Boating: How to Boat: Advanced: Paddle Sports
Paddling Our National Parks: C&O Canal and Harpers Ferry, in Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland
Paddling the Land of Wow: Rivers of our National Parks
by Ben Long
Courtesy of Article Resource Association www.aracopy.com
Harpers Ferry is a former federal armory saturated with American history. It also happens to be at the confluence of two of the East's most notable rivers, the Potomac and the Shenandoah. When Lewis and Clark explored the West, they carried guns forged at Harpers Ferry. When John Brown revolted against slavery, he attempted to take over the armory here. During the Civil War, the town was the scene of bloody battles.
And if you're visiting Washington D.C. and need a river fix, this is the place for it. "The passage of the Patowmac through the Blue Ridge is perhaps one of the most stupendous scenes in Nature," wrote one early visitor named Thomas Jefferson. The bluff above Harper's Ferry is the most westerly spot Jefferson ever reached.
Nowadays, the Appalachian Trail passes through town. The mountains flanking Harpers Ferry are still cloaked in hardwoods. If you catch the fall colors at their peak, consider yourself blessed.
Great Falls of the Potomac and the C & O Canal offer a natural diversion after a day of touring museums and monuments in Washington. The sound of the river drowns out the hum of traffic and the lush forest stands in contrast to the urban landscape hidden not far away.
The historic C & O (Chesapeake and Ohio) Canal is a 184-mile long greenbelt running along the Potomac. It runs from the posh Washington D. C. suburb of Georgetown, past Harpers Ferry, to the upstream community of Cumberland, Maryland.
Historically, mules pulled barges ferrying coal and other raw materials up and down the canal from a tow path along the bank. Now, the path hosts joggers, walkers, and anglers. The Potomac crosses the Washington Beltway near the Great Falls. Here, kayakers peel out of wet suits, slip into suits and ties, and head back to work after a mid-day paddling break.
The canal path has 34 primitive campsites, right along the river. In theory, a canoer can float between campsites. Check your map carefully, though, because the campsites are not always visible from the water. The paddling is Class II, and the major danger is a series of small dams that must be portaged.
Wow Factor? Standing in the footsteps of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, pondering how the nation they founded 223 years ago treats its rivers, both for work and for play.
Both Harpers Ferry and C & O Canal Headquarters can be contacted at, PO Box 4, Sharpsburg, MD, 21782. Phone: (301) 739-4200.
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