Little Pool Campsite on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
The Little Pool Hiker-Biker Campsite is located at Mile 120.6 on the C&O Canal towpath. See the Camping web page for an interactive location 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.
The Little Pool Hiker-Biker Campsite gets its name from an adjacent pond known as Little Pool, which served as a naturally-widened section of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. Today it is a popular fishing spot for pickerel. It is one of the few sections of the canal that allows both hand-paddled watercraft and boats with electric motors. There is a parking lot on the I-70 side of Little Pool at its downstream end, and a path leads to a spot on the shore suitable for launching boats. For directions, if using Google Maps, search Little Pool Maryland.
The Little Pool Campsite and the canal towpath at this point are on an isthmus, with Little Pool on one side and the Potomac River on the other. Little Pool is a little over a mile long, and the campsite is located at the middle on a large field. There are no set camping spots, so just pitch your tent anywhere within the campsite boundary.
Little Pool Campsite on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
There is one picnic table, one stand-up grill, and one ground-level grill / fire pit at the center of the campsite, and these are shared by all campers. A portable toilet is next to the towpath, as is a hand-pumped water spigot. The water is not suitable for drinking or cooking without treatment, filtration, or boiling. It is turned off from November 15th through April 15th.
Picnic table and grills at the Little Pool Campsite on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
Hike-Biker campsites are located at remote areas along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath and can only be reached by those hiking, biking, or horseback riding. There is no charge to camp, but the sites do not have any facilities other than a portable toilet. Stay is limited to one night, so it is assumed you will be moving on in the morning.
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Last updated on June 26, 2026
