C&O Canal Towpath

Hugging the north bank of the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. to Cumberland, the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal operated from 1831 to 1924 to transport coal from the Allegheny Mountains. In 1954, U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas led an eight-day hike along the C&O Canal Towpath to try and save it from being transformed into a parkway. His success saw the former canal designated as the Chesapeake & Ohio National Historic Park in 1971.

The C&O Canal Towpath is a dirt surface and bumpy, similar to a forest road, and is managed by the National Park Service. There is little to no grade on the towpath beyond the slight elevation changes at each lock. The majority of the trail is shaded and it is entirely off-road.

The C&O Towpath lead through Civil War-era national parks and battlefields; historic stone aqueducts; and the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C.

Our C&O Canal Towpath itineraries are designed to give you ample time to take in the sights along the way and experience the region’s natural beauty. It’s also possible to add on an extra time around sites like Antietam National Battlefield.