View of Lock 1 of the Patowmack Canal. Located about 1/2 mile south of the Visitor Center, the trail is accesible to wheelchairs to lock 1. Locks 2,3,4 and 5 are within several hundred feet. See picture of mason mark below.

The Patowmack Canal Trail is a 3/4 mile (1.2 km) trail that begins near the upper parking lot. This trail involves walking on mostly level ground.The trail follows the canal past the Visitor Center and through the picnic areas to the ruins of Matildaville and the canal locks where it ends at the River Trail. The trail begins near the river entrance to the canal. A line of stones placed in the river to direct boats into the canal can be seen as the canal enters the shoreline. Waterfowl such as Canada geese and wood ducks are often seen in this area. The trail crosses the Mine Run stream over a small bridge as it approaches the Bull Nose where water flow could be channeled away from the canal during times of flood. Ahead some of the best examples of restored stone walls of the canal reveal the early engineering of dry-laid walls of the Patowmack Canal.

As you continue downstream the trail passes the Visitor Center and the Great Falls overlooks as it goes through the picnic area. Various interpretive waysides along the way provide information about the Patowmack Canal. Beyond the picnic area the trail enters the woods leading past a large stone outcrop that was used as a survey stone during the canal construction and on to the canal holding basin where boats would wait their turn to pass through the canal lock system. Ruins of the canal superintendent's house can be seen near the guard lock where boats entered the lock system, after paying a toll. The trail continues downstream past the restored Lock One structure to the remains of Lock Two and Lock Three to the combination locks 4 and 5. Together the five locks raised and lowered boats 76 vertical feet around the treacherous Great Falls of the Potomac. Locks 4 and 5 were placed in a cut through solid rock leading down to the river. At this point the Patowmack Canal Trail ends. You can retrace your steps or you can access the River Trail or the Matildaville Trail to return to the Visitor Center.

			Mason Marks were chiseled into large blocks of stones by their makers 200 years ago when the canal was being constructed. Many different marks may be seen along the walls of the Patowmack Canal, showing the labor of these skilled workers.
View of Canal Wall 100 feet north of the Visitor Center. The wall was dry laid with stone found locally. Some areas were built 20 feet thick to withstand periods of high water flow.

The walls of the Patowmack Canal are old and fragile.
Please help the Park Service protect this personal landmark of George Washington
by walking on trails and not on canal walls and other ruins. Rocks eventually break
off in areas of high foot traffic.

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