Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park · MD

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath

Live · updated Jun 3, 9:46 PM ET

Today

Park closure — trail is inaccessible today.

Today's best: hiking

6 /100

Skip

Trail: prime

Closures: Detours; Towpath; Points of Interest

Multiple items are closed due to hazardous conditions or maintenance. See below for more details.

Details from the park agency →

Unknown Test Message

Conditions

Air temp

79°F

Clear

Wind

3 mph

Rain

Last 48h: 0.00″

Trail

prime

dirt surface

Sunset

8:29 PM

42 min daylight left

Moon

Waning Gibbous

87% illuminated

Score by activity

Hiking

Ideal 48–75°F

6/100

Park closure — trail is inaccessible today.

Trail running

Ideal 42–65°F

20/100

Park closure — trail is inaccessible today.

Mountain biking

Ideal 45–78°F

20/100

Park closure — trail is inaccessible today.

Score breakdown

· 79°F air — Within comfort range, outside ideal
✓ Trail: prime — No meaningful rain in the last 48 hours. Trail surface is dry and tacky — prime traction.
− NWS alert active — Check the alert before heading out
− 42 min of daylight — You need at least 223 min with margin. Bring a headlamp or start tomorrow.

Trail facts

Distance: 6.37 mi
Elevation gain: 74 ft
Surface: dirt

Trailhead

Coordinates

38.9784, -77.2102 — MD.

Park

Part of Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (official site →).

Park advisories

DC Water Sewer Overflow

DC Water is managing a sanitary sewer overflow from the Potomac Interceptor near Lock 10. Anyone with questions or in need of support can reach out to DC Water’s 24-Hour Command Center at (202) 612-3400 or visit https://www.dcwater.com/about-dc-water/media/potomac-interceptor-collapse.

Equestrian Traffic Temporarily Prohibited - Mile 124.5 to 155

Horses are prohibited between Little Tonoloway (mile 124.5) and Paw Paw (mile 155) due to recent and ongoing towpath resurfacing. See more for details.

Hiking in Gold Mine Tract

Visitors are restricted to the designated trails within the Gold Mine Tract in the Great Falls area. This location is generally defined as that area bordered by MacArthur Boulevard and Berma Road and depicted on the Great Falls Maryland Hiking Map.

Tick awareness

Peak nymphal tick activity — check yourself within 2 hours of leaving the trail.

Nearby Trails

Billy Goat Trail, Section C

0.2 mi

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park · 0.07 mi · Dirt

Billy Goat Trail Section C

0.5 mi

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park · 1.59 mi · Dirt

Billy Goat Trail Section B

0.6 mi

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park · 1.44 mi moderate · Dirt

Rockwood Spur

1.1 mi

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park · 0.48 mi · Dirt

Frequently Asked

How long is Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath?

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath is a 6.37-mile route with 74 feet of elevation gain. The trail facts panel on this page lists distance, surface, and access tags as they appear in OpenStreetMap.

What's the trail surface like at Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath?

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath is natural dirt singletrack — soft underfoot, holds water, slow to dry after rain. Today's mud rating, derived from recent precipitation and the surface type, is shown in the conditions panel above.

Who manages Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath, and where do closure alerts come from?

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath is in Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, which is managed by the National Park Service. Closure and advisory data on this page comes from the live NPS alerts API for this park unit. Always confirm against the park's own page before driving — emergency closures can post faster than scrapers refresh.