C&O / GAP Forum

Howdy from Texas,

I'm in the early stages of planning for my wife and I's rookie trip down both trails. I'm a very experienced bike packer but it will be my wife's first tour so we're planning to credit card tour the entire trip from Pittsburg to DC. She is an experienced rider though.

We haven't set a start date but we'll likely start around mid to late September (possibly into October) and plan to do it in 7 days averaging roughly 40-60 miles per day. We're not too concerned about rain/mud as we've got the gear and experience to trudge through if necessary.

Day 1 - Pittsburgh to Perryopolis (47 miles)
Day 2 - Perryopolis to Confluence (40 miles) (shuttle to Fallingwater mid-ride)
Day 3 - Confluence to Cumberland (61 miles)
Day 4 - Cumberland to Little Orleans (43 miles)
Day 5 - Little Orleans to Williamsport (41 miles) (visit Fort Frederick and/or Antietam)
Day 6 - Williamsport to Brunswick (45 miles)
Day 7 - Brunswick to DC (55 miles)

I'd appreciate any thoughts from the more experienced trail riders on our initial plan, as well as any suggestions for interesting side trips, restraints, pubs, towns, hotels or B&B's, or just anything we should try not to miss while in the area.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Mid to late September is, in my opinion, the ideal time to make this trip. While early to mid-October is usually nice as well, there can be an occasional quite cool evening/morning along the way especially at the higher elevations on the GAP, say from Garret to the Continental Divide.

Your itinerary is fine. While your longest day is 61 miles from Confluence to Cumberland, the last 22 miles is a very easy downhill ride.

Most of your overnight towns have multiple options for overnight accommodations. I've stayed successfully at the following but I confess I have a fairly low bar for one night sleeps but I don't necessarily seek them out.

Perryopolis - The Inn at Lenora's (slightly uphill off the trail)
Cumberland - Fairfield Inn (directly on the trail)
Little Orleans - Town Hill Bed & Breakfast (Off trail with shuttle)
Williamsport - Red Roof Inn (Uphill off the trail, Elmwood Farm B&B (off trail with shuttle)
Brunswick - Travel Lodge (Uphill off)

You may want to consider the two paved parallel trails, the WMRT and the Capital Crescent Trail, if your tire of the natural surface of the C&O.


Some additional sites worth seeing or noting might include:


Pittburgh Steelers Training Facility leaving Pittsburgh
Various remnants of, and one operating, steel mill leaving Pittsburgh
The restored train stations along the way in West Newton, Meyersdale and Cumberland
The falls and rapids in Ohiopyle
The Eastern Continental Divide and the Big Savage Tunnel after Deal, PA
The Paw Paw Tunnel near Paw Paw WV
Bill's Place in Little Orleans (if open)
The college towns of Shepherdstown and Frostburg
Beans in the Belfry Cafe in Brunswick
The Great Falls near Potomac
Milepost 0 in DC (if you can find it)

I could go on and on since there are so many but I suggest that first time riders of the GAP/C&O take some time to read about the history of each of those trails to better appreciate all the towns, sites and features along the way.

If you have other or more specific questions, feel free to drop a note.

Thanks Rivnuts for your comments.

Interestingly, I already have the Inn @ Lenora's on my list of places to try to stay.

After doing some more research last night and this morning, should we be concerned that we may be getting to Little Orleans on a day that Bill's Place is closed (early in the week)? Assuming of course that we can get a room at TownHill.

Thanks

Lenora's place is about as close as any from the trail. Although its been a few years since I stayed there, I assume that Lenora and her husband still operate the Inn. Both she and her husband Bob are characters and very nice. Lenora was an accomplished chef so you may want to consider having dinner there as well as the normal breakfast at the B&B.

Bill's Place is just a simple restaurant. There is no lodging there. Finding Bill's Place open these days seems rather hit or miss. Since Bill died several years, operation of the place is seemingly sporadic. If it is not open, you really haven't missed a whole lot. Bill and his personality made the place a notable landmark along the trail but it is not what it once was. If open, you can still get a sandwich and a cold drink there on your way to Hancock. However, I'd plan to have something to eat or drink with me and not rely on it being open.

Town Hill is a few miles off the trail which is not an issue with the shuttle. It used to be known for its tomato pie when its previous owner, Dave, operated the inn. He had planned to transfer the operation to his daughter. Hopefully she still offers that unusual culinary item.

Thank you Rivnuts! Very helpful comments and suggestions. My daughter lives in DC and I am planning a similar ride also in September.
I want to ride the whole GAP trail but might consider skipping parts of the C&O (I've ridden on it before). Hard to tell if any paved roads are safe for riding. Wouldn't mind riding through Antietam Battlefield. Also Considering bailing near Brunswick and riding rte 690 to Purcellville and then onto the W&OD rail trail.
Any thoughts, warnings, or recommendations for paved roads along the C&O (besides the WMRT).

