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Pennyfield Lock – Swains Lock loop from Bethesda

Pennyfield Lock – Swains Lock loop from Bethesda

Hard

2.8

(6)

riders

Pennyfield Lock – Swains Lock loop from Bethesda

04:48

75.3km

590m

Gravel riding

Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: June 8, 2026

Tips

Includes a segment in which cycling is not permitted

After 20.3 km for 291 m

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

16.5 km

Locust Grove Nature Center

Highlight • Rest Area

This park has something for every kind of outdoor enthusiast, from athletic fields and ice skating to picnic tables and a nature center for the kids. With over 5 miles …

Tip by

36.2 km

Muddy Branch Stream Trail

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

A beautiful natural surface trail that gently rolls along the Muddy Branch Stream for nine miles.

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44.5 km

Blockhouse Point Conservation Park

Nature Reserve

46.3 km

Bridge over Muddy Branch near Riley’s Lock

Highlight • Bridge

This is a very picturesque area, with the bridge, the creek, and the house up the hill beyond the field.

Tip by

47.2 km

Lock 22, aka Pennyfield Lock, was built between 1829 and 1831, and the name came from the misspelling of the Pennifield family name. It has been restored and offers overnight stays to recreate the rustic feeling from that period.

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52.0 km

Swains Lock

Highlight • Historical Site

These are hard to come by along the C&O canal and usually hidden. Always nice to know where to get water.

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53.9 km

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

Highlight • Trail

This towpath is as much about the journey as the destination. Cruise past historic locks, aqueducts, and shady woodlands along a trail with gentle grades and rich history. Pause at scenic river overlooks or old lockhouses for a quick rest.

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55.7 km

Washington Aqueduct Observation Platform

Highlight • Viewpoint

Washington Aqueduct was constructed back in the mid-1800s by the Army Corps of Engineers to provide water to Washington, D.C., and is still used today. The observation platform for the …

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56.2 km

Start of the Great Falls Foot Trail

Highlight • Trail

The Great Falls of the Potomac is a place with various rapids and small falls in the Potomac. The place marked here may only be entered on foot. Bicycles and dogs 😜 must stay outside.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

75.3 km

End point

Train Station

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

30.3 km

27.6 km

8.66 km

7.59 km

712 m

476 m

Surfaces

31.4 km

24.6 km

19.1 km

235 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (140 m)

Lowest point (40 m)

Weather

Today

Thursday 16 July

37°C

24°C

9 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 14.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

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Pennyfield Lock – Swains Lock loop from Bethesda

Locust Grove Nature Center

Muddy Branch Stream Trail

Bridge over Muddy Branch near Riley’s Lock

Pennyfield Lock

Swains Lock

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

Washington Aqueduct Observation Platform

Start of the Great Falls Foot Trail

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