Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Book

A six-digit code to the lockbox, which contains the key to the front door, is included with your registration email. Check-in/Check-Out for All Lockhouses Except Lockhouse 6:

Arrival: 3:00pm or later
Departure: 10:00am or Earlier

Check-In/Check-Out For Lockhouse 6: Please Note: The Lock 6 Parking Lot is not accessible from 3 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Monday–Friday due to the traffic reversal on the Clara Barton Parkway. There is no traffic reversal on Saturday or Sunday, and this does not affect access to the house from the C&O Canal Towpath: If you are driving to Lockhouse 6:

Arrival: 2pm - 2:45pm, or after 7:15pm
Departure: 10:00am or earlier

If you are arriving via the C&O Canal Towpath:

Arrival 2:00pm or later
Departure: 10:00am or earlier

In brief: (Guests supply linens. Pillows are provided at our full & half amenity houses, but not currently at our rustic houses. Please plan to bring blankets, sheets, and bath towels.) Full-Amenity lockhouses (6, 10, 21) have electricity, indoor plumbing, toilets, sinks and showers. They also come equipped with heating and air conditioning, along with kitchens containing refrigerators, stoves, tea kettles, sinks, and cleaning supplies like paper towels, sponges, dish soap, disinfectant wipes, and kitchen spray. These houses are cleaned professionally between guest visits. Rustic Lockhouses (22, 25, and 28) are much like cabins. They have no running water, no heating or air conditioning, and no electricity. They come equipped with dishes and silverware for eight guests, and cleaning supplies like all-purpose cleaner, sponges, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and brooms. They have outhouses located in the backyard or adjacent to the towpath. These houses are monitored by volunteers, but not professionally cleaned between visits. Hybrid Amenity Houses (8, 49) have electricity and baseboard heating, pedestal fans, and a partial kitchen with a refrigerator, stove, toaster, and kettle. Lockhouses 8 and 49 do not have air conditioning, nor does it have indoor plumbing. At Lockhouse 49, There is a year-round potable water pump in the backyard, along with an outhouse. At Lockhouse 8, limited water is provided via 5-gallon jugs and a dispenser, and a potable water pump is located at Lock 10, half a mile up the towpath. These houses are monitored by volunteers, but is not professionally cleaned between visits. All Lockhouses (except for LH 6) are stocked with firewood (for outdoor use) and have firepits in the backyard. Firewood levels are monitored by volunteers. If firewood is low, the Trust may be able to restock during your visit, but this cannot be guaranteed. "Brown and down" kindling can always be gathered from around the Park. Outhouses are maintained by the NPS. They are pumped weekly from March-December, and as needed through the Winter months.

Linens and towels are not provided. Guests are expected to be good stewards of the homes and leave them in a livable condition for the next guest. At Full + Half Amenity Houses (6, 8, 10, 21, 49,) please plan to bring:

Sheets, blankets, and/or sleeping bags. Mattresses have only plastic covers and decorative quilts/blankets
Bath, hand, and kitchen towels.
Any cooking supplies beyond basic saucepans and frying pans, spatulas, wooden spoons or chopping knives, especially if you have a large or specialty meal planned. Utensils, dishes, and drinking cups for up to 8 guests are provided in each lockhouse.
All houses have a fire ring with a grate for cooking outside. Cookware for use over a fire is limited, so please plan accordingly.
Please bring your own means of lighting outdoor fires should you wish to utilize our fire rings! Remember, indoor fires are strictly prohibited.

At Rustic Houses (22, 25, 28,) please plan to bring:

Pillows (inflatable camping pillows work great,) Sheets, blankets, and/or sleeping bags. Mattresses have only plastic covers and decorative quilts/blankets
Cookware and supplies (if you plan to cook outdoors over the fire.) Utensils, dishes, and drinking cups for up to 8 guests are provided in each lockhouse.
Extra electric lanterns or light sources if you have a large number of guests (houses can get quite dark at night.
Extra Water (as the distance to nearby pumps varies.)
Plan to pack warm in the Winter, and cool in the Summer!
Please bring your own means of lighting outdoor fires should you wish to utilize our fire rings! Remember, indoor fires are strictly prohibited.

