The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal was designated an historical national park with the US National Park Service in 1961.

The Canal, known as the C&O Canal operated from 1831 until 1924 along the Potomac River from Washington DC to Cumberland, Maryland withcoal from the Allegheny Mountains

Nicknamed The Grand Old Ditch, the Canal today offers a 184.5-mile C&O Canal Towpath Trail between Washington, DC and Cumberland, Maryland.

It is popular for walking, running and cycling with campsites, historical landmarks and birdlife along the way.

The canal's new national headquarters will open in Spring 2021, while a new visitor centre is due to open in Williamsport to help visitors make the most of the trail.

Useful links

www.visitmaryland.org/scenic-byways/chesapeake-ohio-canal

www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm