The C & O Trail (Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park) runs 184.5 miles from Georgetown, D.C., to Cumberland, Maryland. The historical canal was built along the Potomac River to move goods both ways and avoid portages (see Sunday's hike last week at Great Falls...), but the train eventually took over once it was… Continue reading C & O Trail: Lock 38 – Shepherdstown
Tag: National Park
Great Falls Park
Just 15 miles from Washington, D.C., and down the road from Langley (CIA), Great Falls Park is a National Park Service unit that feels like you are standing in the wilderness, not in the 8th most populated area of the United States. This shows how popular the park is. It was the first time I… Continue reading Great Falls Park
Walking The Cemeteries Of The Battle Of Antietam
The cemeteries of the Battle of Antietam and of the Battle of Shepherdstown, a few days later, are a testy subject in some ways. For one, they are disproportionate to each other. Yes. There are multiple Civil War cemeteries for the battle, but only one is a National Cemetery: the one in Sharpsburg. And that… Continue reading Walking The Cemeteries Of The Battle Of Antietam
Ferry Hill Plantation
Across the Potomac River from Shepherdstown, West Virginia, sits Ferry Hill Plantation, which has been part of the National Park system since 1974. Looking back from the top, you can see the Rumsey Bridge, which crosses the Potomac River and parts of Shepherd University poking up. There are two entrances to the property off 34/Shepherdstown… Continue reading Ferry Hill Plantation
Exploring Bloody Lane Trail/Sunken Road
With an overcast morning, we drove to Maryland so my brother could see part of the Antietam Battlefield, located outside of Sharpsburg, MD. We are just a bit over 9 miles away, yet in a different state. It's an easy drive over Rumsey Bridge from Shepherdstown, WV. Just remember kids, don't speed in Maryland -… Continue reading Exploring Bloody Lane Trail/Sunken Road