Our favorite week of the year, National Park Week, kicks off April 20! This is a time to celebrate America’s treasures, discover history and culture, and help conserve our country’s valuable natural resources.
Here are eight ways you can celebrate!
All National Parks will waive their entrance fees on Saturday, April 20. That means you can enter at Great Falls for free! (But get there early, as the parking lots fill quickly.) All other entry points to the C&O Canal are always free, so if you want to avoid the crowds at Great Falls, pick your favorite spot and head there with your family and friends.- Celebrate Earth Day on Monday, April 22 with your family! Pick up trash in your local park or around your neighborhood, plant a garden, or explore the nature that surrounds you.
- Take a hike on the towpath or one of the many hiking trails in the C&O Canal National Historical Park.
- Visit one of the other National Parks nearby: Harpers Ferry, Antietam, Appalachian Trail, Clara Barton, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, Glen Echo, or Great Falls in Virginia.
- Find a new favorite spot along the C&O Canal when you visit some of our Canal Discoveries hidden gems.
- Take photos of your adventures along the C&O Canal and enter them in our monthly photo contest. Or share them on social media with the hashtag #COCanalTrust, so we can see them too!
- Take your furry friend to the Canal – but before you go, review the principles of being a B.A.R.K. Ranger. Take a photo of your pet on the towpath and share it with the hashtag #CanalPawPatrol.
- Leave no trace! And teach your kids how important that is.
- Make a donation to support the C&O Canal through the C&O Canal Trust!
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