Anybody have the accurate longs and lats of the C & O canal towpath campsites?

[Donsail68]

This has been a dream of mine for a couple years to kayak fish from Cumberland, MD all the way to Swain's Lock. I've already done couple trips from Brunswick to White Ferry and once to Swains Lock. Quite frustrating to plan this trip. The hardest part is knowing the exact location of the campsites. Some are invisible from the river. I get many conflicting data from Google Earth and even from various camping and dnr websites. Some are even 1/2 mile or more from what others say. I don't have the luxury of paddling up and down the river looking for the campsites.

Sorry for venting... What I want to ask if anyone here has the exact and accurate gps locations of each of the campsites dotted along the towpath? Even better, can you guys recommend which campsite is kayak friendly? I prefer those that are right next to the river and not have to lug my kayak up on a cliff etc.

I thank in advance for all the input I hope to get.

Donnie

[DanMarino]

One day I would like to attempt that.
Have you been to this C & O Canal biker website? It looks like there is even an app for your phone.
http://bikewashington.org/canal/

[Donsail68]

Yes I've tried the biker website. If you compare data from various websites, you will get various results. So I do not know which one to have faith in. However I didn't know about the app and just download it 3 minutes ago. Looks cool.

Donnie

[bunnielab]

I have a friend whom biked the entire C&O last summer. If you have any questions about specific campsites I could see if he has any memory of them.

[DanMarino]

This page of the biker website says it has waypoint data.
http://bikewashington.org/canal/pda.php

[Donsail68]

Yes they do however when you enter some of the coordinates onto Google earth or other interactive maps, you get different locations that what's reported in that article. The most obvious example come to mind is the Town Creek Aqueduct Campground. If you plug in the coordinates from this website http://www.hikercentral.com/campmaps/137971map.html, it will show you the spot on the left side of the aqueduct and over the canal. Even if you type in the name of the campground, Google earth will give you the same spot as well. However if you use http://www.bikewashington.org/canal/imap.php?id=153 website, it will show you the right side of the aqueduct. Those two different coordinates are about 1/2 a mile apart. That's pretty far for hauling the kayak around hoping to find it the first time.

I get this conflicting data in lot of those campsites. I cannot have this "uncertainty" when searching for a campsite before sundown.

[JohnP]

Donnie,

I'd be interested in any detailed information you can find. I've looked into biking the C&O, but kayaking didn't occur to me until reading this post. Please let me know what you find, and likewise I'll see what I can dig up as well and post it here.

John

[Donsail68]

Thanks John,

Biking is much easier since all camps are visible from the towpath. Some of the camps are pretty far up and invisible from the river so I really have to be careful in selecting for the nights. The upper parts of the Potomac river is soooo beautiful. Nothing soothes my soul more than drifting down the scenic river catching fish with my son for days. i started doing this 3 years ago and been doing it since. So my dream for this year is to do the 180 mile trip. The fun challenge is knowing what to bring and how to pack. You must bring your trash with you.

[DonV]

Try this one it seems pretty accurate. It is a KMZ file that will import right into Google Earth. Forgot where I found it. It will need a little tweaking and there may be a few features and campsites that no longer exist or have been moved but is the best I have found.

[Donsail68]

Try this one it seems pretty accurate. It is a KMZ file that will import right into Google Earth. Forgot where I found it. It will need a little tweaking and there may be a few features and campsites that no longer exist or have been moved but is the best I have found.

GIVE THAT MAN A CIGAR!!!!! This is good info!!! Very much appreciated!!!

Thanks Don!!

[DonV]

GIVE THAT MAN A CIGAR!!!!! This is good info!!! Very much appreciated!!!

Thanks Don!!

Your welcome. Don't take it as gospel though there could be some uncertainty with this data also. The good thing is the mile markers are listed and could help greatly if you do miss your mark by a little trying to find a camp.

I found where I found the link. He deserves the thanks. See http://www.tasigh.org/kmz/ Hard to find even on google or off his homepage. He does have a description which I will quote.

I have been playing with Google Earth and have made available a number of files. Most of them are rail trails and were originally mapped using National Geographic Topo. The difference between the two softwares can be off by as much as 100 feet so sometimes the coordinates of way-points do not match up. Most things have been adjusted but some are still works in process.

I went through it and it seemed very accurate but if I remember right I may have tweaked a few of the campsites and I have broken it down into two separate way point files, one for camping and features and one for the boat ramps. I am going to attach my tweaked camping with the campsites renamed to there common names. Even have some pictures attached to the way-points but I don't know if they will come through the export. I did double check all the GPS coordinates against several sources but there could still be some mistakes mixed in. You can open mine and his side by side to double check that I have made no serious errors.

I really want to do a float/camping trip myself and please let us know how it goes if you put it together.

