The C and O Canal is free, except $20 per car at Great Falls
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal is free to visit, except the Great Falls Tavern area in Potomac, Maryland. There, a car pays $20, a motorcycle $15, and a person on foot or bike $10, age 16 and older. Passes are good for 7 days and also work at Great Falls Park in Virginia. A $35 annual pass covers both. The $80 America the Beautiful pass also covers entry.
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park fees in 2026
| Private vehicle, everyone inside | $20, good for 7 days |
|---|---|
| Motorcycle | $15, good for 7 days |
| Per person on foot or bike | $10, good for 7 days |
| Great Falls and C and O Canal annual pass | $35 |
| America the Beautiful annual pass (US residents) | $80, good at every national park |
| Family of 4 in one car, 7 days | $20 |
|---|---|
| 2 adults hiking or biking in | $20 |
America the Beautiful passes are accepted here. This park is cashless, so bring a card. Only the Great Falls Tavern area in Potomac, Maryland charges a fee. The rest of the canal is free. The same pass works at Great Falls Park in Virginia. Sources: National Park Service, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park fees and passes; National Park Service Data API, fees and passes for every park (pulled September 26, 2026).
Other park fees in DC and Maryland and West Virginia
Planning more than one park? Here is what each one charges in 2026.
| Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine | $15 per person |
|---|---|
| Antietam National Battlefield | $20 per car |
| Assateague Island National Seashore | $25 per car |
| Harpers Ferry National Historical Park | $20 per car |
What this price covers
What the park says: The C&O Canal NHP is free to visit except the Great Falls Tavern area in Potomac, MD. Entrance passes for the Great Falls Tavern area of C&O Canal in Maryland are valid at Great Falls Park in Virginia.
About the main pass: Pass is for one private, non-commercial vehicle , passenger cars, pickup trucks, RVs and vans , and is valid at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River and Great Falls Park on the Virginia side of the Potomac River.
About the annual pass: Valid for one full year from the month of purchase. Permits access to the Great Falls area of the C&O Canal National Historical Park in Maryland and Great Falls Park in Virginia. The annual pass allows entrance for the pass holder and additional passengers in a single private non-commercial vehicle, or pass holder plus three adults when entering on foot or bicycle
Which pass is best for you? A single visit costs $20 for your whole car. The park annual pass costs $35 and only works here. The $80 America the Beautiful pass works at every national park for 12 months, and covers everyone in one car, or the pass holder plus 3 adults where the fee is per person. US residents 62 and older can buy a $20 annual or $80 lifetime senior pass instead. US military members can get a free pass.
The entrance fee does not cover camping, tours, lodging or shuttles run by private companies.
What changes your price
- How you arrive. One car pays $20 for everyone inside. Walkers and cyclists pay $10 each.
- Age. Kids 15 and under are free.
- How often you come. The park annual pass costs $35.
Ways to pay less
- Visiting 4 or more parks that charge about $20 this year? The $80 America the Beautiful pass costs less.
- Coming back to C and O Canal? The $35 annual pass pays off on your second visit in 12 months.
- Buy a digital pass on Recreation.gov before you go. Signal can be weak near park entrances.
- Bring a credit or debit card. Cash is not accepted.
How we got these numbers
Every fee on this page comes from the National Park Service. We pulled the fee data for every park from the official NPS Data API on September 26, 2026, and each park's own fees page shows the same numbers. Where we show a total, we only add up the park's own fees. We do not add our own guesses. Fees can change, so check the park's page before you go.
Common questions
How much does it cost to get into Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park?
$20 per car, good for 7 days.
Is C and O Canal free for kids?
Yes. Kids 15 and under get in free.
Does the America the Beautiful pass work at C and O Canal?
Yes. The $80 annual pass covers the entrance fee.
Do foreign visitors pay more at C and O Canal?
No. C and O Canal is not one of the 11 parks with the $100 non-resident fee.
Related park fees
Photo: Bonnachoven, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain, cropped.