Dickerson to White's Ferry --- Spring on the canal

Saturday, April 3

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.

Mile 39.6 to mile 35.5

4.1 miles toward goal (164.4 miles to go)

Temperature -  79-degrees

Canal at Dickerson Conservation area

Spring has arrived on the C&O.  This was a glorious walk and we were able to take two cars, parking one at each end, so we walked one way, north to south.  The Dickerson Conservation area was a simple place to park and began our 4.1 mile trek south to White's Ferry.

The first thing we did was walk across the towpath and down the rocky path to the river where we admired how high the water was today, and where it had risen with the recent flooding after the heavy rains.  

Most of the way, we could still see the Potomac through the trees, now with new leaves sprouting.  Debris was visible several feet up in the trees alongside the path and the path itself had been severely damaged and washed out in two places.

Cormorants flew low along the river and we saw one great blue heron.  We heard several other birds but did not see them.  Even with the small amount of green showing on the trees, the birds were so much better hidden than during the bleak days of winter when we could see every creature that made noise.  We could hear woodpeckers but did not see even one.

We saw many turtles.  They were lined up on logs in the canal, soaking up the afternoon sun.  The tree canopy will soon be so thick with leaves that it will be harder to find the rays in the canal.   

Along these four miles, the canal was at times dry, filled with sludge and brimming with water.  In most places, large trees and bushes were growing in the canal bed and alongside the towpath adjacent to the canal.  In many places trees had fallen (some recently) and one fairly large tree was across the path at about mile 37.

In the swampier places, we heard loud noises that sounded more like spaceships from the twilight zone.  On closer inspection we discovered many frogs , busy doing what frogs do at this time of year.  My photos are somewhat intrusive but interesting.  

We walked past Woods Lock, Lock 26, where there is a clearing and the remains of the lockhouse foundation.  A beautiful large maple tree is adjacent to the ruins.  

One of the highlights of the walk was the abundance of Virginia bluebells along both sides of the towpath.  They were in full bloom and hundreds of them were in many places, their purples and blues calling to us to admire each one of them.  

It was a beautiful day to walk, and we finished with a nice ride back across the Potomac on White's Ferry.  

Edwards Ferry (mile 30.9) to Mile 33

Monday, March 8

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Mile 30.9 to mile 33

2.1 miles toward goal (164.5 miles to go)

Temperature -  65-degrees

The drive to Lock 25 at the end of Edwards Ferry Road was a long one.  River Road is quite remote at that point.  Two other cars were in the parking lot, which has a boat launch and a nice view of the Potomac.  Lock 25 is crumbly with a lockhouse in very good condition.  

Jarboe's Store is being rebuilt.  It is a reminder of the days when locks were a place where the canal boats supplied merchandise for the customers along the canal.

The towpath was littered with fallen trees and branches.  Our walk turned into a service project as we stopped every few feet to move branches from the path; in some cases the logs were two heavy for two people to handle.  Many trees were down in the woods and across the canal, which is quite overgrown with trees and bushes.  

Once we left the parking lot, the river was only visible where the trees had been clear cut in two places.  There were several streams running under the towpath from the canal and we saw one great blue heron between the river and the towpath.  We saw several downy woodpeckers,  a single pileated woodpecker, a large flock of tufted titmice, chickadees, cardinals and even a few eastern bluebirds.  We decided that the great noise from our feet constantly crunching on the fallen sticks and branches littering the path may have deterred some of the birds from coming closer.  

In defiance of the early March date and the bit of snow still on the ground, two very optimistic turtles were sunning in a shallow, sunny, protected area of the canal.  We saw no others.

We spent 2 hours walking round trip and covered only a little more than 4 miles.  Because of the path-clearing, we had less walking time.  But we were glad to help make it a little easier for the next walkers to get through.  It was a beautiful day to be outdoors.

We left Edwards Ferry and traveled north on Old River Road, which is more of a gravel path than a road.  It wound several miles through woods and farmland and finally met White's Ferry Road.  We crossed the canal, boarded the ferry and in only a few minutes had crossed the Potomac into Loudon County, Virginia, en route home.

Snowy, Slushy, Slippery Walk

Sunday, February 21, 2010

10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

.25 miles, .5 miles round trip south from Lock 10

12-18" of snow on the towpath; it was too slippery to walk!

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

About 1.5 miles

Great Falls Tavern, Lock 20, to Lock 18 and on the boardwalk to the Great Falls Overlook

Temperature 44-degrees and sunny

Lockhouse at Lock 10

The heavy snows had prevented a return to the canal for some weeks so we decided to walk in an area close to Washington, DC, hoping that the path would be worn and the slightly warmer temperatures had melted the ice and snow.  That was not the case.  We had not counted on the depth of the snow, and the shade that kept the sun from speeding up the melting process.

There was at least a foot of snow on the towpath, walking south from Lock 10 at about mile 9 on the towpath.  We walked 1/4 to 1/2 mile, past lock 9 and nearly to Lock 8 when one of us slipped for the umpteenth time and we made a mutual decision to turn around.  It was miserable.  The person who traveled across the path on skis was far smarter than we; the Uggs were not good substitutes and walking was treacherous.

Sadly, we couldn't even get a view of the river from this location, but the old locks are always interesting to see and we saw some mallards who were oblivious to the snow and cold.  We decided to go to Carderock Recreation Area so we could at least see the river.  

At Carderock, the snow was just as deep, but those before us had forged a path to  a spot where we could see the river; today it was a beautiful blue green color and flowing fast.   We saw a pileated woodpecker, a junco and plenty of crows.  There was little we could do there, as it was hard walking, so we headed for Great Falls Park where we knew the towpath would be a little clearer.

Great Falls Tavern Visitors Center

The Tavern is always a welcoming sight at Great Falls Park.  The snow was deep around it, but the paths were clear...

...and very muddy.  We walked from the Tavern, past Locks 20, 19, and 18.  This is part of the path I have walked many times before.  Unlike the path at Lock 10,  it was not packed with snow! 

The view of the river was pretty and the snow on the ground made the Virginia shore across the river look much closer. We took the boardwalk out to the falls overlook.  It is always beautiful and never the same.  Many of the boulders in the river were still snow-topped.

The lichens on the rocks near the falls were pretty against the stark white of the snow.  Ice still covered the surface of standing water and the white limbs of the sycamores stood out against the painted blue sky.

While we accomplished but half a mile of new walking on the canal, about 2 miles in total, it was a great day to be outdoors.  The warmth of the sun convinced us that spring will come.  In the meantime we are thankful for days like this.  I am anxious to continue my walks on the towpath, but only after the snow has melted.