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NPS
Contact: Kelly Fox, 301-491-1123 Potomac, MD - Nineteenth-century mule-drawn canal boat excursions have resumed for the Spring of 2016 at the Great Falls Tavern. Come aboard the Charles F. Mercer, a reproduction packet boat to experience what it was once like to travel up and down this preserved waterway. Cruise on the historic canal at a mule's pace and experience rising and falling 8 feet in a lock. Hear tales of what life was like for the families who lived and worked on the canal.Public Boat Excursions: April- October, Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 am, 1:30 pm, and 3:00 pm. Memorial Day- Labor Day, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 11:00am, 1:30pm and 3:00pm. To confirm the boat ride for your visit, please call 301-767-3714 for details as special circumstances may affect this schedule. Prices: $8.00 for adults (ages 16-61), $6.00 for seniors (ages 62 +), and $5.00 for children (ages 4-15). Children aged three and under ride free. In addition to the boat fee, there is an entrance fee to the park of $10.00 per single vehicle.
Ten or more people are required to make advance reservations. Otherwise, seats are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. To charter the Charles F. Mercer for evening excursions, please call 301-767-3709. The Charles F. Mercer boat capacity is 60 people. The boat programs last approximately one hour.
The Charles F. Mercer operates at the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. The address is 11710 MacArthur Blvd. Potomac, MD 20854. Check our Website and Facebook page for additional special event and ranger- led programs. www.nps.gov/choh, www.facebook.com/chesapeakeandohiocanal . Join in the conversation this summer! #candocanal #great falls #towpath #mules #potomac
The C&O Canal constructed over 22 years and operating from 1850-1924 was a catalyst for western expansion and economic development. The locks, aqueducts, culverts, and tunnels tell stories of engineering feats and heroic undertakings. The C&O Canal became a National Monument in 1961, thanks to the efforts of concerned citizens who sought to preserve the canal environment, and in 1971 the C&O Canal became a National Historical Park. Today, the entire 184.5 mile long towpath is open to visitors as a preserved place for recreation and reflection.
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Last updated: April 19, 2016