Canal launch boat travels on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
Launch Boat Rides on the C&O Canal depart from the Williamsport Visitor Center at Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. These motorized boats were popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s and were used for business and pleasure travel, not to haul cargo. They look similar to modern day water taxis or small tour boats that operate on a river.
Old photo of a launch boat on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
National Park Service canal launch boats at the Williamsport Visitor Center, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
All tickets are taken on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of the tour. The schedule changes every year, but the tour typically operates from Memorial Day through Labor Day on Fridays and Saturdays. Be sure to check the National Park Service’s official Williamsport Launch Boat Program or the Calendar web pages for the latest schedule or call the Visitor Center.
National Park Service volunteer narrates a canal launch boat tour on the Chesapeake and Ohio
The boat leaves from the Cushwa Basin at the Williamsport Visitor Center and travels downstream to Lock 44 and upstream across the restored Conococheague Creek Aqueduct. The ride takes about 45 minutes.
Lock and Lockhouse 44 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath
Launch boat ride through the Conococheague Creek Aqueduct (photo by National Park Service / Stephanie Spencer)
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Last updated on June 20, 2026
