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Mile 47.6 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to one night. All sites include a chemical toilet, picnic table, grill, and drinking water. Please Note: Potable water may not be available at each campsite. Water is treated with iodine. Please plan to have water purification tablets with you. Water is turned off from mid-November to mid-April each year.
Calico Rocks Hiker-Biker Overnight (HBO) Campsite directions and information are available at .
Slept here on a tour of the C&O Canal in 2016. The site is like most others on the C&O with a Porta Potty, water pump, picnic table, and fire ring.
The problem with this site is it's directly across from active rail lines that have freight, Amtrak, and MARC trains running all night long. Because of it's proximity to towns the trains are required to blast their horns as they pass the intersections. Be sure to bring earplugs!
Large campsite, access to the water, the water pump is super hard (only pump at the bottom of the swing and it goes better) and there is a fire area.
Passenger and freight trains are constant. Water pump handle was missing but still managed to get the water. Grill was rusted away and in pieces but no one uses those. River access is amazing.
Pan-gap-c&o June 2020
Went camping here for the night. Tons of fun for the kids with lots of space and cool views of river and railroad. Train runs ever hour though, so a bit noisy through the night. Haha. Also not alot of firewood available, but overall great since it is free.
