nps.gov/choh; hdaylight
hours; c). The pathway
runs from here, on
Washington, DC’s
southwestern shores,
184.5 miles up the
Potomac River to
Cumberland, MD, over
74 elevation-changing
locks.
In Georgetown,
the canal runs along
a verdant, willow-
shaded tunnel of trees.
There’s a convincing
reconstruction of
the first leg of the
canal path, staffed by
the aforementioned
costumed interpreters
working out of the
Georgetown Visitor
Center (%202-653-5190;
1057 Thomas Jefferson Rd,
Georgetown; h9:30am-
4:30pm Jun-Aug).5 p201
The Drive » The drive from
Georgetown to Fletcher’s Boat
House is short but sweet.
Head directly west on M St
(and be ready to deal with
traffic). After 0.5 miles M St
becomes Canal Rd, which
parallels the towpath. Follow
Canal Rd for 1.7 miles; Fletcher
will be on your left.2 Fletcher’s Boat
House
The first stop for almost
all travelers leaving
the towpath from
Georgetown is Fletcher’s
Boat House (%202-244-
0461; http://www.fletcherscove.com;
4940 Canal Rd NW; watercraft
per hr/day from $11/25; h7am-
7pm Mar-Nov), a good spot
for a picnic or, if you’re
looking to boat around,
organizing gear rental. Be
careful as you go; while
the Potomac is beautiful,
the currents can be
dodgy, despite the calm
appearance of the water.The Drive » Continue northwest
along Canal Rd, which becomes
the Clara Barton Pkwy when you
cross the Maryland border (after
1 mile). Continue along the Clara
Barton Pkwy for about 7 miles,
then turn left onto MacArthur
Blvd. Follow for 3.5 miles into
Great Falls National Park.m
Across the
Appalachian
Trail
Head west from
Harpers Ferry into the
Appalachian wilderness.
f
Maryland’s
National
Historic Road
From Brunswick, head
northeast into the
historical downtown of
Frederick.
LINK
YOUR
TRIPStart: 7 Harpers Ferry
Northwest of Harpers Ferry, the canal continues into West Virginia and Western MD.
Paw Paw Tunnel, in Paw Paw, WV, runs directly into the mountains and out of them
again; the edifice speaks to both the will of the canal’s builders and the somewhat
quixotic nature of their enterprise, as all of this (literal) moving of mountains did
nothing to save their investment. Oh well – still makes a nice walk.
Once you hit Cumberland, this is, as the Doors would say, the end – of the C&O
Canal. Cumberland, MD, is Mile 184.5, the trail’s terminus, marked by the C&O’s
Cumberland Visitor Center (%301-722-8226; http://www.nps.gov/choh; 13 Canal Pl; h9am-5pm
Mon-Fri; p), itself an excellent museum on all things related to the canal. Go have a
beer, and consider delving into one of our many Appalachian trips.
To get to Paw Paw, take US 340W to VA-7W to hit Winchester. Then take VA-127N
to WV-29N and follow signs to Paw Paw. From Paw Paw, take MD-51N to reach
Cumberland (two hours from Harpers Ferry).PAW PAW & CUMBERLAND
DETOUR:
WASHINGTON.DC,.MARYLAND.&.DELAWARE.TRIPS.16
.ALONG THE C&O CANAL