To clarify: when I say "skip", I mean get off the towpath and ride roads.

KE from Oakland:

There aren't any roads carrying motorized traffic on the C&O unless you get off of it such as to ride over to the Antietam Battlefield. Even the WMRT and the Capital Crescent Trail near DC, which are indeed paved, carry no motorized vehicle traffic. Similarly, there are only a few, lightly-travelled blocks outside Pittsburgh where a cyclist can encounter cars. The GAP and C&O is a very safe long distance trail.

I have taken Rt 690 north out of Purcellville and continuing on Rts, 711, 716, 719, 751, 9, 671 and 340 to Harpers Ferry on a return ride from DC to Pittsburgh via the WOD out of DC in 2019. As I recall Rt 340 was clearly the most heavily travelled and a little anxious but wasn't a long distance. The rest were 2-lane state/county roads with not a lot of traffic but some twists and turns. I have not ridden from Brunswick to Purcellville.

If only, Whites Ferry were still in operation as junping off the C&O and catching the WOD in Leesburg was very easy and straight forward albeit with a modicum of traffic on Bus Rt 15.

Not sure I answered your question. If not or have others, feel free to drop another note on this forum. Since September is my favorite time to make the full trip, perhaps we'll cross paths on the trail and, of course, beware of the walnuts!

Hey everyone - I’m heading out bikepacking the C&O in late May and still deciding which direction to go (Georgetown > Cumberland, or Cumberland > Georgetown). I’m seeing conflicting ideas online, so wanting to gather some more recent thoughts. Could anyone share some pros and cons? Thanks so much.

A quick follow-up: I live in DC and will be renting a UHaul / SUV one-way for transport either to or from Cumberland. I’m taking my time and making it a leisurely ride over 4 days with various stops. I’ll be staying at campsites along the way each night. Not sure if it’s better to start or end at “home in DC!

This is a recurring question with no definitive answer. If it were me, I’d schedule my trip to try to incur the driest conditions on the Cumberland end upon departing/arriving there.

If you wanted to consider using Amtrak for the one-way portion of your trip, you should check to see in which direction both seats and bike reservations are available.

Otherwise, the choice of direction would be a pickem in my opinion. I’m sure others may have some other thoughts/recommendations.

Is the GAP open through Pittsburgh to the point? I know there's been some serious flooding, and they closed the parking wharf and the Parkway.

The GAP Trail toward Pgh is open and fine until you reach Smithfield Street. But the Mon Wharf is flooded along with the lower level around the Point when I rode there this morning.

Maybe:

Thinking of riding from McKeesport to Washington D.C in July. Thoughts from anyone? Well, the Founding Fathers were in Philadelphia during July. They just about died from the heat and humidity. Didn't wear bike shorts either. But my birthday is 8 July and I turn 70. Probably up and about is suggested. Would leave from Pittsburgh, although parking wars is a consideration.

Roadie Mark

Not sure exactly what info you may be seeking. In a very simple summary, the trail conditions are generally good, I.e. dry, in July. It will likely be quite warm and humid especially the closer you get to DC. There will be a fair number of riders and campers making the trip that time of year before school starts. Also, don’t forget your bug spray. It can be quite muggy and buggy that time year.

Rivnuts.

Thanks man. The original plan was June.

We are planning to bike the C&O in a couple of weeks. If there happens to be rain in the week leading up to our trip, how long (roughly) does it take for the trail to dry out? We have a plan B in the event that rain cancels the C&O trip, but we would need to switch gears a couple of days ahead.

In my experiences, the C&O Towpath basically consists of three or, perhaps, four sections with respect to how it reacts to rainfall. The first section is between Cumberland and Little Orleans and the start of the Western Maryland Rail Trail (WMRT). That section is basically the original compacted earth surface which becomes soft and or muddy with standing water puddles following heavy or extended rainfalls. It can take a few days to dry out and the puddles to disappear depending on the subsequent weather and whether certain trail areas are tree covered preventing sunshine to help dry out the trail.

Once you reach just beyond Little Orleans, you can shift to the paved WMRT which is not affected by the rain. If you elect not to shift to the WMRT, the Towpath continues via its original earthen surface but is not as affected by rain as the previous section. From the end of the WMRT to beyond Brunswick, the Towpath has generally been resurfaced with crushed gravel from which rain drains more quickly. Depending on the amount of rainfall, this section could still be ridden even during some rain and dry out in a day or so.

In the last section approaching DC, and especially, inside the beltway, the Towpath has not been resurfaced and reverts to its original earthen surface which does not drain well and leads to soft if not muddy conditions with puddles for a couple of days or more following heavy or extended rainfall. As you approach DC you can leave the Towpath and finish the ride into DC on the paved Capital Crescent Trail to minimize any exposure from Towpath itself.

