Is Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park worth it?
The C&O Canal is one of the most quietly underrated linear parks in the country.
Stretching roughly 185 miles from Washington DC to Cumberland Maryland, it offers a flat, accessible towpath that functions as a genuine multi-use corridor rather than just a historic curiosity. The $10 entry fee is almost laughably reasonable for what you get: year-round access, serious biking and paddling options, camping along the route, and enough industrial history to give the whole thing a backbone. This is not a destination you visit once. People return seasonally, for different segments, for different reasons.
Who it is for
Cyclists planning multi-day towpath trips, families with kids who need flat and forgiving terrain, paddlers wanting calm Potomac-adjacent water, and history buffs interested in canal-era commerce. Hikers chasing dramatic elevation or remote wilderness will want to look elsewhere.
Highlights
- A 185-mile flat towpath ideal for long-distance biking or front-country hiking in manageable segments
- Boat tours that put the working canal era in direct physical context
- Camping strung along the route, making multi-day self-supported trips genuinely practical
- Winter access for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing when Mid-Atlantic conditions cooperate
Editor's tipThe towpath is open every single day of the year, so shoulder seasons in spring and fall are ideal for beating summer humidity and weekend crowds near the DC end. If you are planning a multi-day bike trip, map your campsite reservations well in advance since the most accessible spots fill quickly.