[Donsail68]

The 2nd file with all the campsites listed is sweet. I immediately compared those data with the troublesome campsites such as Town Creek Aqueduct and found yours is much better and accurate. After downloading Izip app for Iphone, I was able to see those coordinates on google earth. Iphone doesn't support compressed kmz files. Once you unzip them, its easy.

Not knowing your kayaking skills and if you never done a float trip before, I would suggest you do a nice easy 2 day trip from Brunswick to White Ferry. I camp at Indian Flats which is near the mouth of Monocacy river. i would say the two most difficult rapids to navigate from Columbus to Swains Lock would be Harper Ferry area and the Seneca rapids using the chute on VA side. I've not done Harper Ferry yet but did the Seneca rapids. Some areas are class 2/3. Need to watch the water level.

Donnie

[DonV]

The 2nd file with all the campsites listed is sweet. I immediately compared those data with the troublesome campsites such as Town Creek Aqueduct and found yours is much better and accurate. After downloading Izip app for Iphone, I was able to see those coordinates on google earth. Iphone doesn't support compressed kmz files. Once you unzip them, its easy.

Not knowing your kayaking skills and if you never done a float trip before, I would suggest you do a nice easy 2 day trip from Brunswick to White Ferry. I camp at Indian Flats which is near the mouth of Monocacy river. i would say the two most difficult rapids to navigate from Columbus to Swains Lock would be Harper Ferry area and the Seneca rapids using the chute on VA side. I've not done Harper Ferry yet but did the Seneca rapids. Some areas are class 2/3. Need to watch the water level.

Donnie

I do have a couple question if you don't mind. One of my concerns with putting a trip together has been having any assurance that a particular campsite wll be unoccupied. They are on a first come basis and I picture having a late day on the river only to find I have no place to set up and sleep at the end of the day as the hikers and bikers may have first dibs. They are semi few and far between and it would be hard with logistics of a trip with the uncertainty of not having a site mixed in.

If you could give me any insight as to the luck you have had finding open campsites please let me know. Are they big enough to share and is it common practice? Are they generally full in the summer? Can you get away with just quietly camping somewhere? Any info along those lines would be greatly appreciated.

BTW here is the other half of the original file that I separated and tweaked. This one is of all the boat ramps and water access. Should be pretty much dead on as I can see most of the ramps in GE. Same thing as last time though, double check me on the data before you take it to heart.

[Donsail68]

I do have a couple question if you don't mind. One of my concerns with putting a trip together has been having any assurance that a particular campsite wll be unoccupied. They are on a first come basis and I picture having a late day on the river only to find I have no place to set up and sleep at the end of the day as the hikers and bikers may have first dibs. They are semi few and far between and it would be hard with logistics of a trip with the uncertainty of not having a site mixed in.

If you could give me any insight as to the luck you have had finding open campsites please let me know. Are they big enough to share and is it common practice? Are they generally full in the summer? Can you get away with just quietly camping somewhere? Any info along those lines would be greatly appreciated.

BTW here is the other half of the original file that I separated and tweaked. This one is of all the boat ramps and water access. Should be pretty much dead on as I can see most of the ramps in GE. Same thing as last time though, double check me on the data before you take it to heart.

[QUOTE=DonV;105220]I do have a couple question if you don't mind. One of my concerns with putting a trip together has been having any assurance that a particular campsite wll be unoccupied. They are on a first come basis and I picture having a late day on the river only to find I have no place to set up and sleep at the end of the day as the hikers and bikers may have first dibs. They are semi few and far between and it would be hard with logistics of a trip with the uncertainty of not having a site mixed

If you could give me any insight as to the luck you have had finding open campsites please let me know. Are they big enough to share and is it common practice? Are they generally full in the summer? Can you get away with just quietly camping somewhere? Any info along those lines would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks so much for the other file. Having a spot to camp was a concern of mine as well. However in all of my 4 trips, I didn't have the problem. There were a couple of times where they already had the dibs but were nice enough to let me camp. I just show my gratitude and pitch my tent where I won't be in their way. I'll just make do without using the picnic table or the fire pit. People are usually friendly and more likely invite u over to the campfire. Kayakers really stand out among the campers cuz 99% of them are bikers/hikers. I've had people come over and asked about my trips.

The only two campsites I've been to is Indian flats and chisel branch. That's why I've been asking around if other campsites are kayak friendly. Some are completely out of site from the river. For my big trip, I'll have to be prepared to camp anywhere if I cannot find the designated campgrounds.

[archeryrob]

I'd like to do a weekend trip, maybe even a couple of them. Not sure I can to get into a week long float.

FYI, its a $20 fee to use camp grounds now and they are proposing raising it to $40 a night now. Also adding a $30 per year access fee to use the canal now. Public meetings are being held over it now.