C&O Canal
- January 8, 2003
- Rated 3 of 5 by
Kim M. from Key West, Florida
The best biking in the Harpers Ferry area is on the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal Towpath. The towpath stretches all the way from Cumberland, Maryland, down into Georgetown. This is a wide, sandy track that follows an easy grade. Canal-boat operators once used this path to tow their boats with a mule. The towpath is across the Potomac River from Harpers Ferry, so cyclists starting from town will need to carry their bikes across the pedestrian bridge. Visitors parking at the national park visitor center will need to ride across Route 340 to access the town and bridge. For safety reasons, bike traffic is not allowed on the same road taken by the park shuttle bus. Those riding with small children will need to take this into consideration. More convenient access points are available outside of Harpers Ferry. Try consulting the C&O Canal National Historical Park website (www.nps.gov/choh).
From journal Harpers Ferry, WV