Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park DC,MD,WV
Lat, Long: 39.000283692, -77.2481399539
Designation: National Historical Park
Preserving America's early transportation history, the C&O Canal began as a dream of passage to Western wealth. Operating for nearly 100 years the canal was a lifeline for communities along the Potomac River as coal, lumber, and agricultural products floated down the waterway to market. Today it endures as a pathway for discovering historical, natural, and recreational treasures.
Weather:
The Washington, DC, area has a four-season Mid-Atlantic climate. Summertime is warm and humid, while winter can be cold and snowy. Precipitation averages 2-4” monthly, year-round. The climate gradually gets cooler and wetter further west along the canal where the elevation is higher.
Directions:
The park has numerous access points. There is no main entrance. In Washington, DC, the C&O Canal begins in Georgetown on 29th Street NW, south of M Street, and runs alongside Canal Road / Clara Barton Parkway out of DC to the west. The entrance to Great Falls is at Canal Road and MacArthur Blvd in Potomac, MD. Park Headquarters and the Williamsport Visitor Center are located off I-81 at exit 2. Cumberland Visitor Center is off I-68 at exit 43C. See the maps page for more.
For more details ›Address/Contact:
142 W. Potomac St.
Williamsport, US, 21795
Phone: 301-739-4200
Email: CHOH_Information@nps.gov
Entrance Fees:
Entrance - Private Vehicle
$20.00
Pass is for one private, non-commercial vehicle — passenger cars, pickup trucks, RVs and vans — and is valid at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River and Great Falls Park on the Virginia side of the Potomac River.
Entrance - Motorcycle
$15.00
Pass is for one motorcycle and is valid at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River and at Great Falls Park on the Virginia side of the Potomac River.
Entrance - Per Person
$10.00
Pass is for one person 16 years of age or older — entering on foot or by bicycle — and is valid at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River and at Great Falls Park on the Virginia side of the Potomac River.
Entrance - Education/Academic Groups
$0.00
Academic groups visiting the Great Falls area for a park ranger program have an automatic entrance fee waiver. Accredited academic institutions or groups coming to the Great Falls area of the park for a curriculum based visit, not attending a park ranger program must apply for an academic fee waiver. All materials must be provided in order to be considered. A fee waiver is not guaranteed. Allow up to two weeks for processing. Please email application to choh_educational_fee_waiver@nps.gov.
Entrance - Non-commercial Groups
$20.00
Includes church groups, college/school groups, scouts, service organizations, military, etc... Vehicles with passenger capacity of fewer than 16 persons, $20 for the vehicle. Vehicles with a passenger capacity of 16 or more persons, $10 per person age 16 and over. Removal of seats from a vehicle does not then qualify for the lower rate. Age and pass exemptions apply. The total fee charged for an Organized Non-Commercial Group will not exceed the $100 fee per vehicle.
Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach
$100.00
The commercial pass is valid for date of purchase plus six days at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Please note that fees are based on vehicle capacity and not actual occupants.
Commercial Entrance - Van
$40.00
The commercial pass is valid for date of purchase plus six days at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Please note that fees are based on vehicle capacity and not actual occupants.
Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus
$40.00
The commercial pass is valid for date of purchase plus six days at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Please note that fees are based on vehicle capacity and not actual occupants.
Commercial Entrance - Sedan
$25.00
The commercial pass is valid for date of purchase plus six days at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Please note that fees are based on vehicle capacity and not actual occupants.
