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Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal -
West Scenic Byway

The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal - West Scenic Byway explores
the C&O Canal National Historical Park built alongside the
Potomac River, which served for nearly a century as a
transport system carrying coal and natural resources to
Maryland’s eastern ports and seaboard. Adventure your way
off the byway to bike the C&O Canal Towpath, hike or
mountain bike through Green Ridge State Forest, or explore
the Paw Paw Tunnel, an engineering marvel along the canal,
which took 14 years to build as workers cut through more
than 3,000 feet of the mountain to bypass the Paw Paw
Bends in the Potomac River. Plus, there are welcoming canal
towns along the way offering great food and drink and
respite from your adventures.
C&O Canal National Historical Park

Historic National Road - West
Scenic Byway

America's first road trip starts right here in Mountain
Maryland at mile marker "0" of the National Road, America's
first federally funded interstate highway. Make your way
through Allegany County along the Historic National Road
Scenic Byway to discover pieces of America's early
transportation story. Visit museum exhibits about the National
Road or go for a biking adventure on the Great Allegheny
Passage, which also shares its mile marker "0" of the 150-mile
trail from Cumberland, MD, to Pittsburgh, PA, right near the
National Road Monument. Hop aboard the Western
Maryland Scenic Railroad for a roundtrip heritage train ride
along the former Western Maryland Railway, from
Cumberland to Frostburg. Discover the last standing toll
house in Maryland along the National Road as you make your
way along Route 40 through LaVale.
LaVale Toll Gate House

Mountain Maryland Scenic Byway

The Mountain Maryland Scenic Byway explores coal and
natural resource history and begins in the heart of
Cumberland at the Canal Place Heritage Park and Western
Maryland Railway Station, where you can enjoy recreation
on the C&O Canal Towpath, Great Allegheny Passage, and
the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad excursion train.
Follow Route 40 and Route 36 through the Narrows to historic
Mount Savage, where the very first iron rails were produced
for rail lines in the United States. Continue along the route to
explore the Evergreen Heritage Center, complete with the
brand-new Miner’s Coal Museum, featuring a one-mile
nature trail and accessible exhibits such as a boarding house,
blacksmith shop, and mine opening. Visit the Frostburg
Museum for a look at the area's coal mining history and the
life of the citizens of Frostburg during its foundational years.
Stop at the Iron Furnace and Park, the first Iron Furnace in the
United States that successfully used coal and coke rather
than charcoal to produce pig iron. The Lefty Grove Memorial
Park and the Westernport Railroading Museum are also
must-visit stops. As you make your way back to Cumberland
on Route 220, explore one of the Potomac River access points
for fishing or paddle trips.
Mine Opening Replica at Evergreen Heritage Center
38 | 2024 Destination Guide