potomac that goes between Alexandria & Georgetown (also fun), or you can pay $ 5/​person to ride this historical canal boat through the locks in Georgetown.
**Sometimes they’re not running…“Please call the Georgetown Visitor center at 202−653−5190 or the Great Falls Visitor Center at 301−767−3714 for the latest information.”
(You can check here:
)
When the boat’s not running, or if you’re just looking for a place to go walking the dog, jogging, or riding your bike, the trails along the canal are great.

11 Years ago, I saw this boat on the water in the C&O Canal in Georgetown, Washington DC. Back then, I thought, «wow, I would really like to ride that.»
Last week, I saw this same boat again, and thought, «That looks fun». When walking by with my wife and her father from Japan, with him being quite well experienced with rivers and boating, we had a long conversation about «Water locks», which are basically compartments that bring a vessel to a higher level, or lower it. I had never known much about that.
After brunch on the Potomac, when walking back past the C&O Canal, I noticed people in old fashioned costumes, hitching up some Mules (which are a cross between a horse and a donkey). My wife and her father were a block ahead, so I yelled up the street, «Hey!» Come check this out… And we are so glad we did. The boat was leaving in a few minutes, we grabbed our tickets (only $ 5) and jumped onboard.
The vessel that we rode was «THE GEORGETOWN».
This was the most interesting boat ride I have ever been on, as we used the Water Locks to raise the boat up into the main canal (and of course dropped through them on the way back). The Mules towed us, surprising fast.
Everything was reenacted in period (1800’s) dress, yet the procedure were the same using ropes and gear to secure and navigate our ship (a 1982 replica of an 1830’s canal boat).
Feel free to look at our photos, and I think by the smiles you can see that this is something so, so fun to do. My wife’s father said to me «This is really strange yet in such a relaxing way». And considering that that is where we left him when flying back to Texas, and he flew back to Japan, it was perfect way to have some fun relaxation together at the parting of ways.
On a final note, our tour guide performed some live music for us on the way back using an instrument similar to an Accordion but smaller, and he played «Oh Susannah», and «America» as we came slowly back up the canal and locks to Georgetown, with our mules as our engines. That was beautiful. The sound of his instrument echoed off the brick walls and we could see people looking down from the bridges, smiling, as you just don’t see and hear something like that very often.
Enjoy our photos.