You can now create your own itineraries to guide your C&O Canal exploration, or you can copy one of ours! Learn more about Itineraries.
Fletchers Cove provides an escape to nature where you can enjoy fishing, boating, bicycling, and hiking, all without leaving the District of Columbia. Learn more.
Fletchers Cove provides an escape to nature where you can enjoy fishing, boating, bicycling, and hiking, all without leaving the District of Columbia.
It is hard to get to, but well worth the visit. By car, Fletchers Cove is only accessible via a one-lane entrance road off of Canal Road. Past the Abner Cloud House, the road winds through a low, c. 1828 stone tunnel underneath the C&O Canal. A world of recreational possibilities lies on the other side of the tunnel.
Fletchers is a small cove leading out to the Potomac River. With Little Falls upstream, the fishing hole at Fletchers Cove is second to none. For boaters interested in slow waters or bird and turtle watching, Fletchers Cove is one of the best places along the entire canal to canoe or kayak.
Fletchers Cove is also an ideal place to start a hike or bike ride. Here, the Capital Crescent Trail crosses and then parallels the towpath. From Fletchers Cove, you can hike or bike into Georgetown, Bethesda, or go all the way to Cumberland Maryland.
At Fletchers Cove, you can rent rowboats, kayaks, canoes and bikes from the concession stand, and either picnic on the wide lawns by the cove or grab a hot dog from the snack bar.
Former U.S. Presidents Andrew Jackson, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter have all visited Fletchers. It is a place where families have been coming for generations.
We know that to preserve something, you need to experience it, so we are proud to provide support to the C&O National Historical Park as their official philanthropic partner.
Please visit the National Park Service website for the following information:
For more information and nearby places to stay or grab a bite to eat, please visit our local tourism partners:
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There has been a lapse in appropriations, and a shutdown of the federal government is currently in effect. Much of the C&O Canal National Historical Park remains open to the public, however, the National Park Service is not able to operate as normal. Visitor services, including park visitor centers and other NPS-staffed facilities, will not be available. Inquiries to the National Park Service will not be received or responded to until the shutdown ends.
The C&O Canal Trust’s staff are currently working remotely. Scheduled Trust events and Canal Quarters reservations will continue as scheduled. While a federal government shutdown is in effect, visitors should not expect services typically provided by the National Park Service to be available. All visitors are urged to practice safety in the park and plan ahead. Be a good park steward by recreating responsibly and practicing Leave No Trace principles, respecting cultural and natural resources.
Information regarding the Department of Interior’s Operations in the Absence of Appropriations can be found here: https://www.doi.gov/shutdown.
When federal funding is restored, we look forward to continuing to work with our park partner to ensure the C&O Canal remains beautiful, safe, and welcoming for visitors today and for future generations. Love the Park? Help the Trust! Consider making a donation. Your support directly helps fund beautification, conservation, education, and preservation initiatives in the park.