Remember, this is a trash free park. Guests must remove all trash from the house before departure. Our lockhouses are typically stocked with trash bags of varying sizes for guest use.

Only Lockhouses 6, 10, and 21 have indoor plumbing, including a bathroom and a shower. All other lockhouses have outdoor toilet facilities. There are no showers at these other locations. Outhouses located at or near Lockhouse 8, 22, 25, 28, and 49 are maintained by the National Park Service and drained weekly between March through early-December. Please note: In the uncommon event that the outhouses are full or unclean, the Trust can contact the Park, but immediate pumping/cleaning may not be possible.

Lockhouses 6, 10 and 21 have indoor plumbing and fresh, potable water indoors. Lockhouse 8 has a water provided via 5-gallon jugs and a dispenser in the kitchen. A potable water pump is also located at Lock 10, about 1/2 mile up the towpath. Lockhouse 49 has a potable, fresh water pump in the backyard which is available year-round. All other lockhouses (22, 25, 28) do NOT have a fresh water source on the property. Pumps are available at nearby hiker-biker campgrounds, but some are located a considerable distance away from Canal Quarters lockhouses. These pumps are only available from April 15th-November 15th and are considered non-potable. Guests should plan to filter, chemically treat, or boil water retrieved from campground pumps before use for their own protection. Water may be taken from nearby streams and rivers and treated with water purification tablets, but neither the Trust nor the Park can assure the safety of the water.

With the opening of the Great Allegheny Passage, many recreational enthusiasts now regularly make the trip from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Washington DC. The lockhouses in the Canal Quarters program offer a great alternative to the park’s hiker-biker campgrounds by allowing a visitor to experience the history of the canal in a more meaningful way. These homes function much like cabins in the PATC network; guests are expected to be good stewards of the homes and leave them in a clean and livable condition for the next guest. Hikers and Bikers should come prepared with lightweight sleeping supplies, such as sleeping bags and inflatable camping pillows, as the houses do not include linens such as pillows, sheets, or blankets. We also encourage you to bring your own means of lighting outdoor campfires as matches and lighters are not provided. Our rustic houses do have camping forks for roasting hot dogs, marshmallows, etc. Water is provided on site at Lockhouses 6, 10, 21, and 49. Water will need to be brought with you at Lockhouse 22, 25, and 28, gathered from the nearby Potomac River, or one of the water pumps at the nearest campground. Lockhouse 8 has a water dispenser and 5 gallon jugs, but water levels may vary. There is a potable water pump located at Lock 10, roughly 1/2 mile away. These pumps vary in distance from the lockhouses, anywhere from 1/4 mile to 3 miles away:

Lockhouse 8: Water dispenser in kitchen. If additional water is required, we suggest you use the potable water pump at Lock 10 (1/2 mile up towpath.)
Lockhouse 22: Water pump at Swains Lock (Lock 21) at towpath mile 16.64 (3 miles down towpath.)
Lockhouse 25: Chisel Branch Hiker Biker Campsite at towpath mile 30.5.(three-tenths of a mile down towpath)
Lockhouse 28: Non-Potable Water Pump at Bald Eagle Island Hiker Biker Campsite at towpath mile 50.3 (1.37 miles)

Please remember to filter and boil any water you gather from water pumps or the Potomac aside from those at Lock 10 and Lock 21. The park nor trust can be held liable for water quality from these sources. Finally, bug spray is always useful to keep on hand. These lockhouses are in, for lack of a better word, the middle of the woods in many cases. We provide wasp spray for emergency use, but mosquitoes, gnats, and chiggers may be present depending on the time of the year you are visiting. We also suggest writing your 6 digit lockbox code down, or keeping a cell-phone battery bank handy to ensure your access to the house. Cell reception can be spotty, so saving a screenshot of your confirmation email can be useful. You can use the following map to see the lockhouses in relation to other park features and sites:

