Plan Your Visit
The C&O Canal National Historical Park contains over 20,000 acres of historical, natural, and recreational treasures! The park annually ranks in the top 20 most visited national parks out of over 430 in the National Park System, with roughly 5 million visitors each year. Featuring a 184.5-mile towpath, spanning from Georgetown, in the District of Columbia, to Cumberland, in western Maryland, the park is popular with hikers and bikers, as well as paddlers who enjoy the neighboring Potomac River and its offshoots. With opportunities to learn about rare and threatened species of plants and animals, over 1,000 historic structures, and a rich history of native cultures, transportation growth, and Civil War conflict, the park has something to offer everyone!
You can download our C&O Canal Explorer mobile app for a map of over 600 points of interest, driving directions, and much more!
If this is your first time visiting, you’ve come to the right place! Below is everything you need to know as you plan your trip.
The C&O Canal is a long, skinny park that stretches 184.5 miles from Georgetown in Washington, D.C. to Cumberland, MD. There are many entrance points along the length of the canal, and all of them are free except for the Great Falls Tavern entry point. Unless you are planning to travel the entire 184.5-mile towpath by bike or on foot, you will likely want to select a region to visit.