“Drying out” is a relative condition depending on your tolerance and equipment to withstand the conditions. I would suggest that should there be any doubt, mudguards or fenders can be quite beneficial.

Others may have other experiences and I would invite them to share those and their opinions. Let us know your final decision and how it turns out. Others will be interested in knowing.

Thanks!! This was exactly what I needed to know!!

I am doing the GAP and CO starting September 24. Im going to rent a truck and do a one way to Pittsburgh, so is there a car rental relatively close to the trail where i can turn the truck in? I have only checked with Enterprise and they are only showing the airport location that will allow a one way return location. if thats the case is there a shuttle service or maybe a city bus that will get you to point state park after returning the vehicle.

First of all, late September is an ideal time to ride the GAP/C&O in my opinion.

While there is an Enterprise Car Rental location in downtown Pittsburgh at 55 11th Street (about 1/2 mile from Point State Park and the start of the GAP Trail) which is at the Greyhound Bus Station, I don't know if they will accept a one-way rental. I ride past there often. I'll stop there the next time I go past and inquire and let you know what they say.

The Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) System operates a route (so called 28X route) from the airport to downtown (corner of Liberty and Wood Streets) with only one stop in route. This location is even closer to Point State Park than the bus station, say, 1/4 mile. All the PRT buses are equipped with bike racks. Buses leave the airport every half hour for the 35-minute trip to downtown. The trip to town costs $2.75. Tickets are available near Baggage Claim Door 2 on the lower level of the terminal.

If I can provide any additional information about Pittsburgh or the GAP/C&O, just drop a note.

I know it’s not quite the starting point but Homestead has an Enterprise that we’ve dropped off at several times (one way) and it’s only a block or two from the trail. They are closed on Sundays though.

Thanks guys for the information! I am going to give both of these locations a call tomorrow. i know its still 5 months away but i dont want to wait until the last minute to get things in order. Thanks again

I have returned off a one-way rental at Enterprise on 11th St. in Pittsburgh. I rented an SUV at Reagan Airport in DC and dropped it at 11th Street 3 years ago. It was very convenient for starting the GAP southbound. There may be different policies for type of vehicle (eg, truck vs. sedan or SUV). The Enterprise office on 11th has limited parking, so they want vehicles that are easy/quick to rent in an urban market. Good luck!

I spoke with someone at the 11th street enterprise location today and he did say that a 1 way rental from DC is acceptable so I think thats what im going to do since i would like to do the entire trail. They also said that there is a bike lane on Penn Ave that runs into Point State Park.He said that its probably only a couple of miles from the rental location to the park... can anyone confirm if he is correct? thanks to everyone for the help.

Glad you were able to reach them. I stopped there a little after 4:00 pm today but they had apparently closed as no one was manning their desk. Indeed, it is 1.3 miles via the bike lane on Penn Avenue from that Enterprise office to the beginning of the GAP Trail in Point State Park at the convergence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers forming the Ohio River.

Have a great trip.

looking for suggested shuttle services. Planning to park in Cumberland and need to shuttle to DC to start

You might try Wheelzup Bike Shop in Cumberland and 2 Wheels Escape in Hagerstown.

You might want to consider Amtrak with their bike roll-on service. Just don’t wait to long to make such a train reservation to insure you can get the necessary bike reservation as well.

The C&O Bike Shop in Hancock, MD also offers shuttle service to DC, Pittsburgh and all points in between. We have used them several times.

The Wheelzup place in Cumberland has a summer group shuttle that is highly reduced to $90/ person to Pitt, if there are 5 or more. I think just on Wednesdays. Norm rate is $365 or so

No such discount at C&O Bike Shop in Hancock.
$380 for 1-2 ppl & bikes.

Is it possible to charge an electric bike at the campground?

There are no electrical services at the hiker/biker campsites along the C&O Towpath such as Horsepen Branch.

We are considering biking to Rockville, Maryland and taking the Amtrak back to Cumberland in April. From what I can tell, it's 9 miles from the C&O to the Amtrak on a busy street. Has anyone ridden this, and if so, how scary is it?

While I looked briefly at leaving the C&O Towpath to ride up into Rockville, I did not follow through as my itinerary ultimately changed. If you do ride that segment, please let us know what route you take and how it went.

Does Amtrak have bike service at Rockville?

Yes. Rockville is the last/first stop on the Capital Limited Amtrak train approaching/leaving Washington, DC.

end of June what daytime and overnight temperatures can be expected

Here are average high and low temps for June 25 for cities along the GAP and C&O trails:

Pittsburgh 82-63
Meyersdale 78-54
Cumberland 87-63
DC 85-65

TY

As noted in a previous post, the big Savage Tunnel will reopen for the 2024 season by noon on Thursday , March 28, 2024.

