McKee-Besher Wildlife Management Area to Mile 30

Sunday, January 24, 2010

9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

3 miles from Mile 27 (south of McKee-Besher Wildlife Management Area) to Mile 30, 6 miles round trip

Total to date toward goal =  17 miles (167.5 to go)

Temperature 39-degrees

Access to this canal entrance is down a very rough gravel road with enormous potholes.  The runoff from the nearby turf farm causes an unpleasant stench.  Hunting is allowed in these woods and, frankly, it was a little bit creepy getting to the parking area, which was mostly mud, ice and giant potholes.  We saw some hunters parked closer to the road, geared up in camouflage and toting guns.

It was drizzling and overcast with a little bit of fog.  The canopy of trees over the path helped to protect us from the elements.  At most points on this walk, we were very close to the Potomac.  There were several places where it was possible to walk down to the river or look over the banks.

Several small islands were close to shore and with the recent rains there was a good bit of debris.  The trail was wet, no longer icy, and very muddy in places.  There were signs of horses having recently been along the path.  Unlike previous walks, the path was not well graded or firm.  For about a mile of the walk, the turf farm was visible beyond the trees on the other side of the canal. 

The canal was filled with water, covered with a thick layer of ice in some spots and overgrown with trees. The sycamore trees beside the river and canal were the largest I have seen on the canal so far.  Many old trees were uprooted and toppled over; others looked as if it would not take much to make them horizontal too.

We saw several pileated, downy and red-bellied woodpeckers, lots of nuthatches, and titmice.  Chickadees seemed to follow us, curious to see humans on such a dreary day.  At least one pair of golden-crowned kinglets were flitting around the low bushes, also paying some attention to us.  One enormous great blue heron flew up into the trees and we admired his enormous wingspan (72" according to the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America).

We walked to mile marker 30 and turned around, because the weather was not improving.  Since this was another round-trip walk, it only yielded 3 miles on my trek to walk the whole C&O.  Longer walks are definitely going to be necessary - but not in the rain!  


It has been fun to have friends and family join me on the walks so far.  I hope to continue that tradition.

Swain's Lock to Pennyfield Lock

Monday, January 18, 2010

1:30 - 3:30 p.m.

3 miles from Swain's Lock (mile 16.6, Lock 21) to Pennyfield Lock (mile 19.6, Lock 22)

6 miles roundtrip

Total to date toward goal =  14 miles (170.5 to go)

Temperature about 50-degrees

We missed our volunteer project for MLK Day due to electrical problems (waiting on the electrician) so instead headed to the C&O to enjoy the beautiful weather on this federal holiday.  We saw more people on this trip, and the parking lot at Swain's Lock was nearly full.  On the towpath, we encountered about 20 people, mostly bikers in groups and a few runners.

This is a less remote part of the path, with large homes visible on the hills above and behind the canal.  There are many little islands dotting the Potomac River on this three-mile stretch and it is quite narrow in places.

A WSSC water treatment plant is less than a mile north of Swain's Lock; there you can walk right up to the river and look at the water rushing by.

We saw a Great Blue Heron on the canal, several groups of ducks, goldfinches, a few downy woodpeckers, crows, vultures, geese, and some nuthatches.  Hawks circled overhead and along the river; we spotted one when its large shadow moved over us.  We saw huge nests in the very tall trees along the Virginia side of the Potomac.   We saw a bald eagle flying low along the water, moving north, with a fish in its mouth.  It flew into the trees on the Virginia side (you can barely see the eagle flying low over the water in the photo directly above).

The canal was still frozen in some places.  The melting ice had some beautiful patterns, presumably from the plants waving below the thawing surface.

Most of the ice had melted from the trail and no snow was left in the woods.  There was no ice in the Potomac.

This was the first walk where we did not spot any pileated woodpeckers.  Reasons may be that the woods were less dense, humanity was closer, and the water treatment plant was nearby.  We also saw carcasses of two deer, in different places along the far bank of the canal.  They were near the high fences around the water treatment facility and presumably a predator was able to corner them as a result.

Pennyfield lock #22 is undergoing construction. The lockhouse is quite attractive and in very good shape.  It is one of the four Canal Quarters lockhouses that are available for rent to the public in a partnership between the C&O Canal Trust and the National Park Service.  The rentals have varying amenities (some do not have heat or plumbing).

