Alice Ferguson Foundation
Connecting people to the natural world, sustainable agricultural practices and the cultural heritage of their local watershed through education, stewardship and advocacy.
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Cleanup at bus turnaround North of Mt. Lock
April 23, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Cleanup the hill under Limekiln Rd by the bus turnaround North of Mt. Lock (approximately milepost 68). We have done this event in April of 2018 and 2019, but took a covid break in 2020. The county has been gracious enough to haul away whatever we collect. This hill has historically been used as a dumping area (see Mike High’s book on the C and O). We collected a dump truck full of tires and another full of other debris in 2018. The quantity of dumping has declined thankfully, but there is still work to do.
Related Events
- County: Washington
- Site Type: River
- Suitable for elderly?: 1
- Who should participants contact for questions?: mark littman
- Site Leader Phone/Email: marklittman@verizon.net
- Notes: Limited parking but Park Service may let us park in an area near lockhouse near mile 67 on the towpath. There is a lot of trash/tires that have historically been dumped from Limekiln rd onto the hill overlooking what was the canal, approx. 1 mile North of the parking area. Getting the trash/tires will require going into the canal, which is dry at that point and if we have sufficient numbers of volunteers, "chaining" the debris by hand to the towpath for removal. This is not an easy cleanup site. I would encourage all ages/ability levels to come, but again this is not an easy site for cleanup. This site was indicated in Mike High's C and O Canal Companion as an area that's been subject to dumping. Contact Mark Littman marklittman@verizon.net 301 -922-2459
- Maximum Volunteers: 36
- Directions: Parking for the site is on Limekiln rd. off of Harper's Ferry rd. and is located at approximately mile 67 on the towpath, and also at the bus turnaround, which is about a mile north, a little north of milepost 68. From rt 340 out of Frederick, take Harpers Ferry Rd. north. just before the bridge to Harpers Ferry, WV. You will pass the entrance to Dargan's Bend on the C and O Canal, which has boat access and a large paved parking area with bathrooms. Stay on Harpers Ferry rd. north towards Sharpsburg. Turn left onto Limekiln rd. towards the river. There is a sharp bend in the road to the right approx. 1/2 mile (North) at the parking area, which is not paved. There is no signage. This is approximately mile 67 on the canal. The Mt. Lock lockhouse is a few hundred yards south of this lot. THE CLEANUP SITE IS A LITTLE NORTH OF MILEPOST 68, a 25 minute walk depending on your pace, 10 minute bike ride. You can also park at the school bus turnaround area, which is very close to the cleanup site but has parking for fewer than 10 vehicles. If we have enough volunteers, I will ask the Park Service if we can park on the side of the road since there is only room for 10-15 cars (including folks who may not be there for the cleanup). There are often many tires at this site, as well as assorted trash that has been dumped over the years. The site was mentioned as a dumping area in Mike High's book The C and O Canal companion, which was published a couple of decades ago.. If you get to the mouth of Antietam creek or Shepherdstown, you went too far. Volunteers can also bike North from Dargan's Bend, a river and towpath access point a couple of miles south of Mt. Lock, which has bathrooms and a large parking area, or bike south from access points across the river from Shepherdstown around milepost 70, which has bathrooms and more parking.