Nestled along the Potomac River, the C&O Canal National Historical Park (NHP) contains over 20,000 acres of historical, natural, and recreational treasures. The Park features a 184.5-mile towpath, spanning four Maryland counties and the District of Columbia, and offering a multitude of opportunities for residents and tourists to enjoy the nature and history around them.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was started in 1828 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.
After closing due to competition from the railroads and the destruction of floods, the area languished in disrepair until it became a target for a parkway in the 1950s. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, along with other committed conservationists, rallied support for developing the canal as a linear park, and in 1971, it became a National Historical Park.
Today, the C&O Canal National Historical Park is a place of tranquil beauty, welcoming 5 million visitors each year. With over 200 rare and threatened species of plants and animals, over 1,000 historic structures, and a rich history of native cultures, transportation growth, and Civil War conflict, the Park has something to offer everyone!
The Park features several iconic landmarks, including 11 historic aqueducts – some of the most impressive of the canal structures that stand today. Aqueducts transported the canal over streams and tributaries. Several have been rebuilt, including the Conococheague Aqueduct in Williamsport, which is watered and is one of the only places in the country where you can ride a boat over an aqueduct.
The Monocacy Aqueduct, with its seven arches spanning 516 feet, is the largest aqueduct in the C&O Canal NHP. The white stones, cut with large saws, were brought from a nearby quarry. They were painstakingly hand-shaped by masons, then carefully placed together to build this impressive structure. The engineers who designed them chose to make the aqueducts decorative, as opposed to leaving them with a more utilitarian look.
Standing on top of the Monocacy Aqueduct, looking at early morning fog rolling off the Potomac, you can imagine a canal boat coming upon this aqueduct in the 'middle of nowhere'. How magnificent to look upon this work of art.
Rileys, Violettes, and Pennyfield Locks are some of the most visited and picturesque locks in the Park, where people can hike the towpath, go fishing, paddling, and spend the day with their families.
Named for Alfred Violet (or Violette), who was the last locktender to work this lock, Violettes Lock is a double lock made of the red sandstone distinctive of the Seneca quarry. Dam 2 once also laid here, but years of wear have reduced it to rubble. During the Civilian Conservation Corps restoration project of 1938-1942, the canal was watered from Lock 23 down to Georgetown, and is now a popular spot for fishing and canoeing.
The C&O Canal NHP is beloved for its natural beauty, rich recreational opportunities, and accessibility for visitors. What is less well known is that it is one of the most biologically diverse national parks in the nation. Since its creation in 1971, over 1,500 plant species have been identified, including nearly 200 rare, threatened, or endangered (RTE) plants, some of which are globally rare and unique.
One of the Park's rarest plants, Snow trillium (Trillium nivale) is the only population in the state of Maryland. T. nivale is one of the first spring ephemeral species to bloom, blooming as early as March in the Park. Insects, such as beetles, are responsible for pollinating these showy, white flowers.
Along with providing habitats for rare plant species, the C&O Canal's fauna is equally unique. Across its wide range of habitats, the Park provides space and resources for over 120 diverse bird species.
The snowy white Egret is an iconic bird of the C&O Canal, mostly found in wetlands and marshes. Egrets are often seen fishing or flying in the canal. They move with a delicacy unlike many birds. In the 19th century, Egrets were desired for their great feathers. They have since recovered from poaching of their beautiful plumes.
From adventuring inside the Paw Paw Tunnel with your flashlight, to viewing the Potomac River atop a historic aqueduct, to hiking along the Billy Goat Trail for a glimpse of the roaring waters of Great Falls, there is so much to explore and learn in the C&O Canal NHP.
The Park welcomed five million visitors last year, more than some of the nation's most iconic parks like Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon. Visitation continues to rise as we each seek refuge in our Park's boundless beauty, unique history, and accessible recreational opportunities.
Our Park is unquestionably unique, and your support is critical to its preservation today, and for the future.
As the Park’s official nonprofit partner of fifteen years, the C&O Canal Trust works closely with the National Park Service to fund preservation, conservation, and maintenance projects that increase visitors’ enjoyment of the Park’s historical, cultural, and recreational resources.
The Park’s history spans over a century, and the Trust helps promote and preserve it through our award-winning Canal Quarters program.
With seven historic lockhouses currently in the program, we provide one of a kind interpretive experiences for visitors.
Each Canal Quarters lockhouse along the canal has been preserved and is available for guests to enjoy. Step back in time and experience what life was like during the heyday of the canal.
Lockhouses are furnished to interpret a different time period, and each tells a different story about the development of the C&O Canal.
Since 2007, the Trust has grown into a thriving organization, recruiting hundreds of volunteers each year to provide needed support at high visitor use areas in the Park. In the past several years, we have recruited over 2,500 volunteers and removed thousands of pounds of trash and invasive plants.
So far this year, nearly 500 volunteers have removed over 7,500 pounds of trash, over 2,000 pounds of invasive plants, plus cleaning and beautification of other park features.
Through our Canal For All program, we provide opportunities for education, stewardship, and volunteerism that are safe, welcoming, and inclusive for all. Since launching the program, we have engaged hundreds of youth from underrepresented communities in fun and educational activities in the Park, inspiring the next generation of stewards.
The C&O Canal NHP is one of the nation’s most popular parks, and the C&O Canal Trust is dedicated to preserving it, not just for your enjoyment today, but for the benefit of future generations as well. In an era of inadequate funding, the Trust makes the difference and helps to ensure that this treasured green space is conserved.
Help us make a greater impact by making a gift today.
As visitation grows, we can only continue to expand our programs and support of the Park through the generosity of our canal community. The Trust provides the ways and means for individuals to contribute directly to the Park we love today and to the one we will leave to the future.
Credits:
(Photos from top): Charles Kim, Roy Sewall, NPS, NPS, Chris Rief, Josh Bowers, Stan Collyer, Wendy Duke, NPS, Bruce Lemieux, Garner Woodall, Mark Crilley, NPS, Kenneth Lyons, Trust Staff, Goodluckstef LLC, Trust Staff, Francis Grant-Suttie, Trust Staff, Trust Staff, Jennifer Van de Griek