Adam Heifetz is a bicyclist and runner who lives in Montgomery County.
Why isn’t the first 20-mile section of the C&O Canal towpath, with Mile 0 in our nation’s capital, maintained and repaired to the level seen in other, northern sections?
If America’s national parks are, according to Wallace Stegner, “the best idea we ever had . . . [and] reflect us at our best rather than our worst,” then our best is not even mediocre. According to the C&O Canal Trust website, the canal welcomes 5 million visitors each year. Many of the visitors are from out of town and from other countries. Is 20 miles of disrepair and dilapidation how we want to represent our democracy’s best idea?
I recently had the privilege of biking the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) trail and the C&O Canal National Park Trail from Pittsburgh to D.C. The GAP trail, which runs from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Md., is clearly marked, with frequent mile markers and clear placards indicating mileage to the next town. The crushed limestone trail, interrupted sporadically by areas of pavement, is immaculately maintained and a pleasure to ride.
Advertisement
The C&O Canal from the Pennyfield Lockhouse in Maryland to Georgetown, Miles 20 to 0, going north to south, was not.
That 20-mile stretch sees the greatest number of visitors, and the canal towpath in this section is an embarrassment of dilapidation, washouts, weeds, ruts and graffiti. In stark contrast to the GAP trail, this section of the canal included miles of mud-filled ruts, washouts that narrowed the trail to the point that safety required dismounting bicycles. Within sight of the Great Falls Tavern, construction fencing had been so long in place that no section of it was orange, faded from years of exposure, a temporary placeholder for long-neglected repairs. Worst of all and of the greatest sadness was the graffiti all over the area surrounding Mile 0, including on the mile marker itself. This indicated to me a lack of care and maintenance in its most glaring form.
Like many long-distance cyclists, horseback riders and runners, I am thrilled by the progress being made in resurfacing portions of the canal in places such as Brunswick, Md., and Monocacy, Md. Fifty-six miles of resurfacing is an impressive feat. I heap praise on the C&O Canal Trust and the work it put into fundraising and partnering with the National Park Service to improve many upstream sections of the canal. These areas are far from the most visited sections of the canal and are a welcome respite and spots to enjoy many natural wonders. Many of the original lock-keeper homes have been restored and are available for nightly stays.
Advertisement
As this nation continues to work to repair its image in the eyes of the world and as we enjoy a renewed focus on outdoor exercise, we deserve a national park within sight of our nation’s capital that represents the best of what America has to offer, and this includes a renewed and maintained canal towpath.
The Great American Outdoors Act established the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Fund. Many necessary and worthy projects are on the approved list of projects in 2022. The C&O towpath resurfacing and restoration and the maintenance of historic structures from Miles 0 to 20 must be placed on the project list for 2023.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZLyxtc2ipqerX2d9c32OaW5oamNksaq%2FwKmnqKGeqbKlecGyZJynXZiur63LZquor6CWwam%2FjJ2grKqVpa6qvo4%3D