Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
13
C&O Canal: Lock 8 to Lock 6
This smooth portion of the C&O Canal towpath follows the canal with views of a rocky branch of the
Potomac River.
Distance: 6 miles out and back
Approximate hiking time: 3 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Trail surface: Dirt, slightly stony. Short paths to the river are rocky and steep.
Best seasons: Year-round
Other trail users: Bicyclists
Canine compatibility: Leashed dogs permitted
Fees and permits: None
Schedule: Always open
Maps: Trail map at www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/upload/chohmap.pdf
Special considerations: Be mindful of cyclists; this is a popular biking trail.
Trail contact: Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, 1057 Thomas Jeffer-
son St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20007; (202) 653-5190; www.nps.gov/choh
Finding the trailhead:
From I-495, take the exit for Clara Barton Parkway/Glen
Echo. Follow Clara Barton Parkway south. Pass the Lock 10 parking lot on the right and
then turn right into the Lock 8/River House parking lot. GPS: N38 56.880' / W77
07.502'
The Hike
The C&O Canal National Historical Park stretches for 185 miles from Georgetown to Cumberland,
Maryland. The canal provided a trade link between the Chesapeake Bay and the western frontier. The
project was started in 1828, on the same day as construction began on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad,
which ran from Baltimore to Cumberland. The competition between the two methods of transportation
