c&o canal national historical park

My spring, summer and fall are spent on my bike riding the C & O canal. It's gorgeous and easy to ride on.

My kids and I enjoy walking the canal in the summer. It's a nice flat walk & they can explore down near the river. One of the downfalls is a lack of bathrooms/port-a-pots along the trails. The last time we went, we got a couple miles into the walk & I had to go really bad! We had to turn around early to head back so that I could use the bathroom. That was a disappointment. The trail is pretty busy & everyone we meet along the way was friendly.

Traveled to Williamsport, Md to check out that part of the canal trail, walked in both directions during our stay- enjoyed the great scenery and well maintained trail, saw locktenders house, locks, aqueducts, railroad lift bridge--all impressive reminders of long ago. We thought it was too rainy to ride bikes but plan to return when weather better. This trail is great piece of preserved history and appreciated all the info, map, brochures, and welcoming attitude of Cynthia Rowe at the Vistors Center in Williamsport-she also wrote out directions for us to antique shops in near-by towns. This was a very worth-while place to see history and to walk/bike ride in a safe, pleasant environment. . Thank you!

We loved the walk along the canal. The staff at the museum/gift shop provided an interesting overview of the history and location.

This is a small park in the middle of the C&O Canal. Small museum. Remains of a canal aqueduct, a pretty unique piece of history and architecture (?). There is a non-working lock just south of the parking lot. The canal path is great for hiking and biking. Check the NPS web site for scheduled programs: http://www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm . The path is mostly shaded so it's great to visit in the summer, or when the leaves are turning in the fall. Bathrooms are available. Stop by and get some history with your exercise.

Now, I know what you are thinking, 'it's a park, it doesn't need amenities.' But it does. It needs to allow all of the little towns along the way to be able to advertise their existence. After riding the GAP trail for two days prior, I was disappointed in this trail. I think it is difficult to enjoy this trail unless you are camping because finding things off the trail is difficult.Just my two cents.

This is a must see if in the area. The bike path is beautiful. Very rich in history with information along the trail. The staff is very knowledgable and very helpful. The kids programs seem like a lot of fun. We saw a group as we were leaving and the rangers were very interactive with the children.

The canals are a big part of American history, and the Williamsport visitor center is one of the places with water in the canal. The visitor's center had a very helpful volunteer, the kids loved the junior ranger program. There is an aqueduct, a turning pool, a lock (1/2 mile walk down the mule path), and a lock keeper's house. This national park is free.

There is a small visitors center with some videos about the history of the canal. The remnants of the old aqueduct are very close to the visitor center. Remnants of a lock and a lock house are about one half mile down the trail. It is a nice trail for bike riding, but not much to do for tourists.

Very nice park which boasts great recreational opportunities as well as historical significance. Has a very nice visitor center and there are a lot of great photo opportunities. Will definitely return again for further exploration.

The path is well maintained and provides a great history lesson. Unfortunately, it rained every night so some areas were quite muddy, and after a particularly bad storm, several trees were down blocking the path. But maintenance crews were seen working on these issues.

Where else can you enjoy nature, history and exercise??? If you aren't into all three, you can appreciate each one individually! The best part of using the canal for riding bikes, hiking, running, horseback riding or whatever? It's shaded and relatively flat!

This is a poor C & O National Historical Park. Plan on no more than 1 hr to see everything. It is a neat seeing the train lift bridge. This attraction is free. In my comparison to other canal museums and parks, This park is poor at best.

While en route to Antietam battlefield, we decided to stop (as various markers for the C&O Canal locks were marked along our route).Our first stop was one of the locks, which took us off the beaten path to some of the most peaceful, scenic paths we had seen. I was disappointed to see a confederate flag flying from a house nearby, but we have liberties and freedoms in this country which allow us to do so.It was serene, peaceful, and there were persons enjoying the walking paths, fishing (there is a boat launch nearby), and cycling.There are a number of locks you can visit, along with a visitor's center, so it just depends on where you access the park and the C& O locks.

Fascinating piece of history, preserved and available. Friendly and knowledgeable staff, and on the day we were there, volunteer Old-time "pickers" making music with guitar and banjo. Kid-friendly area for walking, fishing, taking a kids' trail with a colorful guide book. A short narrated launch boat tour down the canal to a lock, highlighted by seeing the lift bridge and the aqueduct added to the pleasure. The lock-keeper's house is in the process of restoration, and apparently the lift bridge and lock will be restored as well, allowing for longer boat rides on the canal in a year or two. Definitely worth a visit.