Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park is a National Historical Park in District of Columbia, Maryland, West Virginia. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 2 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Chesapeake & Ohio Canal
We matched 2 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Waterfalls (1)
Canyons (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Chesapeake & Ohio Canal the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:27 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:11 PM | 243° | 9h 44m |
| February | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:47 PM | 255° | 10h 45m |
| March | 7:21 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:16 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:33 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:46 PM | 284° | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:57 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:15 PM | 296° | 14h 18m |
| June | 5:44 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:37 PM | 302° | 14h 53m |
| July | 5:56 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:35 PM | 299° | 14h 39m |
| August | 6:23 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:06 PM | 289° | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 275° | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:32 PM | 260° | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:56 PM | 247° | 10h 04m |
| December | 7:22 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:48 PM | 240° | 9h 27m |
Computed for the park's reference point (39.0003, -77.2481); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:16 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.2 | 12° |
| March | 4:25 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.3 | 19° |
| April | 2:21 AM – 4:51 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| May | 12:23 AM – 4:03 AM | 3.7 | 22° |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.0 | 22° |
| July | 10:29 PM – 2:19 AM | 3.8 | 22° |
| August | 9:45 PM – 12:15 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| September | 8:50 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.3 | 19° |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:11 PM | 0.2 | 12° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
7 Estimated Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye.
Weather & best time to visit
The Washington, DC, area has a four-season Mid-Atlantic climate. Summertime is warm and humid, while winter can be cold and snowy. Precipitation averages 2-4” monthly, year-round. The climate gradually gets cooler and wetter further west along the canal where the elevation is higher.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 52% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (66%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $20.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $15.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $10.00 |
| Entrance - Non-commercial Groups | $100.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
The park has numerous access points. There is no main entrance. In Washington, DC, the C&O Canal begins at mile 0 in Georgetown near 29th St NW, south of M St, and runs alongside Canal Rd to the west. The entrance to Great Falls Tavern area is at MacArthur Blvd and Falls Rd in Potomac, MD. Park Headquarters and the Cushwa Basin Visitor Center are in Williamsport, MD off I-81 at exit 2. The Cumberland Terminus Visitor Center and mile 184.5 are off I-68 at exit 43C. See the maps page for more.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Boating
- Boat Tour
- Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Group Camping
- Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Guided Tours
- Boat Tour
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Ice Skating
- Paddling
- Junior Ranger Program
- Skiing
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Snowshoeing
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Shopping
Nearby parks
VA
VA
DC/MD
MD
MD
DC