On Sunday July 21st, my mountain bike group hit the C&O Canal Trail once again to enjoy some challenging training time on one of our favorite trails. Our usual meeting place is Point of Rocks, but today instead of heading north to Harpers Ferry, we rode south to Monocacy Aqueduct, which was a round trip of just over 13 miles.
“Construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal began in 1828 in Georgetown, District of Columbia, and reached its terminus in Cumberland, Maryland, in the summer of 1850.” “The Monocacy Aqueduct is the largest of the eleven aqueducts erected along the C&O Canal, and is often described by many historians as one of the finest canal features in the United States.”
One of the execellent features of this southern ride was the trail composition: finely crushed rock. It was so smooth, we may as well have been road-riding. The C&O has a very slight elevation, so it feels as if you are riding flat heading down and coming back.
Another good starting point would be Nolans Ferry, which has a nice kayak launch area, similar to Point of Rocks. I took a photo of the history/info board as we pasted it. On a future ride, I would really like to push further south for a 20-mile ride. On a hot day, it was cool in the shade of the trees as we rode. Eventually, we’ll ride all the way to D.C.
Atlas Great Outdoors 