Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park is located in the District of Columbia and the state of Maryland. The park was established in 1961 as a National Monument by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to preserve the neglected remains of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and many of its original structures.

The canal and towpath trail extends along the Potomac River from the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C., to Cumberland, Maryland, a distance of 184.5 miles. In 2013, the path was designated as the first section of U.S. Bicycle Route 50. With over four million visitors in 2022, it is the most-visited unit that is designated a national historical park of the National Park Service.