It was a perfect day for a walk.  It felt like early spring.  Seeing a bald eagle was pretty special and spending time with my favorite 25 year old was priceless.

Senaca Aqueduct to Horsepen

Saturday, January 16, 2010
1:30 - 4:00 p.m.
3.2 miles from Seneca Aqueduct (lock 24, mile 22.8) to Horsepen (mile 26)
6.4 miles roundtrip
Total to date toward goal =  11 miles (173.5 to go)
Temperature about 45-degrees

There is ample parking behind the lockhouse at Lock 24, Riley's Lock.  Two of the original three arches of Seneca Aqueduct are easily visible and there is a nice area for picnicking.  We saw fewer than a dozen walkers and runners during the entire walk.

Once on the trail, we could hear the noise of the water rushing over the dam immediately to the south.

Walking north, the towpath is quite shady, with trees on both sides of the path.  There are more birds and squirrels here than in the more heavily traveled areas below Swain's Lock and the river was always visible through the trees.  Further north, there are small islands in the river, many still with snow on them; the river had quite a few large pieces of ice floating in it and we saw ducks and geese, at several points.

The squirrels were busy in the woods on both sides of the canal, chasing one another and digging through the leaves.  We saw one blue heron, nearly hidden by the brush and fallen trees, fishing by the river.

We spotted at least a dozen pileated woodpeckers.  Additionally, we saw downy woodpeckers, some flickers, several thrush, titmice, goldfinch, chickadees, and sparrows, and a catbird.

The path was slushy with melting ice and snow.  The river was visible the entire way.  At times the canal was nearly invisible due to the underbrush and large trees that have grown in the canal bed.  Enormous bird nests dotted the treetops along the canal.

After we turned around at the Horsepen campsite, we heard gunshots nearby, presumably from hunters.  We hoped that the proximity was distorted due to the low cloud cover.

It was a pretty walk and the canopy of trees made it seemed all the more remote.  Back at Lock 24, we explored the attractive picnic area and the view downstream toward the dam.

Great Falls to Swain's Lock

Sunday, January 10, 2010
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

It was a beautiful morning to walk north from Great Falls Visitors Center at Lock 20, mile 14.3.  The temperature was about 28-degrees when we departed and 30 or 31 when we returned.  The towpath was almost deserted with fewer than 10 walkers and bikers for the entire two hours.

My son and I took Dallas, the now 12 year old lab, but were uncertain whether we would be warm enough.  It was not windy and we were comfortable in our wool, fleece and down layers.

The day was stunning with no clouds in the sky; the reflections on the river and the canal were bright and most of the snow from the pre-Christmas blizzard and this week's 2-inch fall was gone.  The path was very clear and not slippery; where there was ice it was mixed with gravel from the path.  The white trunks of the sycamores were striking against the blue sky.

It was a birder's paradise.  At least 6 pileated woodpeckers, just as many downy woodpeckers, a blue heron who I almost missed because he blended in with his perch, a flock of cardinals, dozens of chickadees, at least a dozen nuthatches, several tufted titmice, and dark-eyed juncos.    The bare trees ensured visibility but the woodpeckers were wisely distrustful and kept their distance.

We took the River Trail down to see the frozen water and follow the sounds of the water birds.  We laughed and decided that the honking of the geese sounded like a playground full of adolescent boys.  There were many mallards and canadian geese and there were signs that a fox or other predator had successfully captured at least one of them.  The water was full of ice and moving swiftly.

Along the towpath, the animal prints were visible in the snow on top of the frozen canal water.  We recognized rabbit tracks and suspected others were raccoon, fox and opossum.

There are several small islands in the Potomac close to Swain's Lock (Minnehaha, Gladys, Lock and Beall).  The water birds congregated on and about the islands.  The view across the river was gorgeous, with snow visible on the VIrginia shore and large chunks of ice floating in the river.

Swain's Lock (#21) is at mile 16.6.  The Lock is named for the Swain family whose members began working on the original construction of the canal and operated the lock.  Until 2006 the family operated a boat rental and concession stand from Lockhouse 21.  

It was a beautiful walk to Swain's Lock and back.  The sun helped keep us warm and the dog entertained us while we spotted birds and enjoyed the varied views.  The icicles formed by the water running off the hills made for a winter wonderland atmosphere.

We returned to the car, glad for the seat warmers and the heat but refreshed and invigorated from nearly five miles of walking.  The dog slept the whole way home.