Hancock, Maryland (C&O Canal)

Hancock, Maryland, located off I-70 along the narrowest part of Maryland, is home to the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O).
The C&O Canal is a National Historical Park that stretches 185 miles from Georgetown to Cumberland. It was built in the 19th century and had several locks and aqueducts. Today, it's known for recreation, including biking and walking trails.
Lilypads in the canal.
The canal is home to a diverse range of animals and plants.

Hancock, Maryland is located by I-70 along the narrowest stretch of Maryland. We visited on a drive to Washington D.C. as we were looking for a place where our dog could eat – we ate at the dog-friendly restaurant Buddy Lou’s, which also was an antique shop and an ice cream shop and more. Next to the restaurant was the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal, a National Historical Park that stretches 184.5 miles from Georgetown in Washington D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland. The canal used to be a major transportation center for goods like coal and lumber, and it operated for more than 100 years. Today, it is a recreational site with biking/walking trails along the sides. We crossed over a bridge in Hancock to the canal and walked down the waterway, where there were turtles and frogs milling about.

Animal sightings

Sighting #1

What: Painted Turtle

When: August 2025

Where: I spotted these painted turtles along the C&O Canal in Hancock, Maryland. I crossed a small pedestrian bridge right by Buddylou’s restaurant.

How: We were taking the dog for a walk before eating when we noticed movement in the water. We walked down the by the canal and several turtles hopped off logs. I went back a few more times and saw them on the logs.