IWW Delaware River to Chesapeake Bay, more commonly known as the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, is located in Maryland, MD. The canal was initiated during the 19th century, and to this day, it is still one of the most significant shipping routes in America. Another interesting fact about this canal is that it was not only one of the earliest COE Engineering Projects to be carried out, but also one of the most difficult and challenging ones to complete.
IWW Delaware River to Chesapeake Bay is 14 miles long, 450 feet wide and has a depth of 35 feet. It carries out all the way from Maryland to Delaware and continues to connect the Delaware Rivers with the Port of Baltimore and the Chesapeake Bay. While the Canal exists for commercial navigation under the management of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, there are other activities surrounding the canal that make it a widely known tourist attraction.
In addition to allowing adventure seekers a chance to enjoy boating and fishing along the banks of the canal, the management also makes sure that tourists learn about the history of the canals via the famous C & D Canal Museum at Chesapeake City. You’ll get to see some of the earliest machines and engines that helped lead the way for a new age of technological and engineering marvels.
Whether you enjoy history, have a love for architecture, or simply love being around water, IWW Delaware to Chesapeake Bay is a must-visit if you plan on driving past Maryland.
The Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Canal is situated just 45 minutes east of Elk Neck State Forest.
From Elk Neck State Forest, take the Irishtown road towards Old Elk Neck Road and continue driving along. Next, take the US-40 East and DE-896 South towards the Old Summit Bridge Road in New Castle County.
From here get on to Lorewood Grove Road and head south until you reach Canal Road. You should see a vast body of water that is the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.
There aren’t any COE campgrounds near the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, however nearest to the Canal, less than a fifteen minutes drive away is the Lums Pond State Park, which allows visitors to spend a few days RV camping by the canal waters.
Lums pond state park boasts 66 RV campsites and with full-hookups. The maximum RV length at the lump pond state park campground is 50 ft. And all sites are back-ins. Amenities at the campground include horseback riding, hot showers, information center, nature center, nature program, parking, picnic tables, ranger station, showers, toilet, flush, water drinking, dump station, fire rings, convenience store, and various other facilities.
The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal plays a vital role as a commercial navigation channel, but those who’d like a boat ride down the canal are not denied the pleasure of doing it. There is one, single-boat launch facility at the banks of the canal, managed by the Army Corps. This is why many recreational boats can be seen drifting past in the river as those on the banks enjoy the view, and those aboard enjoy the experience.
Just sitting by the canal and enjoying the view of barges and recreational boats isn’t the only attraction here. As a matter of fact, many tourists take full advantage of the six fishing piers along the canal banks. The most common and popular fish species found in these waters are the channel catfish, striped bass, and largemouth bass. Black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed sunfish, white perch, and yellow perch are also some of the species abundantly found here.
Make sure to bring your fishing license if you want to enjoy this angling spot.
On the northern banks of the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Canal is Maryland’s Ben Cardin C&D Canal Recreation Trail that links all the way to the Michael Castle Trail. This trail allows the visitors to hike alongside the canal for 1.8 miles, through all the historical spots, and then into the quaint canal town of Chesapeake Bay all the way to Delaware City.
If you wish to learn the history of the canal area, there’s a fascinating historic boat tour offered for visitors. The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal is part of the intercoastal waterway, which means all the cargo ships, barges sailboats, mega yachts, and various boats enjoy the direct route from the Chesapeake Bay to the Delaware River through this canal. The historic boat tour will take you past the Turkey Point Lighthouse and allow you to learn about the food, culture, and heritage of the land.
IWW Delaware River to the Chesapeake Bay is not only known for its canal, but also for the major attraction that is offered at its banks. The C & D canal museum is built around the original pump house, which used to lift water from the uppermost waterway of the canal. The original waterwheel can also be seen at the museum. The Museum exists to make sure the history and earlier days of the channel aren’t forgotten.
Right next to the museum is the replica of Bethel Bridge Lighthouse, another reminder of the past, honoring the lighthouse that used to warn vessels in the pre-1927 era.
This historic town is no more than a 40-minutes drive away from Chesapeake Bay, but every second of it is worth it. This historic district will make you feel as if you have gone back in time, as this town was established in 1742 and has changed very little in the past few centuries. In fact, to this day, Charlestown Historic District remains mostly untouched and undisturbed by modern establishments.