All lockhouses are located immediately adjacent to the C&O Canal Towpath. All lockhouses, with the exception of Lockhouse 28, are located near to public parking lots. Lockhouse 28 is located 3/4 of a mile from the Point of Rocks boat ramp parking lot. Lockhouse 8's public parking lot requires walking down a moderately steep path which goes down the side of a hill. In public C&O Canal NHP lots, guests may park in any spot. Some lots do have reserved parking for Canal Quarters guests labeled either as "permit parking" or as "reserved for Canal Quarters guests." At Lockhouse 10 and 49, you may park directly in front of the house. A parking permit will be included in the confirmation email and should be displayed on the dashboard of your vehicle throughout your stay. While overnight parking is permitted in all C&O Canal NHP lots, it is strongly recommended you display this permit to inform park law enforcement and to ensure your vehicle is not ticketed or towed.

No. Camping is permitted only in the park’s designated campsites. Unfortunately, this does not include the yard or land around a lockhouse, even for registered guests.

Yes, the lockhouses can provide a beautiful backdrop for a special day, and have been reserved for weddings, receptions, anniversaries, birthdays, scout troops, and other gatherings.

Before you reserve the house, please consult the park’s permits page for information on any necessary permits. This, typically, only includes commercial use, very large groups, photography, videography, or events utilizing other parts of the park including the towpath.

Noise ordinance rules must be followed, especially in populous areas such as Montgomery County. For more information, please visit: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DEP/property-care/noise/index.html

Additionally, this is a TRASH FREE PARK, and ALL trash must be removed by guests

Please contact use at [email protected] with any questions regarding permitting.

Sure! They do not need an overnight parking permit and will therefore need to depart before sunset. Group leaders who reserved the house remain responsible for all guests.

The maximum occupancy for all Lockhouses is 8 guests. Camping around the lockhouses is strictly prohibited. If your party exceeds the maximum occupancy, those individuals are encouraged to stay at a nearby approved park campground or make other arrangements.

However, for day use, the Lockhouse and its surrounding grounds may be able to accommodate additional guests. Please contact us at [email protected] for inquiries concerning groups larger than eight persons who will not be staying overnight.

There is bike storage available in the basement of Lockhouses 6, 22, 25, 28, and 49. Lockhouse 8 has a side addition which can be used for bike storage by first entering the house, then unlocking the side door. Lockhouse 10 has no indoor storage for bikes, but does have a screened in porch which can be locked. At Lockhouse 21, Bikes may be stored in the main room if needed, however guests must clean ALL dirt, mud, and debris that are tracked in. Failure to do so may result in an additional service charge. They may also be stored outside the building, but it is advised to bring a lock and a chain for security. Do not store bikes or boats in the main floors of the buildings. Lockhouses 10 and 21 have bike racks outside. Note that use of electric motorized vessels is allowed only at Big Pool, Little Pool, and canal waters from Lock 68 to Town Creek Aqueduct. Gasoline and propane motorized vessels are prohibited within the park. Personal floatation devices should be used as required by the state of Maryland. Use special care if boating on the Potomac River. Canoeing on the Potomac should be done under the direct supervision of an experienced adult canoeist. The U.S. Weather Bureau provides a taped message on river conditions in the lower Potomac Valley at (703)260-0305.

There are various Potomac River access points all along the C&O Canal. Visit the C&O Canal NHP’s website for detailed information (http://www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm). Visitors are asked to use existing trails and not create any social trails.

C&O Canal NHP rules specify that all pets be on leashes in the park.

Unfortunately, Pets are not allowed inside the lockhouses at any time unless they are a service animal. If you have a service animal and plan to bring them to the lockhouse, prior verification/documentation is required.

