Interactive Maps
Mount Vernon to Anacostia River
Search Potomac Sites
Also Explore
| The Hudson River Guide | The Delaware River Guide |
| The Connecticut River Guide | |
Swains Lock
National Park Service Recreation Site
Lock 21, at milepost 16, is named for the house and snack bar formerly operated by the Swain family, which has lived in this area since well before the canal closed in 1924. The area is a popular spot with limited parking. Five campsites are available on the canal side of Swain's Lock. After many years in operating a concession stand at the lock, the Swain family finally left the Swain's Lock facilities in 2008.
The lockhouse was renovated by the C&O Canal Trust and is available for rent as part of the Canal Quarters program.
The lock is accessible from River Road 2 miles west of Potomac Village, Md. Turn left on Swain's Lock Road, .3 miles.
A campsite near the lock has picnic tables and portable toilets. Canal Trust operates six other lockhouses for rent. They include:
The lockhouses are a few of the more than 1,300 historic structures in the C&O Canal National Historial Park.
Suggested Links
Contact Information
C&O Canal National Historical Park
142 W. Potomac St., Suite 100
Williamsport MD 21795
301-739-4200
Website