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Cozy Nights on the C&O Canal

By Camp, Canal Quarters, Nature, Photography

Cozy Nights on the C&O Canal are made for… strolls through the park, sipping hot chocolate or cider, spending time with friends and family, and being cozy. We can help you with two of those things. By utilizing our award-winning Canal Quarters program or one of the many campsites along the C&O Canal you can create your very own cozy overnight experience. Using our Canal Quarters program, you can stay in one of our seven lockhouses. Stay cozy in one of our modern full amenities options, or for a more authentic experience, you can stay in one of our rustic lockhouses. Steeped in history and surrounded by nature, a night in a lockhouse is an excellent gift for yourself or those closest to you. For a more casual stay check out the many camping options along the canal. Read below for more information!

Check out some photos spanning from sunset to sunrise taken within the Park.
Feeling inspired? Submit your own pictures from the C&O Canal NHP to our monthly photo contest.

Stay Overnight

Book Your Stay in a Canal Quarters Lockhouse

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Camp Along the C&O Canal

For C&O Canal NHP camping information click here

Best Places to Camp Along the Towpath

Fall Photo Gallery

By Blog, Explore Your Park, Photography

Welcome to our Virtual Leaf Peeping gallery! Enjoy some beautiful scenic photos from recent years that show off the beauty of the C&O Canal in Fall. Click to see full image!

Do you have fall photos of the Canal? Submit them to our monthly photo contest here.

Photo Contest Winners of 2023

By Blog, Photography

In 2023, we received many wonderful photo contest entries. From iconic nature pictures to mesmerizing sunsets to beautiful day trips along the towpath, our canal enthusiasts share gorgeous highlights of the C&O Canal National Historical Park.

These are your favorite photos—our monthly photo contest winners! Check them out below and reminisce with us about 2023.

Click the picture to view full size.

Submit your photos of the Park to be considered for our monthly photo contest here.

Five Ways Birding at the C&O Canal Can Improve Your Health

By Blog, Nature, Photography

Nature has a profound impact on human well-being. Research shows that spending time in nature and connecting with your natural surroundings is associated with better body and brain health. Now researchers know that birds are a specific source of those health benefits.

Prothonotary Warbler by Robert A. Powell

Here are five ways that birding at the C&O Canal NHP Can Improve Your Health:

Carolina Wren Singing on its Pedestal by Eric Stuyck

1. Physical Fitness

Birding is not just about observing birds; it often involves exploration. To do that, you have to move from place to place physically. The C&O Canal stretches for 184.5 miles, offering ample hiking, biking, and leisurely walking opportunities. These activities promote cardiovascular health, improve endurance, and boost energy levels. Birders can enjoy the scenic beauty while moving their bodies, improving overall fitness and stamina.

 2. Stress Reduction and Mental Well-being

In our increasingly digitized world, finding moments of tranquility is essential for maintaining mental health. Birding at the C&O Canal offers a respite from the daily stresses and a chance to immerse oneself in the wonders of nature. Studies show that listening to birdsong has been found to help your mood, reducing feelings of anxiety, depression, and paranoia in healthy research participants. Nature and birdsong also reduce stress, lowering blood pressure and cortisol levels. Birding provides a mindful experience, allowing you to be fully present in the moment and forget about everyday life.

A Welcome Visitor by Vinod Thomas

3. Connection with Nature

Humans have an innate connection with the natural world, and birding provides an opportunity to foster and deepen that connection. The C&O Canal is a thriving ecosystem home to over 120 diverse bird species. By observing and identifying birds in their natural habitats, you’ll develop a greater appreciation for the intricacies of nature and the delicate balance of ecosystems. This connection with the environment can lead to a heightened sense of environmental stewardship and a desire to protect and conserve our natural heritage.

4. Cognitive Enhancement

Birding is both a physical and sensory experience and an intellectually stimulating one. It requires observation, concentration, and the ability to recognize patterns and identify different species. Regularly engaging in this activity can enhance cognitive skills such as attention to detail, memory recall, and pattern recognition. Additionally, birding fosters curiosity and a thirst for knowledge about the natural world, encouraging continuous learning and exploration.

Well, Hello There! by Christine Ley

5. Social Engagement

Birding can be a solitary activity, allowing for introspection and self-reflection. However, it also offers opportunities for social interaction and building connections with like-minded individuals. Joining birding groups or participating in bird walks with other birders at the C&O Canal can create a sense of community, providing a platform to share knowledge, exchange experiences, and forge new friendships. Social connections are vital for mental well-being, and birding offers a supportive network of individuals who share a common passion for nature.

