Monocacy Aqueduct

First time visiting here and it is absolutely beautiful. Well maintained. Great views of the aqueduct and the area around it. Paths are excellent and great for hiking, running, walking, jogging, biking and bird watching. I walked south about two miles and the towpath is wide and flat. There is a huge grassy area to have a picnic and play with the kids. Lots of history and signage to help explain and educate yourself on the history and aqueduct. There is plenty of parking and two huge built in restrooms.

Stunning view, like in movies! The place is perfect to have a very romantic sunset. It was free to get there and I back with incredible memories from that place. Does not matter the season, this place will always be beautiful.

An absolutely beautiful place to run. The bridge going over the mouth of the Monacacy is just stunning and seems well-preserved. Going upriver about 6-6.5 miles will get you to Point of Rocks. The trail is flat and well-maintained. Saw a few other walkers, runners, and bikers but crowds were overall minimal. Highly recommend although the roads leading to the parking lot are quite narrow. Parking is plentiful.

It’s part of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal system, which is how people would ship cargo inland. The structure is now part of a walking and biking trail and can be visited via the trailhead or using a car.

Discover a national landmark that offers a fascinating glimpse into how this aqueduct was built nearly two centuries ago. Park Ranger Mr. Nichols warmly shares his extensive knowledge about the site and his role, making the visit truly engaging. A must-see destination for anyone exploring Maryland! Indeed water and boats can cross water 😀

We walked from Monocacy to Noland's Ferry back and forth. The trail was mostly flat so it's appropriate for running and walking.

Beautiful spot on the C&O canal to stop for the river view and to have a break. The historical engineering is incredible. There is boat ramp next to it.

Level was below 2' when I was there. Pretty shallow to launch and get over the sandbar into deeper water. Have a pedal kayak? It's sketch if the water isn't clear. Boulders and logs very random. The aquaduct was passable to furthest left and right. Right has some decent holes for cats, not that I found any tho. Fishing was bad and I threw everything that typically hooks up in Williamsport. Turtles were a huge nuisance. Didnt seem like a great place for bank fishing. Most structure and deeper channel are on the far side. Hiking to the point on the Potomac seems like a better option.

If you're into history, stop by Monocacy Aqueduct. Built in 1833 over the C&O Canal, it was used to help transport supplies to the Union Army during the Civil War. It was so important that the Confederacy tried to unsuccessfully burn it several times. Today, it's a park open to the public. There's a small parking lot, plaques that tell its history and open restrooms.

Discovered this cool historical aqueduct while road tripping through Virginia and Maryland. Interesting place with informative historical markers. A little off the beaten path, but worth checking out on the C&O Canal.

Impressive piece of engineering and local history. Well worth a stop and/or a picnic.

[Coronavirus review] No danger of getting overwhelmed by crowds in this part of the canal, (unlike, say, Great Falls or Harpers Ferry). At the end of a disintegrating road lies a small parking lot that was full while I was there. It isn't that far to Nolands Ferry, which might be as good or better as a place to park for the same general area. I walked to the ferry and back. The aqueduct is a pretty impressive sight. Of course, many Roman aqueducts are still standing after thousands of years, and this one looks like it might outlast them. There is no water in it, however, so you'll have to imagine what it would have looked like carrying boats on a bridge over the Monocacy River. Besides the aqueduct, no other particularly spectacular sights await; it's fairly straight away hiking in both directions with a thick canopy of trees surrounding the canal towpath. Not that this is a bad thing. It's a popular biking stretch, and unlike in a city, you can hear the bikes coming, assuming you're not wearing headphones. And why wouldn't you take them off and listen to the birds? There are a few access points to river views which were muddy and buggy when I dropped by. But even where it's not exciting, the area is definitely worth a visit.

When you think of Maryland, don't think of the beltway. Maryland is really beautiful. We discovered the Monocacy Aqueduct by accident. It was my turn to be the passenger while the elder child practiced driving. We were f=driving along the Maryland Route 28 which becomes a scenic route once we cross Gaithersburg into Darnestown. Farms, greenery (it's spring) etc. We spotted the sign by the National Park for the Monocacy Aqueduct. So glad that the color of the signs for places to see are distinguishable. Its about a 2 mile winding road from Route 28 to the Monocacy Aqueduct. Seems like a lot of parking and restrooms. A good bike path and walking trails. There is a boat dock and water seems serene. This place has historic importance having warded off the Conferderate Army who wanted to destory this aqueduct. A full day family trip would be enjoyable. Bring your own food and take back your trash.

This a great little get away place on the Potomac rich in history from the early days in America. This is the last complete aqueduct that once carried the C&O canal from Cumberland MD to DC, this was the predecessor to the rail road. I carried necessary supplies to help build this county. Walking through the aqueduct much of it was restored and rebuilt. Not surprising since the Confederate Army tried to destroy it in the civil war. Bring your fishing rods and a picnic along with your dog for a nice day on or along the river.

The 2nd of 11 aqueducts along the chesapeake and Ohio canal. This beautiful aqueduct is well taken care of by the National park service. The grounds surrounding the aqueduct are beautifully and professionally maintained and there is a boat ramp for the boaters on the Potomac and Monocacy Rivers . :) Rivers. Superintendant Kevin Brandt and his crew do an excellent job of taking care of the Monocacy Aqueduct and the entire C & O canal.

The Monocacy Aqueduct is an engineering marvel that is a part of the long-abandoned C&O Canal system. The C&O Canal was the interstate highway system of it's day, except the tractor-trailers were boats, and the power was provided by river current. The aqueduct allowed the canal boats to safely traverse a natural river (in this case, the Monacacy River) on it's route. I love coming here. It's interesting, it's peaceful, and it's a good walk around the aqueduct and one of the nearby locks. It is kind of out in the country, and it's not that easy to get to. It's not "interactive", there is no gift shop, there are no tours, just a tiny parking lot and the remains of what used to be something great. Just one of the universe of reasons I like this place - from the Wikipedia entry for the Monacacy Aqueduct: "During the American Civil War the Union used the canal to transport war materials and troops along the border between Maryland, Virginia, and points west. For this reason the canal as well as the aqueducts were often under Confederate attack. There were many Confederate sympathizers among the canal employees, including Thomas Walter, keeper of Lock 27. Walter loved the South, but he loved the Monocacy Aqueduct more. When he learned that Confederate General D. H. Hill had orders to destroy it in order to halt boat traffic during the Antietam campaign in September 1862, Walter convinced Hill that draining the canal would achieve the same end. Walter saved the Monocacy Aqueduct, only for it to be threatened once again a few days later when another Confederate party attempted to blow up the aqueduct. However, the soldiers were unable to drill enough holes into the hard stone to place enough explosives to breach the structure." It remained standing then, and it still remains standing today, although unused for the purpose it was built. If you're in the area, it's worth a visit.