Repairs Continue On C&O Towpath At Old Angler's Inn

As dozens flock to the this summer, they may find parking to be a little more difficult than normal.

After storms washed out parts of the Canal towpath near, the National Park Service has been hard at work to repair the damage, having received a $2 million grant last fall.

Repairs are expected to be completed by fall of 2012. The National Park Service has released the following update:

Stonemasons continue to select and place stones recovered during excavation of the historic stonewall. These stones will serve as the face for a new mass concrete retaining wall on top of a new concrete footing. To date, stones have been placed to a height of six to 12 feet above the footing. Behind the stone face, the concrete retaining wall has been formed and placed to a height of approximately six feet. Both the stone placement and concrete retaining wall efforts are expected to continue through mid-summer 2012.

When the wall is completed, it will effectively close the towpath breach, allowing for restoration of the towpath and canal prism.

Continued construction also means periodic closures of all parking areas at the Angler's access across from the Old Angler’s Inn on MacArthur Boulevard, as well as the lower drop off lot. The middle entrance to the parking areas remains closed, and vehicular traffic generally is prohibited at Angler’s from 5 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily in the upper lot and the lower drop off lot.

The lower drop off lot is open on a day-to-day basis depending on repair operations at the site. Limited parking is available for both the upper lot and the lower drop off lot after 5 p.m. weekdays, on weekends, and holidays. 

Alternative parking is available at Carderock (2 miles east) and Great Falls (2.2 miles west).  

All visitors are asked to obey posted closure signs and stay on designated detour routes for their safety.