Documentation for service animals can be sent to: [email protected]

Check-out & Departure

Guests are responsible for leaving the Lockhouse in a clean and tidy condition. We employ professional cleaning services only at Lockhouses 6, 10, and 21, but they do the basics: Sweeping, mopping, cleaning the bathrooms and other high-touch surfaces, etc. By leaving it better than you left it, you are ensuring a pleasant experience for the next guest. Professional cleaners do not service Lockhouses 22, 25, 28 and 49. Guests in all houses are responsible for tidying up the house at the end of their stay, including removing all trash, food, and personal items. Guests that leave a lockhouse and its immediate property messy, damaged, or unlivable for the next guests may incur additional fees and/or federal charges. Please refer to the Arrival/Departure Checklist for guidance on what you should do before you leave

Refer to the Arrival/Departure Checklist for the specifics on what you should accomplish before you leave.

The C&O Canal is a TRASH FREE PARK. Guests must remove ALL trash from the lockhouse prior to departure. At our full-amenity houses, trash bags are typically stocked for guest use.

Essentially, you are responsible for leaving the house in better condition than when you arrived, including cleaning up all evidence of food or trash, putting furniture back where you found it, cleaning out the firepit if you used it, collecting all personal belongings, and closing up the house when you leave.

Cleaning supplies vary by house. Generally supplies are as follows.

Full-Amenity Houses (and Lockhouse 49):

Dish Soap, Hand Soap.
Sponges
Paper Towels
Broom & Dustpan
Hand Sanitizer
Kitchen Spray
Trash Bags

Rustics (22, 25, and 28):

Hand sanitizer or Sanitizing Spray
Broom, Dustpan
Soap and Sponges
Disinfectant Wipes
Small trash bags

All houses have wasp spray for emergency situations only.

The C&O Canal National Historical Park is a trash-free park, which means that all visitors are responsible for taking their own trash out of the park with them when they leave.

Taking your trash with you is one of the guest responsibilities and is listed on the Arrival/Departure Checklist. Varying sizes of trash bags and other cleaning supplies are provided in our Lockhouses.

The park typically supplies trash bags in the parking lot nearest each Lockhouse as well, should the lockhouse be running low.

Each house is overseen by a group of dedicated volunteers called Quartermasters. They live near the house and take care of small maintenance issues such as weeding flower beds, changing lightbulbs and replacing toilet paper, updating lock codes, responding to some guest issues, and generally tidying up between guest stays. If you’re a history lover and would like to commit an average of two hours of your time to the house each week, please read more about the Quartermasters here and contact us at [email protected]. Thank you!

In and Around the Lockhouse

At this time, Lockhouse 21 is our only ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible lockhouse. If a guest using a wheelchair will be staying at the lockhouse, please notify us of this when you register. We will install the portable wheelchair ramp before you arrive. The house also has a roll-in shower, Murphy bed on the first floor, and wheelchair-accessible doorways.

All fires must be contained within park-designated fire rings or grills throughout the park; it is illegal to have a fire anywhere else.

All Lockhouses have fire rings in their yards, which are available for your use. You may also use camping stoves or grills outdoors, at least 10 feet from the Lockhouse.

All other types of open flame are illegal, including but not limited to:

Fireplaces – these are not functional
Candles
Smoking
Camping lanterns which are not battery-operated

Firewood is provided by the C&O Canal Trust and regularly monitored. Guests are asked kindly to be judicious with firewood use as it is costly and time-consuming to stock. In addition, you may collect small “brown and down” wood from the yard and immediate park vicinity around you. Do not cut anything from a living or standing tree or other plant, even if you think it’s dead. Please do not bring your own firewood into the park, as this can introduce invasive species. NOTE: If firewood is running low, please contact the Trust. We will try our best to refill it during your stay, but this may not always be possible. Guests are responsible for cleaning out firepits before they leave.

Alcoholic beverages may be consumed inside of the lockhouse structure only, not in the yard, at the firepit, or anywhere else in the park. Laws and regulations still apply.

No, none of the lockhouses have wi-fi. Visitors should not rely on cell phone reception anywhere along the towpath, especially in western Maryland. However, Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint typically work at Canal Quarters locations.

Visitors should not rely on cell service anywhere along the C&O Canal Towpath, especially in Western Maryland. However, Verizon, AT&T, US Cellular, and Sprint typically work at Canal Quarters locations.

No. Only one group may reserve the lockhouses at a time.

