Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park — Attraction in Shepherdstown

I just completed a bicycle trip this weekend with my daughter along the trail from Silver Spring to Brunswick, MD. In the spirit, hopefully, of constructive criticism, here are my experiences and thoughts...

The idea was to cycle from our home in Silver Spring, MD to Harper's Ferry, WV. It didn't quite work out that way in the end. We nearly got there, but the trail conditions made it more of a chore than I was willing to accept.

We cycled 18 miles along the Capital Crescent Trail, then along the C&O and camped at Swain's Lock on June 2nd. There are water pumps at every campground, but the one at Swain's Lock wasn't working. Fortunately I had a day's supply on the bike, so water was not a pressing need - yet. We saw very few campers on the trail. We only saw one other tent in the campgrounds between DC & Brunswick. Lovely weather and we saw lots of nice scenery and wildlife. Not a big fan of the trail itself though - gravel, pebbles, pot-holes and the occasional mud patch made cycling very uncomfortable, slow and dangerous. I understand the trail is an historical towpath, and clearly part of its appeal lies in its preservation as such, but it would, I feel, take some imagination to honestly describe this as a trail fit for a bicycle. The first day was just 18 miles, and would normally take 2 hours tops, but it took me over 3 hours.

The second day, with the state of the trail getting worse, I almost gave up and headed onto the road to Point of Rocks via Darnestown and Dickerson. But not having brought detailed road maps I decided to stick it out for one more day until we reached Brunswick. I reckon the state of the trail made cycling about twice as difficult and twice as slow as cycling on asphalt. The trip to Brunswick was 38 miles and we averaged about 5mph - about what a cyclist would expect over a poor dirt track (which is what the C&O Trail really is). That, and the lack of any nearby food and water supplies from Great Falls Tavern until Point of Rocks made it a bit of an endurance test. The supposedly potable water from pumps along the trail looked very suspicious - so much so that my daughter pleaded with me not to drink it. I think it was Chisel Branch where I found a dead deer in the canal within about ten yards of the water pump. This didn't exactly fill me with confidence about the water. Shortly thereafter we met a park ranger whom I notified about the deer - she was kind enough to offer us a couple of bottles of water. At Brunswick I cut the trip short and met my wife and we drove the final six miles to Harper's Ferry.

I must admit, I'll not be trying this again until the surface is better-suited to bicycle travel - although I'm not sure that will ever happen. My back just can't take all that jarring, and to be honest I was worried about the bike, since it was carrying/dragging about 350lbs-worth of humans, trailer-bike and equipment. I suppose it proved my bike's ability to withstand abuse, but still, not something I'd ever think of repeating unless I was forced.

It will be a lovely trail - fit even for bicycles - when it's finished, LOL. Hopefully in the meantime, hikers and can get more out of...

I've been going to C & O Canal NHP since I was a kid. It was awesome then, and it's still amazing now. The Billy Goat Trail is always a big hit, but lots of people only know about Section A, the most exciting but also the roughest of the three disconnected trail "sections". Sections B and C are beautiful as well, with peaceful river views and loads of pretty and interesting plants and animals. They are much more appropriate for a quick hike, for parents with small children, and for people with a limited capacity to scramble. The River Trail, just north of the Visitors' Center, is also worth a walk; it doesn't require any scrambling and it's lined with beautiful sycamores.

Whichever canal-to-river trail(s) you hike, be sure to watch for birds on the canal segments of your trip. You'll usually spot at least one great blue heron, and you're likely to see ducks, black vultures, and others. In the warm months, look for turtles gathering on logs in the canal.

The Gold Mine Loop trail system doesn't have the stunning river views of the Billy Goat Trail or the River Trail, so I recommend it only for visitors who have already checked out those trails or days when the others are closed due to flooding. When you decide to explore the Gold Mine Loop, I strongly recommend getting a map from the visitors' center and being careful not to head out too late in the day. The trail system is extremely confusing, even with a map, and trails are poorly marked in places. Keep your eyes peeled for interesting mushrooms.

General safety notes: Many signs warn you not to swim or wade. They are not joking; several people die there each year because they thought the river looked calm. Bring plenty of water regardless of season. There are occasional snakes, including venomous copperheads (my boyfriend almost stepped on one once). Watch your step, especially in the late afternoon. Do not get caught in the dark on any of the trails, but especially on Billy...

We visited the Great Falls Trail Tavern Visitor Center (MD side) on Labor Day weekend. Surprisingly, no one checking for pass or collecting fees. At 9AM, still plenty of parking available. This was the last day of the canal "boat rides" (only at 11AM and 2PM) so we wanted to be there for the 10AM tickets giveaway (free) for the 11AM "trip". They have a small restroom facility (worn down and not very clean) and then a small visitor center. The park rangers were around everywhere and very friendly and helpful. They gave away the boat tickets (50 in total) in front of the visitor center and at 10AM there were probably 20 of us in line. The boat loads at 5 minutes prior and is a basic wood bench on an upper level. Small reproduction boat. The boat is not motorized and is normally pulled by mules, but today was pulled by rangers and park volunteers (they worked up a sweat, it was tough work). The boat travels a grand total of about 100 yards (the length of a football field) and then returns back to where you started - the main point of the trip being to enter and go through a restored version of the original manual locks. They did explain this and took questions, but in retrospect, if you have ever seen or been through locks before, I would skip this part. Otherwise, the park is well marked with a lot of trails and beautiful views of the falls. Great way to spend a day outdoors and getting familiar with the...