A Cold Rainy Day Near Whites Ferry

This past Sunday I hiked a small segment of the C&O Canal towpath in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve near Whites Ferry, Maryland. The grey overcast sky seemed contagious, making the fall colors appear faded. The cold rainy day inspired indoor activities. As a result, I hiked only the 5 mile repeat trip between milepost 35.5, near Whites Ferry, and milepost 33.

The Canal and towpath that runs alongside it extends 135 miles from Washington D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland. During its major years of operation, primarily the years following the Civil War to the early 1900's, the C&O Canal represented a major trade route and significant employer. Eventually, railroads captured the shipping business on the Canal.

The Whites Ferry area also lies along a Civil War route. In 1862, 35,000 soldiers in General Lee’s Army of the Confederacy crossed the Potomac River 2 miles north of the Whites Ferry trailhead. The invasion occurred after the second Battle of Manassas and before the Battle of Antietam.

At one point on my walk, the brief open view of the slow moving Potomac, a football field wide, its rippling water strong and silent, brought back memories of the Housatonic River in Connecticut near Kent Boys School and the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania near Bucknell University. On my walk back, the presence on the trail of a large catlike animal the size of a dog scared the daylights out of me.

Aside from the brief river view and the excitement caused by the wildlife, I do not recommend this portion of the C&O Canal trail as a destination hike to anyone who doesn’t live fairly close by since the walk and views are no better than other areas of the Canal. But the presence of wildlife, the serenity of the trail, and the beauty of the Potomac River do make me want to return on a longer, through hike or bike trip up the towpath from Washington D.C. to Harper’s Ferry or beyond.

The drive from Bethesda to the Whites Ferry trailhead takes about 30 minutes from the River Road exit off of the Beltway. Take the exit toward Potomac and continue on River Road. From Potomac, drive 6 miles until Route 190 ends. Turn left to stay on River Road. After 1 mile, take a right onto Partnership Road. After 4 miles, Partnership Road runs into Whites Ferry Road. Take the left. Drive on this road about 9 miles until you see Whites Ferry. Whites Ferry becomes Fisher Avenue for a stretch as you approach and leave Poolesville. The entrance to the towpath is on the left near the canal.