Details

Venue Website: https://www.canaltrust.org/pyv/carderock-climbing-area/

Carderock Recreation Area is on the Potomac River just outside the 495 Beltway. Carderock is part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park and is well known for top rope climbing and hiking.  The Potomac Mountain Club has published a guidebook to Carderock.

The climbing area is less than a hundred yards from the parking lot. To access the climbing at Carderock, park in the north parking lot (Pin) and follow the trail westward past the toilet. It leads to the top of the cliffs. At the end, stay slightly left of straight to take the easy scramble to the bottom. You can also go right and follow the longer trail until it turns left. It continues along the base of the cliffs for a couple hundred yards.

Note that cars have been broken into in this parking lot, so do not leave valuables in your car.

PMC Social Events are often held at the Carderock Pavilion.  There are two Pavilion parking lots, one to the left and one to the right upon entering Carderock.