Upstream view of Lock 50 at Mile 109 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath

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Lock 50 is located at Mile 109 on the C&O Canal towpath. It is a short walk from the parking area at Lock and Lockhouse 49. See the Locks and Lockhouses web page for an interactive location map.

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Lock 50 is one of the Four Locks on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal that are located near Clear Spring, Maryland. It and Locks 49, 48, and 47 are all within a short walk of each other. In fact, all four locks can be seen from Lockhouse 49. There is a small parking area at the house, but keep in mind that this lockhouse can be rented for overnight stays, so these spots may be taken by guests. There is a larger parking lot at the end of Starliper Road that is used for the adjacent Four Locks Picnic Area and Boat Ramp.

Downstream view of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal’s Lock 50 with Lock 49 in the background

The construction of the Four Locks allowed the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal to cut across a peninsula of land called Prather’s Neck instead of following the Potomac River, a savings of roughly 3.5 miles. Just picture the state of Florida, and instead of following the entire coast to get from Tampa to Jacksonville, you cut straight across the interior of the state.

Lock 50 is home to two structures that cannot be found anywhere else on the C&O Canal today. An original wait house rests on the upstream corner of the lock. This is where the lockkeeper could wait for boats to arrive and stay out of the rain.

Wait house at Lock 50 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

Just a short walk farther up the towpath is a mule barn that was reconstructed by the National Park Service. This is where canal boat captains could leave their mules for the winter. The canal did not operate during this time due to freezing water.

Mule Barn at Lock 50 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

Mule Barn at Lock 50 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

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