Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Routes

Bike touring routes & trails

United States

Maryland

Washington County

Big Slackwater – Big Slackwater View loop from Dargan

Routes

Bike touring routes & trails

United States

Maryland

Washington County

Big Slackwater – Big Slackwater View loop from Dargan

Hard

3.1

(11)

riders

Big Slackwater – Big Slackwater View loop from Dargan

09:53

115km

400m

Cycling

Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: March 16, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

32.3 km

Big Slackwater

Highlight • Cycleway

Ride in the morning or weekday, if possible. can get busy on weekends.

Tip by

33.2 km

Potomac River Trail

Highlight • Trail

33.9 km

Big Slackwater View

Highlight • Trail

Big Slackwater is a deep, smooth area of the C&O canal. It is the place that canal boats used to be launched into the canal.

After a flood destroyed the …

Tip by

66.3 km

View of the Potomac River from the Shepherdstown Bridge

Highlight • Viewpoint

Scenic views from the bridge crossing the bridge from West Virginia to Maryland. The MD-side of the bridge offers access to the C&O Canal tow path.

Tip by

85.2 km

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park Lock 34

Highlight • Historical Site

86.7 km

Harpers Ferry Tunnel and Railroad Bridges

Highlight • Bridge

From here, you can look up at the West Portal of the Harpers Ferry Tunnel. The tunnel is part of the B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing, which is …

Tip by

87.5 km

View of Potomac River Rapids (C&O Canal Towpath)

Highlight • Viewpoint

One of my favorite rides! The trail is well maintained and smooth. So many spots to rest and take breathtaking pics

Tip by

96.1 km

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail

Highlight (Segment) • Cycleway

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail is one of the East Coast's premier bicycle pathways. It follows the abandoned Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and runs from Washington, DC, to Cumberland, Maryland.

Tip by

115 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

98.1 km

7.72 km

6.64 km

2.31 km

417 m

Surfaces

87.0 km

18.8 km

5.87 km

3.53 km

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (130 m)

Lowest point (70 m)

Weather

Today

Monday 18 May

35°C

18°C

38 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 16.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Edit route

Download GPX

Move start point

Embed on a website

Report an Issue

Nearby routes

Easy

Monocacy National Battlefield Auto Tour

00:49h

11.5km

70m

Easy

4.8

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath

01:26h

18.2km

30m

Moderate

4.5

Campaign Ride

01:39h

27.7km

170m

Hard

Gran Fondo Maryland

08:14h

118km

2,020m

Hard

3.0

Shepherdstown and Williamsport C&O Canal Loop

05:02h

68.1km

450m

Hard

Frederick City Watershed loop

03:13h

46.2km

560m

Moderate

5.0

Martinsburg to Shepherdstown loop

03:41h

60.7km

430m

Moderate

Buckeystown and C&O Canal Loop

02:42h

43.6km

330m

Moderate

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath: Poolesville Loop

03:38h

58.7km

230m

Hard

3.0

110

Big Slackwater – Big Slackwater View loop from Martinsburg

10:44h

144km

840m

Moderate

4.4

104

W&OD Trail — Leesburg section – The End of the W&OD loop from Purcellville

02:04h

35.2km

230m

Hard

5.0

Big Slackwater View – Big Slackwater loop from Antietam National Battlefield

09:33h

110km

420m

Big Slackwater – Big Slackwater View loop from Dargan

Big Slackwater

Potomac River Trail

Big Slackwater View

View of the Potomac River from the Shepherdstown Bridge

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park Lock 34

Harpers Ferry Tunnel and Railroad Bridges

View of Potomac River Rapids (C&O Canal Towpath)

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail

Nearby routes

Sign up or log in to keep exploring this route

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️