Each house is stocked with a guest services guide which provides several nearby places of interest and restaurants.

For more detailed information:

Check out our Plan Your Visit page for ideas and trip-planning support. Don’t forget to download the C&O Canal Explorer mobile app before you leave home. It costs 99 cents and is available on Google Play and the App Store. In addition to helping you plan your trip in the park by providing distances to various park sites, it lets you know which Canal Towns are nearby and what’s available there, including food, restaurants, grocery stores, repair shops, etc.

Parking & Getting into the Lockhouse

A six-digit code to the lockbox, which contains the key to the front door, is included with your registration email. Check-in/Check-Out for All Lockhouses Except Lockhouse 6:

Arrival: 3:00pm or later
Departure: 10:00am or Earlier

Arrival: 2pm - 2:45pm, or after 7:15pm
Departure: 10:00am or earlier

If you are arriving via the C&O Canal Towpath:

Arrival 2:00pm or later
Departure: 10:00am or earlier

Keys and Lockboxes We now have updated, electronic lockboxes! Once your registration is complete, you will receive a confirmation email with a four or six digit code. This will open the lockbox, which contains the key to the front door. Please keep our keys safe! To open our new lockboxes:

Tap and hold your finger to the screen to illuminate the keypad.
Press the arrow Icon in the lower left-hand corner several times to ensure the code is clear.
Type the six digit code, provided in your email. The screen should beep after each number is pressed.
Press the unlock/padlock icon in the lower right-hand corner to unlock. A long beep followed by a mechanical unlock noise will signal a successful entry.
Pull the front panel towards yourself using the finger-slots on the side of the device and retrieve the key.
To close, simply push the panel back in place gently. The lockbox will automatically lock itself.

Please store the house keys in the lockbox during your stay. This way, you won’t lose them and you’ll never be locked out. LOST KEYS WILL RESULT IN AN ADDITIONAL CHARGE OF $50.

All lockhouses are located immediately adjacent to the C&O Canal towpath.

Lockhouse 6 is located roughly 200 feet from the parking lot.

Lockhouse 10 has direct parking in front of the lockhouse.

Lockhouse 21 has direct parking behind the lockhouse

Lockhouse 22 is located roughly 500 feet from the parking lot.

Lockhouse 28 is located on the towpath about 3/4 of a mile from available parking. Visitors may not drive on the towpath.

Lockhouse 49 has direct parking on either side of the lockhouse. Please note that there is a slight incline on either side.

You will need to display the parking permit on the dashboard of each vehicle staying overnight with your party, and they must have the correct dates on them. Any vehicles left overnight in the lot without a parking permit displayed could be ticketed by park law enforcement.

If you forget your parking permit, simply write a note with your name, phone number, and general information about your reservation, then place it on your front window or dashboard.

If you leave your vehicle overnight anywhere in the park, be sure to bring valuables inside the house with you or leave them at home. Always lock your vehicle. Break-ins and damage can happen in the park, even during the day.

Yes, but not in Canal Quarters reserved parking (marked either as "permit" parking or "For Canal Quarters Guests Only")

Once you have checked out, Simply move your vehicle to a non-Canal Quarters/permit parking spot and head out on your adventure!

Sometimes other visitors park illegally in Canal Quarters dedicated spots, which are marked with signs. If you arrive and someone is in your spots, the easiest thing to do is park elsewhere in the lot and then move your car into the Canal Quarters spaces later. They’re usually gone in a couple of hours. But if this is not possible, please call the park’s non-emergency police line at (301) 714-2235, and they will dispatch a cruiser to address the issue. Please understand that the Trust does not have any policing authority in the park and cannot remove visitors for you.

For further questions about parking in the park, please visit here.

Due to the busy nature of the Canal Quarters program, we’re rarely able to let guests check in early or stay late, including dropping off personal items early, without booking an additional night. Call (240) 202-2625 x190 with any further questions.

