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Swains Lock – Pennyfield Lock loop from Congressional Country Club

Swains Lock – Pennyfield Lock loop from Congressional Country Club

Moderate

4.9

(5665)

14,234

riders

Swains Lock – Pennyfield Lock loop from Congressional Country Club

04:01

70.5km

220m

Gravel riding

Moderate gravel ride. 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 13, 2026

Tips

Includes a segment in which cycling is not permitted

After 8.55 km for 92 m

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

10.9 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.

Tip by

12.8 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.

Tip by

19.0 km

Dierrsen Wildlife Management Area

Nature Reserve

22.7 km

Riley’s lock

Highlight • Monument

Riley’s Lock is a fun, happening place. Every time I pass by it is bustling with activity. There are two row boat clubs along Seneca creek. There are kayak, jet ski and canoe rentals, there is a pub with live music every Sunday, there are Girl Scouts at the lock house. People swimming in the canal and sunbathing by the river. As of mid-April the NPS has not turned on the water fountain though, something really important for Cyclists. There was a woman at the lock that handed me a bottle of water and saved my bacon as I had another 15 miles to go on the MTB to get to my car and was seriously considering drinking the Seneca creek.

Tip by

23.1 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, are accessible via the C&O Canal towpath and are especially visible during the winter months when vegetation is dormant.

Tip by

35.7 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

Tip by

42.9 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.

Please Note: Potable water may not be available at each campsite. Water is treated with iodine. Please plan to have water purification tablets with you. Water is turned off from November 15 to April 15 each year

Tip by

49.1 km

Inlet Lock

Lake

53.1 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.

Tip by

61.7 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 aqueduct is right next to the C&O and grants you views across the expansive Potomac River. Just across the trail exists a collection of other historic sites.

Tip by

70.5 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

52.1 km

12.8 km

4.44 km

1.03 km

175 m

Surfaces

52.8 km

11.4 km

6.36 km

Elevation

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

Highest point (110 m)

Lowest point (50 m)

Weather

Today

Thursday 13 August

32°C

23°C

15 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 17.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

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Swains Lock – Pennyfield Lock loop from Congressional Country Club

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

Swains Lock

Riley’s lock

Seneca Quarry Stone Mill Ruins

Chisel Branch Primitive Campsite

Horsepen Branch Primitive Campsite

Pennyfield Lock

Washington Aqueduct Observation Platform

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