History and Culture Activities in the Park

 

Visitors walking the towpath at the C&O Canal.

NPS Photo

Great Falls Towpath Trek EarthCache

Enjoy a historical scavenger hunt with the Towpath Trek EarthCache. EarthCaching allows you to explore the C&O Canal and the Great Falls while protecting the Park and #RecreatingResponsibly. Use your favorite map or GPS app to find the coordinates, take in your surroundings, read the waysides, and enjoy a fun activity exploring!

 

Youth meeting the mules and Park Rangers at the C&O Canal.

NPS Photo

Meet the Mules

Mules played an important part in the C&O Canal's early history. The NPS operates a replica packet boat named The Charles F. Mercer at Great Falls, Maryland, during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. Enjoy a trip back in time as mules pull the canal boat and Park Rangers share stories and the history around you. The mules live and work at Great Falls so meet them before or after a boat ride!

 

Historical image of Lock 46 and the mule crossover bridge.

NPS Photo / Karen Gray

Visit the Four Locks Community

Built close together, Locks 47 through 50 developed a community of people that worked, lived, and depended on the C&O Canal for transportation. Explore Four Locks and start a discussion! How are the lives of the residents of this community similar or different from yours? If you lived at Four Locks during this time, what would your everyday look like? Read more about this historical area and visit to see the Canal Towns for yourself.

• Lock 47
• Lock 48
• Lock 49
• Lock 50

 

Catoctin aqueduct.

NPS Photo

Visit Canal and River Structures

Visitors at the C&O Canal can still see many structures that were integral to the operation of the canal. The locks, lockhouses, aqueducts, bridges, culverts, feeder dams, and waste weirs are just some of these examples. Learn about the different canal and river structures, then plan a trip to go see engineering innovation at the C&O Canal!

 

Scene of Harriet Tubman with a small child and people in the background representing former slaves she helped free.

NPS Photo

Underground Railroad: Exploring Freedom

The National Park Service preserves and protects powerful places: the physical memory of our nation's history. Locations related to the Underground Railroad are part of the Network to Freedom program. The locations in this program include National Park units and locations with a verifiable connection to the Underground Railroad. Visiting these places, virtually or in person, allows you to form your own connections to the story of the Underground Railroad in America.

• Use the interactive map or searchable table for locations with connections to the Underground Railroad along the C&O Canal and across the US
• Search Maryland, DC, or WV to see what trails are near you