This Road Trip West of Washington, DC Follows One of America’s Most Historic Waterways
- Greg Phillips
- Mar 30
- 4 min read
This byway is one of our choices for Maryland’s Top Scenic Byways, as listed in our Maryland section.
Completed in 1850 and operating until 1924, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal runs nearly 185 miles along the northern bank of the Potomac River, from the outdoorsy mountain town of Cumberland to Washington’s tony Georgetown neighborhood. An engineering marvel in its day, the C&O Canal transported bulk commodities, such as coal, lumber and wheat. Tied to boats, mules walked slowly alongside the canal as they helped move traffic through the waterway. Called a towpath, this mule trail is now popular with bikers, walkers and runners.
The byway follows the same general path, connecting vehicles to countless historic sites, towns, breweries, restaurants, campgrounds and recreational opportunities. Our itinerary goes against the current, traveling upstream and uphill from Georgetown to Cumberland.
About six miles northwest of Georgetown, Glen Echo Park sits at Canal Lock 7, one of 74 lift locks along the C&O. Once Washington’s premier amusement park, Glen Echo closed in 1968. Today, 13 resident artists and organizations are here, along with numerous studios, galleries, an aquarium and a restored 1921 Dentzel Carousel.
Clara Barton lived in Glen Echo until her death in 1912. One of most revered women in American history, Barton was a nurse who founded the American Red Cross. Now a National Historic Site, you can tour her home which was also the organization’s headquarters.
Continue 3.5 miles west on the Clara Barton Parkway to Carderock Recreation Area, popular for rock climbing, hiking and biking. The C&O Canal is one big national historical park with several visitor centers along its 184.5 miles. From Carderock, drive 4.5 miles to the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center. There’s an overlook for the namesake waterfalls, mule-drawn rides on a replica canal boat and many trails, including the well-known Billy Goat Trail.
The byway then veers away from the river for several completely different attractions. In 7.5 miles look for the modern, clean lines of the Glenstone Museum, exhibiting some 1,300 contemporary works from global artists. Over the next 37 miles, there are several other road trip-worthy stops:
Rocklands is a family-owned winery and working farm known for wine tastings and grass-fed meats.
Soleado Lavender Farm makes bouquets, soaps, essential oils and candles.
The Comus Inn is a restaurant, craft beer garden and live music venue in an historic farm setting.
Rocky Point Creamery features more than 80 flavors of homemade ice cream from land the family has farmed since 1883.
From Rocky Point Creamery, it’s one mile to the much-photographed Point of Rocks Train Station. Dating to 1875, the Victorian building is on the National Register of Historic Places and still used by passenger trains. The station sits next to the C&O Canal within sight of Point of Rocks Bridge, a crossing point into Virginia via US 15. This is also the intersection of the north/south Journey Through Hallowed Ground Byway, as featured in our Virginia section.
Near Point of Rocks is Lockhouse 28. If you’re looking to mix up your rustic stays, the canal has a unique camping alternative. Lock keepers managed the locks and lived in lockhouses. Dozens were built along the towpath and today, seven have been restored with authentic period furnishings. Completed in 1837, Lockhouse 28 is the most remote, a ¾ mile hike from the parking area. To make reservations and research the other lockhouses, go to the C&O Canal Trust’s website.
From Point of Rocks, it’s nine miles to the Brunswick Heritage Museum with three floors of railroad exhibits. Brunswick is a decent-sized riverside town with restaurants, a brewery and campground.
Next, go eight miles to Harpers Ferry, where the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers meet and three states come together: Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. The town has a distinctive history, too, involving manufacturing, the railroad, slavery, an integrated school and the largest surrender of Union troops during the Civil War, which you can learn about at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.
A major Civil War site is the next important stop. From Harpers Ferry, cross back into Maryland and go 19 miles north to Antietam National Battlefield where 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or went missing on September 17, 1862. The Battle of Antietam ended the Confederate's first invasion into the Union.
It’s 13 miles from Antietam to Williamsport and the Williamsport Visitor Center where several major canal structures are clustered within a ½ mile stretch. They include Lock 44 and its lockhouse, an aqueduct, railroad lift bridge, turning basin and trolley barn. The center offers free bikes to get around. Williamsport lies just outside Hagerstown, a sizable city with anything you need.
If you’re interested in a paved route to cycle, skate, run or walk, from Williamsport drive about 13 miles west to Big Pool and the start of the Western Maryland Rail Trail. For about 28 miles, asphalt parallels the C&O Canal Towpath, ending past Little Orleans.
It’s 30 miles driving distance to Little Orleans and then another 11 miles to one of the canal’s most noteworthy engineering achievements, Paw Paw Tunnel. Painstakingly constructed over 14 years and completed in 1850, today you can walk through this 3,118-foot-long hole in the rock.
You’re now in the heart of Maryland’s mountains, with countless recreational and camping options. Green Ridge State Forest features 49,000 acres of hiking, paddling, fishing, hunting and trapping.
This tour of “The Grand Old Ditch” ends 25 miles west of the Paw Paw Tunnel in Cumberland, an attractive Allegheny mountain town with outdoor outfitters, ice cream and coffee shops, several restaurants and a brewery. Not surprisingly, the town teems with history, as evidenced by the comprehensive Allegany Museum. For more exhibits on the canal, the Western Maryland Railway Station is home to the C&O Canal Visitors Museum. This is also where you’ll board the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. Pulled by historic steam and diesel locomotives, trains run year-round, offering all kinds of themes from Dinner and Ice Cream to Moonlight on the Mountain, Murder Mystery and Polar Express.
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