 

Birding at the C&O Canal offers a delightful blend of nature, exercise, and mental stimulation, making it a perfect activity for individuals seeking physical and psychological well-being. From reducing stress and improving cardiovascular health to fostering a sense of wonder and environmental consciousness, the health benefits of birding at the C&O Canal are undeniable. So grab your binoculars, lace up your walking shoes, and embark on a birding adventure that will nourish your body.

Roy Sewall’s Legacy of Leadership and Stunning Photographs

By Photography

Photo by Roy Sewall

Roy Sewall, a founding leader of the C&O Canal Trust and a masterful photographer, passed away on January 17, 2023. Most people in our canal community are familiar with Roy through his beautiful photographs, shared widely by the Trust over the past 15 years.

“I became a serious photographer in 2001,” Roy wrote on his website, www.roysewallphotography.com. “I started with the Potomac River and the C&O Canal, and they were the subjects of my two books in 2005 and 2009. This area became a part of me forever.”

Not everyone knows that Roy was the first chairman of the Trust Board of Directors, serving the organization from 2007 to 2010. “He was the person I relied on the most when we were launching the Trust,” said Matt Logan, former president of the Trust. “He was the perfect partner.”

Roy shared many of his photographs with the C&O Canal Trust. They capture the beautiful scenery along the C&O Canal and our unique Canal Quarters program. “A Sewall photograph was distinct and perfectly taken,” said Francis Grant-Suttie, vice chairman of the Trust’s Board of Directors, who was fortunate to study photography with Roy.

We aspire to Roy’s high standards as an organization and as canal enthusiasts. Roy’s love for the C&O Canal will live on through the images he captured over the years. His family remains in our thoughts. You can read his obituary here.

Photo by Roy Sewall



Photo Contest Winners of 2022

By Blog, Photography

In 2022, we received many wonderful photo contest entries. From iconic nature pictures to mesmerizing sunsets to beautiful day trips along the towpath, our community of canal enthusiasts shares gorgeous highlights of the C&O Canal National Historical Park.

These are your favorite photos—our monthly photo contest winners! Check them out below and reminisce with us about 2022.

Submit your photos of the Park to be considered for our monthly photo contest here.

Pollinators Along the C&O Canal

By Blog, Nature, Photography

June is National Pollinators Month, the perfect time to emphasize the important relationship between pollinators and native plants. One of the things that makes the C&O Canal National Historical Park (NHP) so special is the park’s biodiversity. It is home to more than 1,500 different species of plants, including 118 rare, threatened, and endangered plants. One of the C&O Canal Trust’s more recent initiatives includes raising funds to help protect these rare plants.

How does pollination work? Simple! Pollinators, such as birds, bees, butterflies, and even bats, carry pollen debris to plants, which is then deposited on the stigma of these plants. The plants are then fertilized, which in turn allows them to reproduce, producing fruit, seeds, and more plants. This process is essential to maintaining ecosystems around the world. Pollination allows floral growth, which provides habitat for animals, like insects and birds. Pollinators also contribute to healthy soils and clean water by fostering robust plant communities.

Below we have included several photos of some of the more common pollinators you may see in the park. We encourage you to take note of these important creatures that work hard to help maintain the biodiversity of our beloved C&O Canal! Pollinators’ ecological service is valued at $200 billion each year (USDA, 2020).

Monarchs

Drawn by Sweet Nectar (Monarch) by MJ Cllingan

Monarch on Jewelweed 9.19.21 (near Harper’s Ferry) by Sue Roosma

Bees

Grape Hyacinth with Honey Bee by Amy Allen

Busy Bee and Bluebells by Paul Graunke

Swallowtail Butterfly

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail by Charissa Hipp

Zebra Swallowtail on Paw Paw leaf by Jon Wolz

Swallowtail Butterfly near mm 23 by Andrea Hom

Cabbage White Butterfly and Great Spangled Fritillary

Cabbage White Butterfly on Dames Rocket by Charissa Hipp

Great Spangled Fritillary on Milkweed by Charissa Hipp

Bats

Bat in Paw Paw Tunnel by Nanette Nyce

Winter Wonderland Along the C&O Canal

By Blog, Photography

Step out onto the towpath this winter and experience the magic of the C&O Canal blanketed in snow. Be mindful of winter conditions when visiting the Park and always check the C&O Canal National Historical Park’s website and social media pages prior to your visit.

