Park or nature areaUsable guide

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Historic site in Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Photo: Flickr user: John McTarnaghan Warrenton (Virginia) https://www.flickr.com/people/jmctee/, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park in the District of Columbia, West Virginia and Maryland. It lies in the Potomac River Valley between Washington, D.C. and Cumberland.

Sights and activities

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Georgetown Visitor Center
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NW Washington, DC.
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Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center
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Potomac, MD.
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Brunswick Visitor Center
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Brunswick, MD.
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Williamsport Visitor Center
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Cushwa Basin, 205 W. Potomac St., Williamsport, MD.
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Hancock Visitor Center
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Hancock, MD.
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Cumberland Visitor Center
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Western Maryland Railway Station, Room 304, 13 Canal St., Cumberland, MD.
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Getting there and around

Getting there

This is a park that is extraordinarily easy to get to. Since it is one long trail, simply drive up to the Potomac River anywhere, and look for a parking lot (there are plenty).

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Airports and nearby hotels

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Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

Washington · International · DCA

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Full travel guide

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UnderstandC. and Cumberland, Maryland, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park preserves remains of America's colorful canal era.

Get inThis is a park that is extraordinarily easy to get to. Since it is one long trail, simply drive up to the Potomac River anywhere, and look for a parking lot (there are plenty).

Fees and permitsSince the park is centered around one extremely long path, there is little opportunity for the park service to collect fees.

SeeC. Trails lead to ideal viewing points from both the Maryland and Virginian sides of the river, although the view from the island accessible from the Maryland side is more immersive.

DoAside from the Great Falls trail, there is, well, one other trail, which runs along for 185 miles. And it does not stop there, as it connects up with the Great Allegheny Passage, which leads all the way to Pittsburgh.

BuyEach visitor center has a bookstore, where you can find books about the park, its physical and living features, as well as books on the history of the region. You can also shop for the same books online.

Eat and drinkThere are no facilities serving food throughout the entire park, so pack in and pack out. Possession of alcoholic beverages in the park is against the law, and can result in a hefty fine.

SleepThere are five drive-in campsites, which are pretty basic: just improved tent pitching sites, grills, chemical toilets, and potable water. There are no RV hook-ups, and RVs are only permitted at three of the five.

Stay safeThere is really just one danger and one danger alone in the park—the river. The Potomac is a huge and fast river, with plenty of rapids.

Sources and licences

Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the Wikipedia article "Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park", available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikipedia
Photo: Flickr user: John McTarnaghan Warrenton (Virginia) https://www.flickr.com/people/jmctee/, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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