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Routes USA District of ColumbiaWashington
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail
Washington, District of Columbia, USA
Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail

Length15.1 mi
Elev. Gain282.1 ft
Est. Steps35000
Trail
Dog friendly
Scenic view
Historic site
Forest
Lake or River
Created by Tyler

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail Introduction

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail is a 15.1 mile (35,000-step) route located near Washington, District of Columbia, USA. This route has an elevation gain of about 282.1 ft and is rated as hard. Find the best walking trails near you in Pacer App.
The first 14 miles of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal trail. Beginning at the trailhead in Georgetown and ending at the Great Falls. Along the way there are several lock houses (some available as rental cabins) and scenic views of the Potomac River. There is no public transport back, so you need to plan for a 28 mile walk or get picked up at Great Falls.

Waypoints

Start Point

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trailhead

Waypoint 1

Potomac River Belvedere Viewpoint

Waypoint 2

Lock 6

Waypoint 3

Little Falls Whitewater Course

Waypoint 4

Footbridge to MacArthur Blvd

Waypoint 5

Potomac Viewpoint

Waypoint 6

Lock 10

Waypoint 7

Lock 11

Waypoint 8

Widewater

Waypoint 9

Overlook

Waypoint 10

Great Falls

Waypoint 11

Canal Boat Charles Mercer

End Point

Observation Deck for Washington Aqueduct

Attractions Near Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail

© Wikipedia © OpenStreetMap

Chain Bridge (Potomac River)

Tourist Attraction
The Chain Bridge is a viaduct which crosses the Potomac River at Little Falls in Washington, D.C.. The steel girder bridge carries close to 22,000 cars a day. It connects Washington with affluent sections of Arlington and Fairfax counties in Virginia. On the Washington side, the bridge connects with Canal Road.

Cabin John Creek

Water
Cabin John Creek is a tributary stream of the Potomac River in Montgomery County, Maryland. The watershed covers an area of 26 square miles (67 km2). The headwaters of the creek originate in the city of Rockville, and the creek flows southward for 10.9 miles (17.5 km) to the Potomac River.The Cabin John Stream Valley Trail follows the course of the creek for 8.8 miles (14.2 km), passing through Cabin John Regional Park and Cabin John Local Park.

Carderock Recreation Area

Tourist Attraction
Carderock Recreation Area is a 100-acre park in Carderock, Maryland, part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. The area is well known as a destination for its outdoor activities of rock climbing, hiking and biking. It is bounded by the Potomac River on the south and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal on the north, and it is accessed from Clara Barton Parkway from the same exit as Carderock Division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center.

Fletcher's Cove

Tourist Attraction
Fletcher's Cove is a park and recreation area owned and managed by National Park Service, located at 4940 Canal Road, Washington, D.C. 20007, between Chain and Key Bridges, part of Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park.Fletcher's Cove, called by many customers "Fletcher's Boathouse", has been in this location since the 1850s and is renowned as a fishing and recreational area.

Clara Barton National Historic Site

Place
The Clara Barton National Historic Site, which includes the Clara Barton House, was established in 1974 to interpret the life of Clara Barton (1821–1912), an American pioneer teacher, nurse, and humanitarian who was the founder of the American Red Cross. The site is located 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of Washington D.

Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart

Building
Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart, often shortened to Dahlgren Chapel, is a Roman Catholic chapel located in Dahlgren Quadrangle on the main campus of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Built in 1893, it is located in the historic center of the campus.The chapel falls within the territorial jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Washington and is administered by the Society of Jesus.

Bear Island (Maryland)

Place
Bear Island is an island located in Potomac, Montgomery County, Maryland between the Potomac River and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal near the Great Falls. It is managed by the National Park Service as part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park and is co-owned by The Nature Conservancy.

Chautauqua Tower

Place
The Chautauqua Tower is located at Glen Echo Park in Montgomery County, Maryland, USA. It is a Richardsonian Romanesque circular structure of irregularly shaped, rough-faced stone, dominating the central entrance to the park. Construction of the tower was started in either 1890 or 1891, it was completed in 1892, and is approximately 34 feet in diameter and three stories high, capped by an 11-sided roof of steep pitch with a flagpole rising from its peak.

Foundry Branch

Place
Foundry Branch is a tributary stream of the Potomac River in Washington, DC. The historic headwaters of the stream originate in the Tenleytown area in Northwest Washington, however at present the section of the stream north of Massachusetts Avenue is hydrologically separated from the lower section and runs through a large stormwater pipe under the daylighted portion.

Potomac Palisades Site

Place
The Potomac Palisades Site is an archaeological site in Washington, D.C., United States. Measuring approximately 1 acre (0.40 ha) in area, the site lies near the intersection of MacArthur Boulevard and Foxhall Road, along the Potomac River. It is one of many archaeological sites located in the present-day Potomac Palisades; a 1984 field survey revealed evidence that supported earlier ideas of the archaeological richness of the northern bank of the Potomac in this area.
Last updated: Apr 1, 2026

Route Details

Length

15.1 mi

Elev. Gain

282.1 ft

Est. Steps

35000
Created by
Tyler
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