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Outdoors

C and O Canal Towpath Bike Ride

Follow the canal towpath upriver from Georgetown beside the Potomac, past the Abner Cloud House (1801), Little Falls Dam, old locks and lock houses and the Carderock area, to Great Falls, where the river drops about 23 m (76 ft) in a mile. The towpath is mostly flat and is the first stretch of a 297 km (184.5 mile) route to Cumberland, Maryland.

For The Reps · Updated

bike ride scenery for C and O Canal Towpath near Maryland
Photo: C&O towpath at Big Slackwater MD1 by Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0). Via Wikimedia Commons.
Where
Maryland, USA
Distance
23 km (14.3 miles) one way; 46 km (28.6 miles) out and back

The route

Georgetown (mile 0) to Great Falls Tavern (mile 14.3) and back on the C&O Canal towpath.

The towpath begins at mile 0 in Georgetown, Washington, DC. To skip the busy Georgetown streets, park at Fletchers Cove (4940 Canal Road NW, mile 3.1) instead. Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center is at 11710 MacArthur Boulevard, Potomac, Maryland.

When to go

Open all year. Water pumps at the hiker-biker campgrounds usually work from mid-April to mid-November.

Permits and fees

The park is free except the Great Falls Tavern area, where anyone 16 or over arriving by bike or on foot needs a $10 pass (vehicles $20). Passes are also valid at Great Falls Park in Virginia, and no cash is accepted (2026 rates).

Before you go

  • The towpath is unpaved; the Georgetown end was surfaced with crushed stone for cycling.
  • At Great Falls, the park advises cyclists to head upriver from the visitor centre, away from the busy hiking trails.
  • Look for bald eagles, which have nested on Conn Island just above Great Falls Tavern since 1986.
  • Check the park's Current Conditions page first: in 2026 the Lock 5 car park is closed, the Carderock tunnel has alternating one-lane traffic, and DC Water repair work may cause short delays near Lock 10.

What to bring

  • Helmet
  • Spare tube, tyre levers and a pump
  • Water and snacks
  • Front and rear lights
  • A layer for descents and stops

Getting ready for it

Time in the saddle matters more than speed.

If you have not ridden for a while, do two or three rides of an hour or two first so your legs and your seat are used to it.

Staying safe

  • Expect heavier towpath traffic and some street crossings at the Georgetown end.
  • Great Falls is one of the park's busiest areas; ride slowly near the tavern and the hiking trail access points.
  • Wear bright clothing and use lights wherever there is traffic.
  • Check your brakes and tyres before you leave.

Route details checked September 30, 2026 against nps.gov, nps.gov, nps.gov, nps.gov, en.wikipedia.org and en.wikipedia.org. Rules and closures change, so check before you go.