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Swains Lock – Great Falls Overlook loop from Watts Branch

Routes

Bike touring routes & trails

Swains Lock – Great Falls Overlook loop from Watts Branch

Easy

2.7

(7)

riders

Swains Lock – Great Falls Overlook loop from Watts Branch

00:49

8.71km

20m

Cycling

Easy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: June 3, 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

58 m

Swains Lock

Highlight • Historical Site

These are hard to come by along the C&O canal and usually hidden. Always nice to know where to get water.

Tip by

3.85 km

Great Falls Observation Platform

Highlight • Viewpoint

Washington Aqueduct Dam: A water supply dam for Washington, D.C. located just above the Great Falls.

Tip by

4.41 km

This is a spectacular waterfall on the Potomac River. Water gushes over a series of jagged rocks and flows through the Mather Gorge.

The falls are surrounded by an 800-acre park of the same name – a lovely place to go exploring! 15 miles (24 km) of trails run through the park.

Tip by

4.48 km

Start of the Great Falls Foot Trail

Highlight • Trail

The Great Falls of the Potomac is a place with various rapids and small falls in the Potomac. The place marked here may only be entered on foot. Bicycles and dogs 😜 must stay outside.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

4.93 km

Washington Aqueduct Observation Platform

Highlight • Viewpoint

Washington Aqueduct was constructed back in the mid-1800s by the Army Corps of Engineers to provide water to Washington, D.C., and is still used today. The observation platform for the aqueduct is right next to the C&O and grants you views across the expansive Potomac River. Just across the trail exists a collection of other historic sites.

Tip by

6.78 km

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

Highlight • Trail

This towpath is as much about the journey as the destination. Cruise past historic locks, aqueducts, and shady woodlands along a trail with gentle grades and rich history. Pause at scenic river overlooks or old lockhouses for a quick rest.

Tip by

8.71 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

8.63 km

< 100 m

Surfaces

8.64 km

< 100 m

Elevation

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

Weather

Today

Thursday 2 July

38°C

24°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 10.0 km/h

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Comments

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

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Swains Lock – Great Falls Overlook loop from Watts Branch

Swains Lock

Great Falls Observation Platform

Great Falls Overlook

Start of the Great Falls Foot Trail

Washington Aqueduct Observation Platform

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

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