Current Conditions
River and towpath information. 
Visitor Center Hours and Seasons
Seven visitor centers are spread over the 184.5 miles of the C&O Canal. Each has separate hours and seasons. 
Fees and Pass information
Entrance fees are collected at the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center entrance of the canal. 142 W. Potomac St. Williamsport, MD 21795 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. 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. Entrance Fee (Standard Entrance Pass)
Other Entrance Passes
Brunswick Visitor CenterThe Brunswick Visitor Center is located just off the C&O Canal towpath at mile 55 in Frederick County, MD. The visitor center shares a building with the Brunswick Heritage Museum. For over a century Brunswick has been a railroad town. This once bustling company town is now a quiet place since the decline of the railroads. The remains of the rail yard are still visible from the canal towpath. Cumberland Visitor CenterThe Cumberland Terminus Visitor Center is located at mile 184.5 along the C&O Canal towpath in Allegany County, MD. Located in the Western Maryland Railway station, the visitor center features a spacious exhibit area full of interactive displays about the history of the C&O Canal and Cumberland. Pass through a model of the Paw Paw Tunnel and step back into the hey day of the canal. Awaiting you is a life size section of a canal boat. View exhibits on the canal's construction, cargo, mules, locks, and crew. Georgetown Visitor CenterThe Georgetown Visitor Center is located at mile 0.4 along the C&O Canal towpath in Washington, DC. Information about the National Park Service in Georgetown can be found at the Old Stone House (Rock Creek Park), located at 3051 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007. Great Falls Tavern Visitor CenterThe Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center is located at mile 14.3 (Lock 20) along the C&O Canal towpath in Potomac, MD. Williamsport Visitor CenterThe Cushwa Basin Visitor Center in Williamsport is located at mile 99.8 along the C&O Canal towpath in Washington County, MD. Situated at the confluence of the Conococheague Creek and the Potomac River, Williamsport was first settled in 1740. A half-mile rewatered section of canal leads through the turning basin, under the only railroad lift bridge on the canal, and continues to Lockhouse 44 and the adjacent lock. The Conocheague Aqueduct is located across from the turning basin. Public WiFi is not available.
WiFi is not available at Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. Cell phone service is generally available in populated places, but can be spotty and unreliable, like portions of the Billy Goat Trail. Do not depend on service in remote places of the park. Recreation Guide by Milepost |
Last updated: January 11, 2025