Two words..........Comfortable Shoes. This park is HUGE and goes on for 184.5 miles!
The canal starts in Georgetown, DC and goes all the way up through West Virginia and ends back in Maryland at Cumberland. h
ttp://www.nps.gov/common/commonspot/customcf/apps/maps/showmap.cfm?alphacode=choh&parkname=Chesapeake%20%26%20Ohio%20Canal
A little history to start us off...
"George Washington's dream of connecting the eastern states with the western frontier led to the creation of the Patowmack Company. Canals were built around unnavigable parts of the Potomac River for improved commerce. The C&O Canal inherited the right of way after the Patowmack Company's demise." - National Park Service
"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!" - National Park Service
There are many places to hike, picnic, bike, fish, boat, etc., along the C&O Canal but our favorite place to visit is through the Great Falls entrance on MacArthur Parkway in Potomac, MD. This is also the only entrance that charges an entrance fee ($5/vehicle), but you get access to the Visitors Center at the Great Falls Tavern, the boat ride on the canal, an awesome view of the Falls and some great hiking trails.
http://www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/upload/greatfallstrailmap.pdf
This portion of the park, however, is not for picnicking. If you're into hiking or biking, this is the place for you. Whichever direction on the path you choose, you will have an adventure, but we prefer to head south towards Georgetown. As you cross the bridge at the Great Falls Tavern Visitors Center and venture down the main path, there are official trails that veer off as well as some non-official footpaths that have been created by adventure seekers over the years. One of my favorites is a little path that takes you down through some minor slopes but ends up next to a beautifully peaceful spot by the river.
Also off the main path is a series of bridges crossing several "mini-falls" before ending at the spectacular view of the Great Falls. (This is my favorite part of the park)
As you continue along the scenic main trail, there are places to climb rocks or just take a moment to sit and enjoy your surroundings. It's so easy to get carried away with your hike and I usually have to force myself to turn around because remember however far you walk, you have to walk that same distance back to your car (unless you plan ahead and have someone ready to pick you up on the other end).
And, if you're really adventurous, you can pop into the river with your canoe, kayak or paddle board.
It's hard to do everything in one visit to this park, and you're guaranteed to find something new to try every time, but whatever you choose, make sure you have comfortable shoes and an adventurous spirit!
Kid's View: "The first time we went to this park we brought our bikes. I didn't have a bike with tires made for gravel and dirt so I didn't like it and I made my parents turn around. The other times, we just hiked and it was cool climbing on the rocks and taking the little paths to see what was at the other end of them. My mom keeps asking me to go on the Billy Goat Trail with her but it sounds like it's A LOT of climbing and walking and I have to be in the mood for that!"
http://www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm
