Welcome to the C&O Canal Trust
The official nonprofit partner of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park.
Funding Priorities
Towpath Forever
Ensuring that the towpath and its resources are here forever.
Canal Classrooms
Exposing thousands of students to outdoor education programs along the Canal.
Canal Quarters
Step back in time as you spend the night in one of seven historic lockhouses.
Discover the Canal
Learn about the C&O Canal and plan your trip with our trip planning tools, mobile app, and itineraries.
Canal Community Days
Volunteer your time to help conserve the C&O Canal.
Canal Towns
Visit these ten unique destinations that border the Canal.
News
Williamsport Canal Community Days 2025
Williamsport Cushwa Basin by Beth Sherwood.
Situated at the meeting point of the Potomac River and Conococheague Creek, Williamsport holds a significant place in American and C&O Canal history. Before it was a Canal Town, Williamsport was used as a trading location and transportation hub for groups of Indigenous people. As European settlers moved westward, they too recognized the area’s potential to move goods east and west on the Potomac, and north to what would become Hagerstown. The growing nation developed Williamsport into a center for commerce and trade, first through the C&O Canal and later via railroads and trolleys. It remained a critical juncture for moving people and goods through World War II, when its prosperity began to decline. Aided by the establishment of the C&O Canal National Historical Park and new highway systems, Williamsport now flourishes as a vital C&O Canal Town and a hub for tourism. (more…)
A Story of Continued Resilience
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The C&O Canal is a testament to American ingenuity and commitment, withstanding flooding, heavy visitor usage, and the test of time. To keep the park safe, beautiful, and welcoming, it has taken the dedication of National Park Service staff, hundreds of volunteers, donors, and community partners. Recently, from May 14 to 16, the park faced a significant flood event that caused damage and debris due to high waters and strong winds. Many picnic areas, trails, and campgrounds were affected, including a section of the towpath that washed out. While it’s disheartening to witness the park’s damage, this flood event is just one of many from which we have and will recover.
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Nearly 100 Volunteers Make a Difference at Great Falls
“The list of work that needs to be done is never-ending. We are so grateful for our long-standing partnership with the C&O Canal Trust,” said Amanda Zimmerman.
Photo by Francis Grant-Suttie
NPS Park Ranger Amanda Zimmerman was one of the many people who joined us out in the park on April 25 for the C&O Canal Trust’s annual public Canal Community Days volunteer event at Great Falls. Nearly 100 volunteers attended, and despite the cold and rainy day, they made an enormous impact in one of the most popular sections on the 184.5 mile stretch of the C&O Canal towpath. (more…)
Trust President & CEO Reflects on National Park Week
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Each spring, during National Park Week, as the buds bloom and the Potomac River stirs with new life, I’m reminded just how fortunate we are to have an incredible national park in our backyards. Once a lifeline for commerce fueling America’s growth, today the C&O Canal is a place of refuge, recreation, and discovery for millions of annual visitors — a landscape shaped by nearly two centuries of stories, and still offering new ones every day.
Trust Celebrates National Park Week 2025
April 19-27, 2025 is National Park Week! During this week-long celebration, national parks across the country provide opportunities for visitors to come together to explore and celebrate these beautiful, natural places. (more…)
C&O Canal Explorer
Mobile App
Download our new mobile app to your Android or Apple phone and explore the C&O Canal in a whole new way. Get the app!
Stay The Night at a Lockhouse
Canal Quarters lockhouses offer a historic, recreational, and educational experience like no other. Book your stay today!
Enter our Monthly Photo Contest
The C&O Canal Trust sponsors a monthly photo contest highlighting the best photos you have taken of the C&O Canal National Historical Park. Find out how to enter here!
