The Binocular Site
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park, Maryland
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park is comprised of just over 19,500 acres, most of which are in the District of Columbia, but which also extend into Maryland and West Virginia. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was intended to connect the Chesapeake Bay with the Ohio River, creating a new trade route. It was never completed, and instead has become an important historical artifact of sorts.
In 1961, President Eisenhower established the park as a National Monument so that many original canal structures, including the remains of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal itself could be preserved. The canal, and the towpath (the road that follows along the bank of the canal) extend for 184.5 miles from Georgetown, Washington, D.C., to Cumberland, Maryland.
The park sees approximately three million visitors each year, who come to jog, hike, bike, ride horses, watch wildlife, or simply access the Potomac river. There are five basic campsites within the park, which provide tent sites, chemical toilets, grills, and potable water. RVs are permitted at three of the campsites, but there are no hook-ups. Campsites cost $10 per night. There are no food service sites within the park, so be prepared to bring your own food and beverages.
The C&O canal is home to myriad species, both aquatic and land-based. It's not uncommon to see such animals as salamanders, toads, and frogs, numerous fish, along with beaver and muskrat. In the woodland areas surrounding the canal, foxes, deer, squirrels, raccoons, and even bobcats and black bears are occasionally observed. Year round and migratory birds are often seen in the park, including downy sapsuckers, kinglets, chickadees, bluebirds, mallards, mergansers, and even bald eagles.
The state bird of Maryland is the Baltimore Oriole and you can find a birding checklist for Maryland here.
Photo credit to cliff1066™, used with permission under the creative commons license. Learn more about Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park here.
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