LocktoberfestDC: 10-mile bike ride exploring historic Washington DC canals

At the Lockkeeper's House the house docent will explain the history of the house and the Washington City Canal it served, as well as the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal Extension which connected the two canals. Participants will further learn about the massive project by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to create West Potomac Park and East Potomac Park, thus creating man-made land which covered the historic canal extension. We pedal along the footprint of the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal Extension and view the ruins of Tide Lock A at the C&O Canal Mile 0 Marker. Admire a working lift lock at C&O Canal Lock 4. See the ruins of the Alexandria Aqueduct Bridge and the site of the historic Incline Plane. We then reach our Midpoint Location - the Abner Cloud House - the oldest house on the C&O Canal and where a mill once loaded its products on canal boats. After reaching the Midpoint Location, we return to C&O Canal Lock 4 and then ride directly to our LocktoberfestDC Celebration at Sauf Haus Bier Hall & Garten, which runs 3PM-5PM.

We meet here at the Lockkeeper's House. Outside this house, on what is now Constitution Avenue NW, was Tide Lock B which connected the historic Washington City Canal to the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal via the C&O Canal Extension.

This is an historic image of the Alexandria Aqueduct, which Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal boats to cross the Potomac River into Virginia and south to the City of Alexandria. We will stop at the ruins of the old aqueduct in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington D.C.

This beautiful historic artwork by artist Peter Waddell illustrates boat traffic on the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington D.C. We will see the restored canal locks at Locks 3 and 4 along the C&O Canal.

This maps shows the 10-mile bike ride starts at the Lockkeeper's House (C) and goes west along the path of the C&O Canal Extension (shown as the dotted green line) to Lock 4 of the C&O Canal (B), and then on to the Abner Cloud House (A). After returning to the C&O Canal Lock 4, we enjoy our LocktoberfestDC Celebration at the Sauf Haus Bier Hall & Garten (F).

Host or Publisher LocktoberfestDC