The " Great American" Route Through Maryland

A majority of the Great American Rail-Trail host route in Maryland pays homage to the state’s days as a central player in the Canal Era, which peaked in the mid-19th century. Carried by the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (C&O Canal Towpath) for some 180 miles, the Great American Rail-Trail route through Maryland features hundreds of locks, lock houses and other canal structures that once transported coal, lumber and agricultural products to market and provided opportunities for employment and commerce in the Potomac River Valley.