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Big Slackwater – Big Slackwater View loop from Scrabble

Routes

Bike touring routes & trails

United States

Maryland

Washington County

Big Slackwater – Big Slackwater View loop from Scrabble

Hard

4.6

(3756)

17,016

riders

Big Slackwater – Big Slackwater View loop from Scrabble

05:38

64.1km

240m

Cycling

Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: July 1, 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

4.26 km

Big Slackwater

Highlight • Cycleway

Ride in the morning or weekday, if possible. can get busy on weekends.

Tip by

5.10 km

Potomac River Trail

Highlight • Trail

5.21 km

Big Slackwater

Highlight • River

5.86 km

Big Slackwater View

Highlight • Trail

Big Slackwater is a deep, smooth area of the C&O canal. It is the place that canal boats used to be launched into the canal.

After a flood destroyed the …

Tip by

12.8 km

Halfway Point

Highlight • Structure

33.2 km

Horseshoe Bend campsite

Highlight • Rest Area

44.7 km

View of the Potomac River from the Shepherdstown Bridge

Highlight • Viewpoint

Scenic views from the bridge crossing the bridge from West Virginia to Maryland. The MD-side of the bridge offers access to the C&O Canal tow path.

Tip by

64.1 km

Dam No. 4

Highlight • Monument

Dam No. 4 is located around mile 84 of the C&O Canal Towpath. Built in 1856, this dam was crucial for maintaining water levels for canal operations and remains an …

Tip by

64.1 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

52.3 km

7.41 km

4.00 km

417 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

52.3 km

7.41 km

4.17 km

200 m

< 100 m

Elevation

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

Weather

Today

Friday 3 July

38°C

23°C

41 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 8.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

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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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Big Slackwater – Big Slackwater View loop from Scrabble

Big Slackwater

Potomac River Trail

Big Slackwater

Big Slackwater View

Halfway Point

Horseshoe Bend campsite

View of the Potomac River from the Shepherdstown Bridge

Dam No. 4

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