Sunday, 18 October 2020
Williamsport to Harpers Ferry, 40 miles
It's Sunday, so we shared the great scenery and historical sites with a lot of people. Harpers Ferry was particularly crowded.
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Lon bikes along the "Big Slackwater" section of the towpath. In this 2 1/2 mile stretch above Dam 4, the canal disappears and the canal boats/barges used the river. As you can see, it was difficult just to make room for a towpath, much less a canal, too, between the river and the rock bluffs.
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The Big Slackwater section of the towpath was opened in 2012 after a $19 million restoration project.
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McMahon's Mill
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| Dam 4 |
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Sue at Dam 4.
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The guard gate at Dam 4 protected the downstream canal from flooding.
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Towpath. The depression at left is the remains of the canal. The Potomac is off to the right.
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In several sections the Potomac was filled with large boulders -- similar to the James River at Richmond.
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North bank (Maryland side) of the Potomac at Harpers Ferry: Lock 33, "Maryland Heights" cliffs, and two railroad bridges crossing the Potomac. Just below the railroad bridge, the Shenandoah River enters the Potomac.
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Two railroads emerge from a tunnel in Maryland, and then immediately cross the Potomac into Harpers Ferry, WV. The bridge on the right has one of the two tracks turned into a footpath across the Potomac. This is also the route for the Appalachian Trail. Harpers Ferry was crowded shoulder-to-shoulder with tourists.
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To get to the footpath over the Potomac, you had to climb up about 25 feet on a busy, spiraling staircase.
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High Street in Harpers Ferry. Despite how it looks, this is a steep street!
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