This August, celebrate National Wellness Month with us in the C&O Canal National Historical Park (NHP)! National Wellness Month is focused on managing stress and creating routines that foster healthy lifestyles. The C&O Canal NHP offers a great location to explore stress management and healthy activities and routines. With over 184.5 miles to explore, the Park provides visitors with many opportunities to incorporate wellness into their daily and weekly routines.
There are four types of wellness that contribute to overall healthy well-being. These are physical, emotional, mental, and social wellness. The C&O Canal NHP plays a pivotal role in elevating each type of wellness.
Physical Wellness
Physical Wellness is just one aspect of well-being that involves caring for your body. Outdoor recreation is a fantastic and fun way to care for physical wellness. The C&O Canal is a prime location for outdoor recreation with opportunities for walking, biking, paddling, and more!
A Walk into History by Jan Branscome
Cyclist at Big Slackwater by Brian Rimm
Paddling at Antietam Creek by Nora Slick
Mental & Emotional Wellness
Did you know that spending 20-30 minutes outdoors in nature has been found to significantly lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol? This has been researched by Harvard Medical School and many researchers agree that spending time in green spaces is a great way to give your brain a break and lower stress levels. The C&O Canal is a great place to go when you need to take a walk to clear your mind and focus on your mental and emotional wellness.
In addition to being physically active in the Park, visitors can find emotional and mental solace in the C&O Canal. Some activities like meditation and yoga can be performed in the Park. Engaging in creative activities, such as photography, birding, and painting can also help regulate the nervous system. Fishing also offers a therapeutic outlet, as it requires patience and quiet.
Group Yoga at Widewater by Mark Woodhead
Painter at Pennyfield Lock by Greg Humes
Fishing at Violettes Lock by Bill Walderman
Social Wellness
Social Wellness is all about the connections we make in the world around us. Creating genuine connections with the people around us is beneficial to both our emotional and mental health. Social wellness can be cultivated by meeting up with friends, engaging in social activities, or getting involved within your community. It’s all about how you connect!
How do you integrate social wellness into your life through the C&O Canal NHP? The C&O Canal Trust provides opportunities for our canal community to come together and celebrate each other and the Park! Our Canal Quarters interpretive program allows visitors to book overnight stays in a historic lockhouse. These experiences are great for sharing with family and friends, and as all of the lockhouses sleep eight, guests are more than welcome to plan a group excursion to the C&O Canal.
Additionally, the C&O Canal Trust provides opportunities for people to share their love for the Park through volunteer opportunities, guided walks, and more. Our long-term volunteers, such as Canal Stewards and Canal Quartermasters, enjoy events that celebrate and preserve the Park, while also building lasting friendships with each other.
Lockhouse 10 by Visit Montgomery
Volunteers at Williamsport Canal Community Days by Francis Grant-Suttie
Header Image: Katie Rapp
