C&O Canal Trust Lockhouse 49

"Would love to give this a 4.5 but that is not possible. This was a great step back in history for a night. The location is perfect! We were able to build a nice fire with the provided fire wood. There were plenty of chairs to sit on around the fire. The home was very clean and was as described. Definitely gave us a glimpse of living in the past without modern conveniences. There were several things provided if needed like dishes, soap, a stove, toaster etc. There wasn’t indoor plumbing but that was indicated and part of the experience. I would recommend bringing bottled water to drink as there is only water pump available outside for cleaning purposes I believe and not to drink. The beds were definitely bare bones but again this was expected. The only reason I cant give 5 ⭐️is because of the bathroom situation. The port a john had not been tended to for 3 weeks and it was noticeable for many reasons. There is a McDonalds close by I recommend going before arriving ☺️ All that said I would recommend staying!! We loved our time there."

"We stayed May 8-9 in cool weather, had a great time and are happy to recommend Lockhouse 49. There were few people along the C&O which is scenic and very walkable and bike-able. This stretch is close to the Potomac with campsites within a mile beyond the Lockhouse. The Lockhouse has good baseboard heating and was comfortable but has no AC and would probably be quite hot in the summer. Still we were glad we brought two warm blankets. There is one full bed, 3 twins and extra mattresses below the beds. No bedding is provided. The Lockhouse is well maintained and clean including the portapotty as there is no plumbing. We could not get the outdoor pump to which we were provided a key to produce water but had brought adequate. The provided fire wood is plentiful, was dry and made a good fire but there was no kindling and we needed our duraflame log. The Lock House has a nice front porch. We brought a couple kitchen chairs out and enjoyed our breakfast. As the kitchen is very basic we recommend nothing more complicated than food that needs either no preparation or just hot water. There is a toaster, coffee pot and tea kettle as well as some pots and pans for the stove but no refrigerator. There are simple easily assembled wooden chairs in the basement which are great for enjoying a fire. The basement has plenty of room to store bikes. There is a dirt surface parking area adjacent to the portapotty."

"If you treat this like a camping/glamping experience you will have an amazing time. It is so peaceful. It is located on the canal (no water in the canal) but within walking of the gorgeous Potomac river. You'll only see a few people during the day and it is 100% quiet at night. We never saw another soul as we sat by the campfire. It's really a private place to camp. They have a port-a-john that was cleaned every 2 days. Super clean! Be sure to bring the following: bedding/sleeping bag, drinkable water, an axe to chop wood, chairs for the firepit. They do supply wood but it still needs to be chopped. Wonderful to sleep in a piece of history on the river."

"Nice house to spend the weekend (or the week) in a beautiful area. Next to the trial and the Potomac River, so lots of options to have fun in the nature. The house has electricity but no water or toilet. There is a portable toilet outside, so you'll be covered. They provide the wood for night fires."

"We really enjoyed our stay at Lockhouse 49. We used it as a starting point on a bike ride north up the C&O Canal towpath. We rode up to Fort Frederick and Hancock before turning around. There is a room in the cellar of the house to securely store your bikes. The house is equipped with electricity and an old fashioned stove from the twenties. There are dishes, pots and pans, and a vintage coffee percolator. The house comfortably slept our group of 8. We used the fire ring for cooking outside (there was plenty of firewood in the wood shed). I highly recommend staying here with kids. They loved the history."