Hey, I know it's the first week of March but will start the GAP and C&O trails this weekend. Planning on camping and riding my old Niner mountain bike. Will be with my son who is strong and has a new gravel bike.
looking forward to the adventure and a bit worried about water not being turned on in the hiker-biker camps. Have a couple of collapsable jugs and means to water purify.
I have read that if muddy, the trail will be difficult but if it's nice, we take advantage of it. It's 65 right now in Northern Virginia, here's to a good weather window in March!
Any advise would be appreciated! best regards!

Rain is forecast in Pittsburgh Friday, Saturday and Sunday this weekend. There may be some snow as well Sunday as nighttime temps in the low 30's are forecast. Thus, starting in Pgh this weekend would not be pleasant. The GAP will likely be soft in general during and after the weekend and into early next week. Most of the outdoor water sources are still turned off but water is available at stores and shops along the trail. Wet weather is currently forecast the following weekend as well.

The forecast weather and temps along the trails are better for the weekdays next week. The NPS C&O website does not indicate that the pump handles have been returned yet.

I must confess, that I would strongly consider adjusting my itinerary in hopes of better weather and a more enjoyable trip. At the least I'd be looking at staying indoor one or more nights to warm up and dry out or at least know what options for such are available along the way. However, I'm just a soft old man.

PS: The Big Savage Tunnel is still closed fr the winter to my knowledge!

My understanding is that Big Savage tunnel will reopen on March 28. That is earlier than most years but might not be early enough for your trip in mid-March.

Thank you for the great advise. Believe were lucky. It was raining when we left the Pittsburgh Airport, and then snowed the next 2 days. We camped and stayed in BnBs.
The Savage tunnel was in fact closed, we rerouted, taking a cut through just beyond the Eastern Continental Divide. After passing the Divide, within a mile, take a hard left, go down a steep hill and up a steep hill, I pushed it!. The route came out on 160, Cumberland Highway. 160 was all down hill for nearly 10 miles. No cars passed us but it was scary fast for a mountain bike loaded with panniers. !60 ended at Barrelville. At the "T", we turned right and then left at woodcock hollow road, up a steep hill back to the GAP, but looking at a better map today, there may be a better route.
Best surprise of the trip was how much we enjoyed the entire length of the C&O (surface was faster than the GAP).
We missed the section from the Divide and the Savage Tunnel so have to get back there soon!

Vey glad that you’ve taken the time time to tell us about your trip

Suffice it to say I’m very impressed with your heartiness and perseverance in making the trip when you did and under those weather conditions. Further, you’ve sent me headlong into Google maps to try to follow your detour around the closed Big Savage Tunnel…not that I would ever consider trying it. :-)

Hopefully, you’ll get the opportunity go back and ride the GAP downhill section from the Continental Divide down through the Big Savage Tunnel and beyond and hopefully under more hospitable conditions.

For those planning ahead to ride the GAP Trail and especially for those doing so for the first time, I highly recommend you obtain and read the the book,

“The Great Allegheny Passage Companion” by Bill Metzger

It describes the trails’s topology and geology along with its history and development. The history of the railroads that spawned trail and the towns and features along the way are presented in an easily readable format. The maps, graphics and photos therein present a narrative in and of themselves.

In short, don’t just ride from Pittsburgh to Cumberland as fast as possible with your head down. Look around as you ride and appreciate the trail’s history and features. This book will make the trip significantly more interesting and enjoyable.

To be clear, I have no relationship to the author and do not benefit from this recommendation in any way.

I was interested in getting a report on the condition of the C&O towpath and the GAP from anyone that has ridden it recently. I am mostly wondering about the technical difficulty as I am still on the mend after a knee replacement

The GAP rail trail and the C&O Towpath are some of the easiest of the longer distance bike routes. These trails are car-free and have no steep climbs now that the Paw Paw Tunnel has reopened. Aside from the first 19 miles leaving Pittsburgh and the 25+ miles of the Western Maryland Rail Trail (WMRT) that is parallel to the C&O Towpath around Hancock MD, the trails are typically smooth, crushed gravel. There are a few sections of the C&O towpath with some exposed rocks and roots but they are really issues. Hence these trails are not technical at all in my opinion. That said, the trails and especially the C&O Towpath between Cumberland and Little Orleans can become soft if not sloppy after steady rain fall.

If it gives you any peace of mind, I made the first of my ten trips between Pittsburgh and DC only eight weeks after my knee replacement and it was my butt and not my knee that caused the most discomfort. :-)

Correction:

"There are a few sections of the C&O towpath with some exposed rocks and roots but they are NOT really issues."

Riding the gap/co trail this summer. The entire ride should take me about 7-8 days. Older cyclist (70's), looking for anyone that wants to join me. Taking the Pittsburgh to Georgetown direction.

When during the summer are you looking to make the trip? Camping. hotels/BnB's or combination of both?