At 184.5 miles long the C&O Canal is a fantastic first thru hike for those looking to see what this long distance hiking thing is really like.

The C&O Canal hiking trail is relatively level, allowing people who think that they aren’t quite in shape to test their abilities, and the camping locations are spaced evenly enough that any single day’s worth of hiking does not seem daunting.

It is also very easy to reach via transportation into Washington, DC, and in fact starts very near the historic, if somewhat infamous, Watergate Hotel.

Not only does the C&O Canal hike cross the Appalachian Trail near Harper’s Ferry, it also connects to the 150 mile long Great Allegheny Passage.

Because of its connection to the center of the Appalachian Trail, it makes a very easy, low cost way to jump back on the trail for AT thru hiker’s doing a Flip-Flop hike.

This is the C&O Canal Thru Hike playlist, starting in Washington, D.C. The hike along the canal is 184.5 miles into Cumberland, MD where the the trail meets the Great Allegheny Passage.