C&O Canal Towpath Between Carderock & Great Falls MD (ODH Training # 1)

This is an easy out-and-back, go-at-your-own pace hike of up to 8 miles on the C&O Canal towpath along a scenic stretch of the Potomac River between Carderock Recreation Area's Parking Lot 4 and Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center. (Trail map.)
Meet by 10 AM at Parking Lot 4 in Carderock Recreation Area (Note that the Google Map will take you to Lot 2, but follow the signs to Lot 4).
A portion of the hike is along a serene lake-like portion of the canal known as Widewater. The Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center has historical and interpretive information and exhibits about the canal. Restrooms are nearby.
Return to the towpath from the visitor center/restrooms and head back to Carderock. The 0.25-mile Great Falls Overlook trail is 0.3 miles from the visitor center on the right. From the overlook are spectacular views of Great Falls (pictured above).

Although open to all, this hike is part of a series of Saturday training hikes leading up to the One Day Hike (ODH)—100 or 50 km along the C&O Canal—on May 2, 2026. See SCPRO’s Meetup page for other training hikes as they are posted. If you would like to support the ODH, see volunteering opportunities and/or contact Mike Darzi ([Mike.Darzi@Gmail.com](mailto:Mike.Darzi@Gmail.com)). For official updates regarding training hikes, registration, and other information, join the ODH email list by sending a blank email to [OneDayHike+subscribe@Groups.io](mailto:OneDayHike+subscribe@Groups.io) .

Dress for the weather---layered, non-cotton clothes. Bring water (two quarts) and snacks.
Sierra Club requires all participants to sign a liability waiver form; you may sign at the trailhead.
A $2.00 donation per person is appreciated to cover SCPRO expenses---leader training, first aid, and web site.

Optional: After the hike, meet for pizza at Potomac Pizza, 9812 Falls Road, Potomac, MD.

If you are not already, become a Sierra Club member by clicking "join" on the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter web site: http://www.sierraclub.org/virginia (You don't need to be a member to participate in SCPRO events.)

Leaders: Gabriele Ludwig; Gary Kosciusko; Frank Wodarczyk