C & O CANAL CAMPGROUND MAP
NOTE: Sections of the towpath, locks and other historical structures, trails, campgrounds, picnic areas, boat ramps, and visitor centers are constantly being closed due to damage and/or repair. When planning an adventure within Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, make sure that areas you plan to visit are open by checking the National Park Service’s official Current Park Conditions web page.
There are three types of campgrounds within Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park: drive-in campgrounds, group campgrounds, and hiker-biker campsites that are accessed along the towpath.
DRIVE-IN CAMPGROUNDS
Drive-in campgrounds are accessible to those in vehicles. Some campgrounds are for tent campers only and some accommodate RVs of less than twenty feet. Each site has a picnic table, grill, and fire ring. Water and a chemical toilet are available for all to use. There are no electric or water hook-ups.
Paw Paw Tunnel Campground in Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Reservations must be made on-line at Recreation.gov. Paying at the campground is no longer an option.
See the following campground web pages for complete details (mileposts similar to those on highways denote mileage along the towpath):
| MILE | CAMPGROUND |
|---|---|
| 69.4 | Antietam Creek |
| 110.4 | McCoys Ferry |
| 140.9 | Fifteenmile Creek |
| 156.2 | Paw Paw Tunnel |
| 173.3 | Spring Gap |
GROUP CAMPSITES
Specific campsites for groups of eight or more people are located at the McCoys Ferry, Fifteenmile Creek, and Spring Gap Drive-In Campgrounds. If you cannot get a group campsite at one of these, you are welcome to reserve multiple standard campsites. At the Paw Paw Tunnel and Antietam Creek campgrounds, groups can only reserve multiple sites.
The Marsden Tract Group Campground at Mile 11.5 near Georgetown is open to civic and scout groups only. The campground is reached by hiking a quarter mile from a drop-off area. The vehicle parking lot is one mile away. As with Drive-In campgrounds, Marsden Tract must be reserved in advance through Recreation.gov.
Marsden Tract Group Campground in Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
HIKER-BIKER CAMPSITES
Hiker-Biker campsites are located at remote areas along the C&O Canal towpath and can only be reached by those hiking, biking, or horseback riding. These campsites are free but do not have any facilities other than a portable toilet. Stay is limited to one night, so it is assumed that you will be moving on in the morning.
Nearly all campsites consist of a common field on which everyone can pitch a tent (provided there is space). A picnic table and grill are available, though these must be shared. There is also a hand-pumped water spigot that produces water treated with iodine so that it is drinkable, provided you are not physically adverse to iodine. The water is turned off from November 15 through April 15.
Huckleberry Hill Hiker-Biker Campsite in Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
As long as you park in official Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park parking lots, no permit is needed for overnight stays. However, the National Park Service does not patrol the parking lots at night, so parking is done at your own risk. Do not store valuable items in your vehicle.
Hiker-Biker campsites are located every 6-8 miles along the canal. In the following list, sites with hyperlinks are ones that I actually stopped by when biking the towpath (I did not camp). Visit the web page for a few photos and additional information.
| MILE | CAMPSITE |
|---|---|
| 16.6 | Swains Lock |
| 26.1 | Horesepen Branch |
| 30.5 | Chisel Branch |
| 34.4 | Turtle Run |
| 38.2 | Marble Quarry |
| 42.5 | Indian Flats |
| 47.6 | Calico Rocks |
| 50.3 | Bald Eagle Island |
| 62.9 | Huckleberry Hill |
| 75.2 | Killiansburg Cave |
| 79.2 | Horseshoe Bend |
| 82.7 | Big Woods |
| 90.9 | Opequon Junction |
| 95.2 | Cumberland Valley |
| 101.2 | Jordan Junction |
| 110 | North Mountain |
| 116 | Licking Creek |
| 120.6 | Little Pool |
| 126.4 | White Rock |
| 129.9 | Leopard’s Mill |
| 133.6 | Cacapon Junction |
| 139.2 | Indigo Neck |
| 144.5 | Devil’s Alley |
| 149.4 | Stickpile Hill |
| 154.1 | Sorrel Ridge |
| 157.4 | Purslane Run |
| 162.1 | Town Creek |
| 164.8 | Potomac Forks |
| 169.1 | Pigman’s Ferry |
| 175.3 | Iron’s Mountain |
| 180.1 | Evitt’s Creek |
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Last updated on June 3, 2024
