Entrance FeesWhat Areas Have an Entrance Fee?The park is free to visit except the Great Falls Tavern area in Potomac, MD. Annual park passes are sold here and are accepted for entry, including America the Beautiful and Every Kid Outdoors passes. Your entrance fees fund projects in C&O Canal National Historical Park.
Plan Your Visit
Key Information
Choosing an Entrance PassDo you have or qualify for a discounted America the Beautiful Pass?If you already have an America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, that's the only entrance pass you need. Seniors, military, visitors with a permanent disability, and families with a 4th grader are eligible for a free or discounted America the Beautiful pass. How often do you plan to visit national parks in the next 12 months?If you don't qualify for a discounted America the Beautiful pass, we recommend choosing an entrance pass based on your trip plans.
Entrance PassesThis pass provides access to the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park in Maryland and Great Falls Park in Virginia. This area has both the cultural resources of the C&O Canal and the natural beauty of the Great Falls of the Potomac and Mather Gorge. Visitors hike, bike, paddle and climb. The towpath runs adjacent to the canal creating the perfect walking and biking trail often with views of the river. Standard Entrance Pass$10.00–$20.00
The C&O Canal NHP is free to visit except the Great Falls Tavern area in Potomac, MD. Entrance passes for the Great Falls Tavern area of C&O Canal in Maryland are valid at Great Falls Park in Virginia.
For VehiclesIf you enter the park in a motorized vehicle, your entrance pass covers both you and your passengers. Your passengers do not need a separate pass. Costs for vehicles with more than 15 passengers are listed below under Organizations and Businesses. Pass is for one private, non-commercial vehicle — passenger cars, pickup trucks, RVs and vans — and is valid at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River and Great Falls Park on the Virginia side of the Potomac River. In-person Purchase Locations
Pass is for one motorcycle and is valid at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River and at Great Falls Park on the Virginia side of the Potomac River. In-person Purchase Locations
For Individuals without a VehicleIf you enter the park on a bicycle or on foot and are at least 16 years old, you need your own entrance pass. Children under the age of 16 don't need an entrance pass. Pass is for one person 16 years of age or older — entering on foot or by bicycle — and is valid at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River and at Great Falls Park on the Virginia side of the Potomac River. In-person Purchase Locations
For Organizations & BusinessesAcademic groups visiting the Great Falls area for a park ranger program have an automatic entrance fee waiver. Accredited academic institutions or groups coming to the Great Falls area of the park for a curriculum based visit, not attending a park ranger program must apply for an academic fee waiver. All materials must be provided in order to be considered. A fee waiver is not guaranteed. Allow up to two weeks for processing. Please email application to choh_educational_fee_waiver@nps.gov. In-person Purchase Locations
Includes church groups, college/school groups, scouts, service organizations, military, etc...
Vehicles with passenger capacity of fewer than 16 persons, $20 for the vehicle.
Vehicles with a passenger capacity of 16 or more persons, $10 per person age 16 and over.
Removal of seats from a vehicle does not then qualify for the lower rate. Age and pass exemptions apply.
The total fee charged for an Organized Non-Commercial Group will not exceed the $100 fee per vehicle. In-person Purchase Locations
The commercial pass is valid for date of purchase plus six days at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Please note that fees are based on vehicle capacity and not actual occupants. In-person Purchase Locations
The commercial pass is valid for date of purchase plus six days at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Please note that fees are based on vehicle capacity and not actual occupants. In-person Purchase Locations
The commercial pass is valid for date of purchase plus six days at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Please note that fees are based on vehicle capacity and not actual occupants. In-person Purchase Locations
The commercial pass is valid for date of purchase plus six days at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Please note that fees are based on vehicle capacity and not actual occupants. In-person Purchase Locations
Annual Entrance - Park$35.00 Valid for one full year from the month of purchase. Permits access to the Great Falls area of the C&O Canal National Historical Park in Maryland and Great Falls Park in Virginia. The annual pass allows entrance for the pass holder and additional passengers in a single private non-commercial vehicle, or pass holder plus three adults when entering on foot or bicycle In-person Purchase Locations
America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass
Covers entrance fees and standard amenity (day-use) fees at lands managed by
Depending on the type of entrance fee charged at a site, covers
America the Beautiful Passes are non-refundable, non-transferable and cannot be replaced if lost or stolen. Passholders must show valid photo identification (ID) with each pass. How to Get an America the Beautiful PassIn Person (Recommended)Passes can be purchased or picked up at over 1,000 federal recreation sites. Order Online, Receive by MailTo receive your pass by mail, order online at the USGS Online Store . Online orders are for physical passes, not digital passes, and may take up to three weeks to be processed and delivered. Order receipts may not be used in place of a physical pass. We recommend ordering at least three weeks in advance of your visit, or picking up a pass in person instead. 2025 Free Entrance Days in the National ParksCome experience the national parks! All National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone (other fees, including timed entry or reservation fees, may apply). Mark your calendar for these entrance fee-free dates:
Academic Fee WaiversThe following information has been taken directly from National Park Service Regulations (NPS-22). This is the guideline to be followed in granting education fee waivers. Bona fide educational or scientific institutions may qualify if the following conditions are met. Please Read Carefully.
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Last updated: April 24, 2024