Rent a canoe and go boating or kayaking down the Potomac River. Note that the use of electric motorized boats is only permissible at Big Pool, Little Pool and canal waters from Lock 68 to the Town Creek Aqueduct. Listen to weather bureau reports to identify the best day to enjoy hours of canoeing or kayaking. Study the gold mines in the Great Falls area that were discovered during the Civil War by a Union soldier while you are on the water.
Pay a minimal fee (approximately $5 in 2009) and register to have the park donkeys pull your canoe down the river. Get on the "Charles F. Mercer" riverboat and enjoy a one-hour tour ride with other park visitors. Note that most public boat rides end at 3:00 p.m. and require a minimum of 10 riders to operate.
Hike or bike along the towpath trails. Bring your own snacks and drinks or purchase food at a nearby restaurant or visitor center. Enjoy dining at the hiker and biker campsites located at various spots from Swain's Lock to Seneca.
Rent a horse and take a ride through the park alongside your family and friends. Introduce yourself to other riders at the park. Stop along the trails and observe the birds and other small species that live at the park. Remember to write the park Superintendent at C&O Canal NHP, 1850 Dual Highway Suite 100, Hagerstown, MD 21740-6620, to request permission to take a horse ride at the park. Include your trip itinerary and dates and locations at the park you plan to visit with your letter.
Participate in the interpretive ranger program. Put on your favorite pair of walking shoes. Take a nature walk through the park guided by an experienced ranger dressed in historic clothing. Listen to stories of how life was on the canal in the mid-19th century after the canal was constructed in 1828. Learn about the canal's seven dams, its 11 aqueducts and the 2,000 mules that originally worked on the canal after it originally opened for operation in 1850. Listen while the ranger provides additional historic facts about the canal and its surrounding areas while you walk along the Paw Paw Tunnel.
Spend the day fishing. Bring your fishing license with you. Launch out into the Potomac River during the warmer months. See how many large mouth bass, catfish, crab, shell and sunfish you can catch while you enjoy the water and the colors of nature.
