The return of the canal boat rides to Georgetown has been a smashing success. Tourists are flocking to it, and the news coverage has been fantastic. Their return took years of hard work by Georgetown Heritage (not to mention $1.5 million). On top of it, a huge amount of repair work of the canal itself needed to be done in order for the boat to have something functional to actually ride through.
So it’s all clear sailing for the rides from now on?
Sadly no. There is still quite a bit of canal work that needs to be completed in order to preserve it for generations more. So as a result, the canal boat rides will pause again in about a month. And they will remain paused all the way until 2025. That’s how serious the work is that needs to be done to shore up the canal. As described in a release from Georgetown Heritage:
The Georgetown section of the C&O Canal will be drained for an estimated 30 months to allow for a major restoration of Locks 1, 2, and 5, as well as critical valve and wall repairs. This will enable the Canal to continue to hold water and host the boat program for generations to come. NPS will host a virtual public meeting this Fall to share additional details about this work. Visit their website for meeting announcements, coming soon….
Boat tours are estimated to return in 2025, and future Canal boat seasons will run annually from April – October. During the upcoming seasons, Georgetown Heritage will partner with NPS to host an interpretive program while the boat is in dry dock near Lock 4 of the Canal – offering visitors a unique way to experience the boat.
So get your rides in now!
The Georgetown Metropolitan 
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