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Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

National Park Service To Begin $12.7 Million Project On Historic C&O Canal

The National Park Service will carry out a large-scale $12.7 million preservation and rehabilitation project on the historic C&O Canal in Georgetown, District of Columbia, to protect key parts of the country’s early transportation history and reduce the risk of flooding during storms and high-water events. The project is expected to start mid-March and is anticipated to continue through winter 2026, weather dependent. Construction activities will likely require intermittent towpath detours in Georgetown.

Traditional And Emerging Roles Of Chesapeake And Ohio Canal National Historical Park

As much as Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park serves human visitors in search of bucolic serenity, American history, or recreation, the park also serves plants and animals with a safe corridor to move across the landscape, and waterscape, in an area of otherwise fragmented habitats.

The Capital’s Corridor: Chesapeake And Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Walking the Canal towpath towards Georgetown, one comes across a sign that is literally almost in the Potomac River, reading in urgent letters, “Deadly undertow, Get to shore.” But this undertow is only one of the Potomac’s lethal actions; it is also capable of serious flooding causing immense damage. In fact, it was a series of such floods that propelled the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal to change course, from its historic role of commercial transport to one of becoming a conduit for wildlife, and entering the National Park System as a National Historical Park.

UPDATED | Zion National Park Struggling In The Battle With Graffiti "Artists"

There are places in the National Park System where carvings, etchings, and even 20th century “graffiti” are preserved. Unfortunately, there is a surprising number of 21st century individuals who think it’s perfectly appropriate for them to carve their names and other signs and symbols into national park landscapes.

Traveler Special Report: Invasive Animal Species A Veritable Plague In The National Park System

There has been, for a disturbing amount of time, a slow, creeping invasion of the national parks, one in the form of an ecosystem-upsetting menagerie that poses a significant threat to both native species and the very integrity of the parks.

National Parks In Maryland, Virginia And DC Provide More Than 75,000 Meals To Neighbors With Donated Venison

Six national parks in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia have concluded annual operations to reduce overabundant white-tailed deer. The parks, ranging from Civil War battlefields to urban sites, donated more than 19,000 pounds of venison, equalling over 75,000 meals to local nonprofits. These nonprofits serve meals locally and across the region to families in need.

P. Dan Smith Named Deputy Director Of National Park Service

A former National Park Service official who was found to have ignored Park Service regulations and pushed through a permit to allow the owner of the Washington Redskins to cut down trees in a scenic easement along Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on Tuesday was appointed to help lead the agency.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.