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The C&O canal features plenty of restored lockhouses where you can actually sleep in

The fall season is great to enjoy nature, be it walking around, jogging or biking. Today, I went on a bike day trip with my girlfriends along the C&O Canal to take advantage of autumn at its very best.

To give you a bit of a background, the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (also known as the C&O Canal).
This canal is about 300 km long and was used from 1831 to 1924 as a route to transport all kinds of products up the Potomac River from Cumberland (in Maryland) to Washington DC and its old port located in Georgetown.

The Chesapeake and Ohio canal is a popular getaway from DC
The Chesapeake and Ohio canal is a popular getaway from DC

We started our biking adventure precisely at the Capital Crescent Trail in Georgetown, from where you can choose several paths. At first we went along the river, but halfway we decided to follow the trail that goes along the canal. We passed by Fletcher’s Cove, a popular spot along the Potomac river to unwind an relax. All in all, we pedaled for 3-4 hours.

In terms of the weather, we were lucky because it was sunny but the air was already getting crispy. The autumn landscape was beautiful: leaves all over the trail and plenty of colorful trees.

Another thing that I really liked were the lockhouses (cabins) along the locks in the canal. We actually discovered that they can be rented, which is such a cool idea!

After a well deserved picnic , we headed back to DC. We brought our weekend to a close by watching the sunset near the Key Bridge in Georgetown (with views over Virginia).

Key bridge at sunset
Key Bridge at sunset

Did you know the C&O Canal? Have you been? Let me know in the comments below.