Enjoy these photos of our park from the comfort of your home!

Photo Contest Winners of 2021

By Blog, Photography

This past year, in 2021, we received so many great photo contest entries. From iconic nature pictures to mesmerizing sunsets to beautiful day-trips along the towpath, we have seen the best highlights of the C&O Canal National Historical Park.

These are your favorite photos, the contest winners of our monthly photo contest! Check them out below and reminisce with us about 2021.

Submit your photos of the Park to be considered for our monthly photo contest here.

15 Most Instagrammable Places Along the Canal

By Blog, Photography

As many visitors of the C&O National Historical Park will tell you, the canal is a very photogenic place. From birds to flowers to landmarks, the canal serves as not only a place to escape from our busy lives, but a picturesque landscape for photographers to create art.

Below we have listed the 15 most instagrammable spots in the canal. We hope this will urge you to get out and explore the beauty of the Park. Share your photos with us by tagging the C&O Canal on Facebook or Instagram!

You can also enter your photos in our monthly Photo Contest.

Winning Photos from Our 2019 Facebook Photo Contests

By Photography

Each month, the C&O Canal Trust holds a photo contest on our Facebook page of photographs taken in the C&O Canal National Historical Park and its surrounding Canal Towns. Anyone can vote by “liking” their favorite photos. The winner receives bragging rights and their photo at the top of our Facebook and Twitter pages for one month. We receive beautiful photos every month and wanted to share our 2019 winners with you.

January- Winter at Cushwa in Williamsport by Mark Crilley

February- Snowy Sunday Along the Potomac by Wanda Poffenberger

March-Lockhouse 44 in Williamsport at Mile Marker 99.25 by Ray Jackson

April- Drawn by Sweet Nectar by MJ Clingan

May- New Start by Kurt Sobina

June- Baby Barred Owl by Sandy Rosenblatt

July- Summer Night in Hancock, MD by Stephen 'Van' Van Meter

August- Towpath Curve After Great Falls by Debra Kanter Klaus

September- Sunset through the Lock Gates at Violette's Lock by Kara McNulty

October- Reflection in Hancock, MD by Jimmy Lapelosa

November- Dam 4 by Jon Wolz

December-Towpath near Oldtown by Preston P. Piper, Jr.

Want to enter your own photos into our 2020 contests? Visit our website to learn how you can see your photos on our Facebook page!

In Winter There is Beauty to Be Found Along the C&O Canal

By Explore Your Park, Photography

The C&O Canal National Historical Park has much to offer during the winter months to park visitors who enjoy the colder temperatures. Snow on the ground provides the opportunity for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing and offers a beautiful backdrop for hiking, dog walking, bird watching, and photography. Frigid temperatures usually find folks taking to the ice for a solitary skate or a pickup game of ice hockey. Enjoy winter photos of the C&O Canal National Historical Park, courtesy of our monthly Facebook photo contest entrants. Read More

Winning Photos from Our 2018 Facebook Photo Contests

By Photography

Each month the C&O Canal Trust holds a photo contest on our Facebook page of photographs taken in the C&O Canal National Historical Park and its surrounding Canal Towns. Votes are placed by “liking” the photos. The winner receives bragging rights and their photo at the top of our Facebook and Twitter pages for one month. We receive beautiful photos every month and wanted to share our 2018 winners with you.  Read More

Snapshots of 2017 on the C&O Canal

By Photography

January getting you down? Look back at 2017 in the C&O Canal National Historical Park with each month’s photo contest winner! These photos capture the beauty of the park, which cannot be rivaled anywhere else. Next time you visit the park, make sure you bring your camera and submit a photo to our monthly contest. For more information on the contest and how to enter, visit our website. Read More

The Beautiful Fall Foliage of the C&O Canal

By Photography

We are in the peak fall foliage season here in Maryland, and we have collected some of our favorite photos of the canal bursting with color!

Where possible, we have linked the photos’ descriptions to their locations in the C&O Canal National Historical Park so you can go out and see the beautiful fall color for yourself! Read More

A Look Through the Lens at 2016 on the C&O Canal

By Photography

Take a look back at 2016 in the C&O Canal National Historical Park with each month’s photo contest winner! Each of these photos represents something that makes the C&O Canal National Historical Park great! Next time you visit the park be sure to capture some of the beauty you encounter and submit it to our photo contest. For information on how you can enter the photo contest visit our webpage at http://www.canaltrust.org/news/photo-contest/. Read More