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Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park

National Historical Park District of Columbia Maryland West Virginia

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.

Entry Fees

No additional fees

Weather Information

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.

Address

142 W. Potomac St., Williamsport, MD 21795

Activities & Topics

Biking Road Biking Boating Boat Tour Camping Car or Front Country Camping Group Camping Fishing Freshwater Fishing Guided Tours Hiking Front-Country Hiking Horse Trekking Horseback Riding Ice Skating Paddling Junior Ranger Program Skiing Cross-Country Skiing Snowshoeing Wildlife Watching Birdwatching Shopping Dams Laborer and Worker Schools and Education Transportation Canals Tunnels Tragic Events Floods Wars and Conflicts Civil War Women's History Animals Birds Fish Forests and Woodlands Deciduous Forests Fossils and Paleontology Geology River and Riparian Scenic Views Trails Waterfalls