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.
Paw Paw, West Virginia is a small town located near a section of the Potomac River that contains five horseshoe-shaped bends. Town and bends are named after the native paw paw fruit trees that flourish in the area. Learn more.
Paw Paw, West Virginia is a small town located near a section of the Potomac River that contains five horseshoe-shaped bends. Town and bends are named after the native paw paw fruit trees that flourish in the area. In the 1830s the C&O Canal’s engineers found themselves with the task of constructing the Canal around or through this difficult area of the Potomac. They settled on a plan that bypassed the river by building a 3,118-foot-long tunnel straight through a mountain. The time and cost to build the tunnel were severely underestimated and, as a result, almost bankrupted the C&O Canal Company. This was the reason that the Canal terminus was changed from its planned destination of Pittsburgh to Cumberland.
Today the towpath and tunnel are both intact and can be readily explored. The 2014 construction of a hiker-biker path provides a safer way to access the MD 51 Oldtown Road Bridge from the C&O Canal towpath near the Paw Paw Tunnel. Just across the river travelers will find food and lodging options in this friendly West Virginia town.
Download brochure: C&O Canal Trail to History: Hancock, Paw Paw, Oldtown, Cumberland
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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C&O Canal Explorer!
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.