Swains Lock – Pennyfield Lock loop from Potomac

Bike touring routes & trails

Swains Lock – Pennyfield Lock loop from Potomac

Hard

3.1

(27)

riders

Swains Lock – Pennyfield Lock loop from Potomac

05:33

64.9km

190m

Cycling

Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 19, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

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6.78 km

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.

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13.0 km

Dierrsen Wildlife Management Area

Nature Reserve

17.1 km

Seneca Quarry Stone Mill Ruins

Highlight • Historical Site

Built in 1837 by the Seneca Sandstone Company, this mill was created to process the distinctive red sandstone quarried nearby. Today, the ruins, easily spotted by their red sandstone walls, …

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29.6 km

Chisel Branch Primitive Campsite

Highlight • Rest Area

The Chisel Branch Campsite is a hiker-biker campsite named after for a stream that crosses beneath the canal approximately half a mile from the site. Amenities include a chemical toilet, water, picnic table, and grill

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30.2 km

Lockhouse 25

Highlight • Historical Site

This Lockhouse saw the Civil War unfold as the two sides crossed from one side of the river to the other. It can now be rented as a base camp for your cycling excursions in the area.

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38.0 km

Horsepen Branch Primitive Campsite

Highlight • Rest Area

The Horse Pen Branch campsite is a hiker/biker campsite not accessible by car. Amenities include a chemical toilet, water, picnic table, and grill.

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44.2 km

Inlet Lock

Lake

48.2 km

Pennyfield Lock

Highlight • Monument

Lock 22, aka Pennyfield Lock, was built between 1829 and 1831, and the name came from the misspelling of the Pennifield family name. It has been restored and offers overnight stays to recreate the rustic feeling from that period.

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54.9 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.

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56.8 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 …

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