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.

On first glance, it appears that we were off filming Belle the Wonder Beagle vs. The Giant Blob, but the fact is that the grass that hid much of the garbage on the Potomac River floodplain for the past nine months is dormant for the winter.  As a result, lots of ugly trash has become visible between the towpath and the river.  I don’t recall seeing a kitchen sink on the bank, but we saw just about everything else, including tires, basketballs, and propane cylinders.

During the warm season, we have an antagonist nicknamed MRE Man who scatters meal packets throughout our volunteer area.  We have no idea who he is, but we can’t blame him or anybody else for the garbage located on the river side of the towpath.  The fact is that the mighty Potomac picks up large amounts of human and natural debris during floods and deposits it along the river bank.

Just below Little Orleans the river makes a long, sweeping right hand turn, and between mile markers 140 and 141 we have a natural trash depository.  The winter months are the best time to take care of the mess because snakes and other animals aren’t hidden in the long grass waiting for unsuspecting volunteers.  Okay, I’m being a bit dramatic, but cleaning up the park and safety should go hand-in-hand.  I’m guessing that we’re about halfway done with our winter cleanup, and we’re hoping that our new friend Belle stops by to keep us company again soon.

We spend a lot of time volunteering on the C&O Canal between the Sideling Hill and Fifteen Mile Creek Aqueducts, and our little section has turned into a home-away-from-home over the past couple of years. We headed to good ol’ Level 52 with a bit of trepidation today because of the recent passing of Hurricane Irene and a relatively significant earthquake that occurred about a week earlier.

 

 

Fortunately, all of the local canal structures stood up the the jolt of the ‘quake, and the thirsty ground soaked up the biggest part of the recent rain. Instead of a soggy mess, we found a relatively dry towpath, and several animals were at play in the park.

 

 

 

 

 

Most of the time, the hikers and bikers in the park keep things pretty clean, and today wasn’t any different. We filled two kitchen garbage bags with trash and kicked a few fallen limbs out of the way of the bicyclists.

 

 

 

 

 

In fact, as I think back on today’s hike, I can only muster one major complaint: the gnats were out in droves, and the Deep Woods Off didn’t serve as much of a deterrent! If anybody knows of a method or product that holds these pests at bay, feel free to leave a comment!

 

 

 

 

Also, the bat gate project at the Indigo Tunnel appears to be completed. Our last post on this topic shows a large empty hole in the middle of the gate, but I’m pleased to announce that the doors have since been added. In all, it was a beautiful and satisfying day to take a hike in the C&O Canal NHP!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Volunteering in a national park can take a person to some out-of-the-way places, and the Twigg Hollow section of the C&O Canal NHP doesn’t tend to get many visitors–in spite of its close proximity to the popular Paw Paw Tunnel.

 

 

Traditionally, Level 57 starts at Lock 61 and ends at Lock 63 1/3, but, as usual, we do most things backward, and this isn’t any different!

 

 

This isn’t our ‘official’ section to pick up trash, but when did the walk in May the canal was filled with water and a plethora of frogs and ducks. What a difference a few months makes! This time around, the canal bed and the stream at Gross Hollow were bone dry, but beautiful just the same.

 

 

 

The Gross Hollow Culvert generally allows a fast-flowing mountain stream to pass underneath of the canal. It is a brick-lined structure that looks like the Paw Paw Tunnel in miniature from the inside. Hikers and bikers tend to either walk or ride past many interesting structures, and I would recommend a guide book to anyone who wants to get the most out of a trip down the canal.

 

 

 

 

 

After a hike of about 1.5 miles, we reached our destination at Lock 61. We didn’t have much trash to show for our effort, but sometimes that’s a good thing–it shows that most visitors enjoy their outings without making a mess out of the scenery.

 

 

 

 

 

When the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was in operation, employees known as level walkers plugged leaks in the canal, kept beavers and muskrats in check, and generally reported on the condition of the canal, towpath, and all of the structures along the way. Today, only about thirty miles of the canal are watered, so the modern level walker has a different set of duties.

Today’s level walkers are volunteers who are members of the C&O Canal Association. Memberships are $15 per individual or $25 per family or patron. Association benefits include a quarterly newsletter and numerous opportunities to participate in hikes, picnics, boating, biking, etc. Level walking isn’t a necessary activity for association members, as one can join the bike patrol, volunteer at the many visitors centers along the towpath, or simply enjoy any of the activities listed above.

One peculiarity of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP is that it stretches out over a distance of 184.5 miles. Granted, it’s very narrow, but the odd shape and many miles make the park volunteers a great addition to the rangers and maintenance staff.  For more information, visit the C&O Canal Association’s website at www.candocanal.org