Registration and Policies

Registrations are available on a first-come first-serve basis and may be made up to twelve months in advance. This may only be done with a credit card online; we are unable to take registrations over the phone. To reserve your stay, click the “Book Now” button on the main page of your chosen lockhouse. Here you will be able to see the availability calendar and its key. It will show two months at a time. To see future months, please click the double arrow in the upper right corner of the calendar, circled here in red: Click on the nights you wish to stay, and follow the prompts to complete your registration. For example, if you select the 12th, that means you will be arriving on the 12th, staying for one night, and departing on the 13th. If you also select the 13th, that will mean a two-night stay, departing on the 14th. Online registration shows “real-time” lockhouse availability. Follow the guided process and be sure to have your credit card ready. Make sure you enter it slowly and correctly. Once your registration has been successfully submitted, you will receive two emails: a receipt and a confirmation with detailed instructions. DO NOT hit the “back” button during your registration process as this will put your registration in a pending state, locking you out. If this happens, please email us at [email protected] and we will manually reset it for you. The Trust does not keep a wait list. By completing the registration, you agree to follow and be legally responsible for ensuring that your group adheres to all rules and regulations. Violations of the Trust User Agreement and/or National Park Service regulations may result in legal and/or financial charges. The group leader agrees to remain with the group during their entire stay in the Canal Quarters program.

To purchase a gift certificate for someone, click on the “Gift Certificates” button on the house’s main page. The gift certificate will apply to that house only. The party receiving the gift certificate will have up to one year from the date of purchase to reserve (not use) their stay in a Canal Quarters lockhouse.

To use a gift certificate that someone has given you, select the appropriate house and click on “Book Now” to open the availability calendar and reservation page. Select the night(s) you’d like to spend in the lockhouse in the availability calendar. Then scroll down the page and you’ll see the registration form. At the top of that form is a field for you to enter in your gift certificate’s number.

Gift certificates may be transferred to other dates, following the normal rescheduling policies, but may not be transferred to other houses. Gift certificates will expire one year from the date of purchase. This doesn’t mean you have to stay in the house within one year, only that you must apply the gift certificate to a reservation.

Gift certificates cannot be refunded.

What’s in the confirmation email?

- Your unique registration number and confirmation code
- Your six digit lockbox code
- Information about your stay, such as dates and address of the lockhouse
- Directions and maps
- Our cancellation and reschedule policies.

Other documents included:

Parking permit with the dates of your stay on it. Print out one copy per vehicle staying overnight.
Arrival/Departure Review– print this out, or retain a digital copy for your review.
Canal Quarters User Agreement – you may wish to print this out or be able to access it on your phone
Lockbox Instructions: A PDF detailing how to use our lockboxes (always near or on the front door.)

Double-check that you entered your email address into the reservation correctly, then check your spam box. Our confirmation emails occasionally end up there. If you still don’t see anything from us, please email us at [email protected], and we will resend the confirmation email to you.

Cancellations:

· More than 30 days prior: Full refund less a $15 card processing fee.

· Less than 30 days prior: No refund available.

Note: Reservations made less than 30 days prior to the date of arrival are not eligible for a refund.

Reschedule:

· More than 7 days prior: One-time reschedule.

· Less than 7 days prior: No reschedule available.

A note on requesting refunds: All proceeds from the Canal Quarters program go toward rehabilitating, preserving, and maintaining these nearly 200-year-old lockhouses and the staffing and resources to do so. We will always honor the cancellation and reschedule policies above, but we ask that you consider allowing funds to stay in the program as a donation to a unique interpretive program in a national park. Thank you!

Guests are responsible for monitoring the weather before their visit. If severe weather prohibits travel, we may be able to offer the opportunity to reschedule your visit. However, reservations still follow the 30-day cancellation policy. Full refunds cannot be provided for weather-related issues except in emergency situations such as severe thunderstorms, flooding tornadoes, earthquakes, etc. A rainy forecast in and of itself is not grounds for a full-refund. If a severe, unexpected weather-related emergency impacts the house, we may need to cancel your visit. In such cases, we will provide a full-refund, gift code, or can reschedule your stay to any date up to one year in advance.

Top image by Mike Mitchell