C&O Canal By The Numbers

Restored in 2019, the Conococheague Aqueduct with a boat entering in the background.

NPS/Spencer

Historic Timeline

1825 The C&O Canal Company is chartered to construct a shipping canal to connect the Chesapeake Bay to the Ohio River Valley
1828 Construction begins on the C&O Canal at Little Falls, Maryland

1850 Construction is completed in Cumberland, Maryland
1889 A major flood sends the C&O Canal Company into receivership and the B&O Railroad becomes a primary creditor
1924 C&O Canal Company goes out of business
1938 US government acquires C&O Canal
1938-1942 Civilian Conservation Corps work to restore the lower 20 miles of the C&O Canal for historic and recreational purposes
1954 A historic hike to preserve the C&O Canal that includes Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas
1961 Chesapeake and Ohio Canal established as a National Monument
1971 Chesapeake and Ohio Canal established as a National Historical Park

Natural Resources

980,000 feet of exterior boundary
19,586 acres of land
167 state rare, threatened or endangered plant species
1,200 vascular plant species
1,100 acres managed for agricultural use

Cultural Resources

673,269 objects and archival documents in museum collection
1,191 historic structures
74 lift locks
11 aqueducts
7 dams

Facilities

184.5 miles of historic towpath for hiking, biking, walking
31 Hiker-Biker Campsites
5 Drive-In Campgrounds
5 Visitor Centers

Funding

$143,000,000 annual benefit to the local economy
$9,580,000 operating budget
$742,137 collected in recreational fees in 2019

Visitation

2024 - 4.4 million recreation visits
2023 - 4.4 million recreation visits
2022 - 4.2 million recreation visits
2021 - 5.0 million recreation visits
2020 - 4.8 million recreation visits