Swains Lock – Pennyfield Lock loop from Potomac

Bike touring routes & trails

Swains Lock – Pennyfield Lock loop from Potomac

Moderate

4.6

(7440)

7,441

riders

Swains Lock – Pennyfield Lock loop from Potomac

03:23

39.0km

130m

Cycling

Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: November 4, 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

Get Directions

4.25 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

10.5 km

Dierrsen Wildlife Management Area

Nature Reserve

14.5 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, …

Tip by

16.5 km

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

Running for a total of 184.5 miles along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, this trail served multiple purposes historically. Initially, it was utilized for transportation to the western United States …

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19.9 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.

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26.1 km

Inlet Lock

Lake

26.2 km

Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal Towpath — Blockhouse Point Park

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

Stretching for a total of 184.5 miles alongside the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (C&O), this trail was initially constructed for mules to walk beside the canal while towing the canal …

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30.1 km

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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39.0 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types