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TheTurducken · CC BY 2.0

Lock Island–Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, 5 lakes is a 5-mile out-and-back near Great Falls, MD. The route passes Lock 20, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, Lock Island and Lock 21: Swains Lock before reaching Chesapeake and Ohio Canal at the turnaround, 2.5 miles in. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain. It scores 12/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi154 – 171 ft5.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.00006, -77.24828
Nearest town Great Falls, MD

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lock Island–Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, 5 lakes

5 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 1 hr 40 min

Elevation 154–171 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 39.00006, -77.24828

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:56 AM · sunset 7:09 PM

Dogs allowed on leash · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 50 ftPass Lock 20.
  3. 50 ftPass Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
  4. 50 ftTurn right onto Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail, heading N.
  5. 250 ftBear right, heading NE.
  6. 200 ftBear left onto River Trail, heading NW.
  7. 1 miTurn left onto Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail, heading NE.
  8. 1.4 miReach Lock Island, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 50 ftPass Lock 21: Swains Lock.
  10. 50 ftPass Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
  11. 1.4 miTurn right onto River Trail, heading NW.
  12. 1 miBear right onto Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail, heading S.
  13. 100 ftBear right, heading S.
  14. 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
  15. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

57% gravel43% dirt

Weather

Sunrise 6:56 AMSunset 7:09 PM

Good to know

  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead

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