C&O Canal Adventures Walking, riding, and cleaning up the C&O Canal

Today we headed for the Dargan Bend area of the C&O Canal for a quick hike.  For those who aren’t familiar with this section, the parking lot is just downstream from mile marker 65.  It’s also the site of a boat ramp in a flat, wide section of the Potomac River.  Heading upstream, there’s more than enough history and scenery to make for an interesting trek.

 

 

For starters, the culvert near mile marker 65 is in a state of disrepair, but the erosion offers up proof that keeping a 184.5 mile long park operational is a never-ending fight.  The Potomac’s drainage basin stretches from Highland County, Virginia to Garrett County, Maryland and all points in between.

 

 

 

 

 

It’s a big river, and when the water is high, it overflows the towpath and many of the canal structures and does a considerable amount of damage.  With this in mind, we weren’t all that surprised to see the familiar orange fencing around a large depression near the culvert.

 

 

In fact, being a canal buff can be pretty nerve-wracking during the rainy season.  The C&O Canal Association sends numerous emails to its members every year in regard to flooding, and about all we can do is bite our fingernails and hope for the best.

 

At about the 65.5 mile section of the towpath, an old lime kiln sits on the canal side.  The C&O ceased operations because of massive flooding in 1924, so we were surprised to learn that the kilns were used until at least 1950.  We’ve all heard the phrase “they don’t build ‘em like that anymore,” and maybe there’s something to it.  The entire structure is in immaculate condition, and taking a walk around it is like stepping back in time.

 

 

 

 

The limestone was quarried locally, and the rocky cliffs along the old canal bed show signs of man-made caves and stone removal.  In fact, just beyond the kilns there is a large opening in the rock that goes back approximately fifty feet.

 

 

 

 

There are numerous drill marks in the wall, and in spite of the fact that it’s an abandoned cave, I can still think of a good use for it:  if I’m ever biking in that area during a hard rain, I know where to ditch the bikes and hide for a while!

We wound up hiking up to mile marker 67 before turning around, but upon our return to the kiln, we found out that humans aren’t the only creatures interested in the history of the C&O and its environs. We were surprised to see a turkey vulture perched on the top of the wall posing for a picture.  We’re always enthused to photograph any type of nature, but seeing a vulture can give one reason to pause.  My first thought was do I really smell that bad, but after that I wondered if it weren’t just plain bad luck to see one of these things.  In the end, however, the vulture turned out to be an amicable fellow, and with our history of nature photography, we’ll take what we can get.

 

 

 

 

We couldn’t resist having a little fun along the way….okay, Candee couldn’t resist!

 

 

 

 

 

In all, Dargan Bend is a great place to take a hike and a good stopping off point on the way to Harpers Ferry.  We might not make it back there for a while, but I’m hoping that the culvert will be in a better state of repair next time.

 

 

 

 

Even so, it’s a long canal that borders on an often angry river.  A lot can go wrong, but it’s all part of the never ending battle between man and nature.  Maybe that’s what keeps us coming back to the C&O Canal NHP.

We’ve been lucky so far and aside from a freak snowstorm in October, the western end of the C&O Canal NHP has been snow free–until now.  Anything pertaining to a bike ride seems to be a long way off.  I really have no idea if winter is half way over, or if the worst part has just begun.

 

 

It seemed like a good day to keep it local and head for the Shepherdstown/Antietam section of the towpath. Surprisingly, we weren’t the only ones taking a walk on its hard, crunchy surface.

The white background does offer a unique perspective of Lock 38 and the Potomac River, and I have to admit that it made for a nice getaway.

 

 

 

The ice-covered Antietam Aqueduct showed signs of a few deer that had crossed recently.  With 50-plus degree temperatures around the corner, this winter wonderland will pass–at least temporarily–and canal goers everywhere can continue to count down the days until the arrival of spring.  Meanwhile, back at the garage, the tires are completely flat on the bikes. I guess you could say that we’re anxiously awaiting Punxsutawney Phil’s big date with the weatherman.  Until then, enjoy the snow!

 

Yesterday, we took a short hike upstream from Dam 4 in hopes of getting a closer look at the ongoing Big Slackwater Project.  We managed to a get a decent picture from a distance, so today we decided to find out what we could see from the West Virginia side of the Potomac River.  Much of the riverfront property along Whitings Neck Road is posted as private property, but it’s still possible to observe the equipment and progress that’s being made.

The cliffs are pretty vertical, and working on land is virtually impossible for this project.  The only way to approach the task is from the river on barges and pontoons, which makes the job a difficult one at best.  Since the start of the project, there have been several minor floods, which to be sure, makes the project even more difficult to accomplish.

We’re hoping to complete our third through ride next summer, and the prospect of seeing new scenery–and avoiding the detour–is very exciting.

While complaining about the dreaded detour, people often forget about the section of the C&O Canal NHP that lies between Feeder Dam 4 (Mile 84.6) and McMahon’s Mill (Mile 88.1).  Hikers and bikers doing long stretches of the canal are forced to bypass this area because of the washed out section between miles 86.7 and 88.1.  Here, the Potomac runs up against a cliff wall, which makes further travel impossible.  Fortunately, this area is being repaired, and the towpath will once again be intact sometime during the Summer of 2012.

 

 

Until, then, the area between the dam and the cliff makes for a wonderful four-mile round trip hike.  Like many other canal buffs, we’ve never really given much thought to this area, but it does have a lot to offer in regard to historical structures and its close proximity to the Potomac River.

 

 

 

 

The hiker has the choice of literally taking the high road or the low road (towpath) up to the guard lock for feeder dam 4. Surprisingly, the towpath is mowed and well-maintained, and the guard lock and inlet mark the spot where boats once left the canal and entered the river for approximately two miles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Naturally, we had an ulterior motive and wanted to get a look at the work area for the Big Slackwater Project.  We did manage to walk to walk within approximately .5 miles of the construction site, and we’re pleased to say that a lot of progress has been made.  We’re looking forward to riding the entire length of the canal once again next summer, and this time–hopefully, no detour!

 

 

 

On October 30th, we took a trip to the Brunswick/Point of Rocks area of the C&O Canal as the remnants of a recent freak snowstorm slowly melted away.  The same snowstorm fell as a wet, heavy deluge two days prior and left branches and trees lying all over the Potomac River valley.