C&O / GAP Forum

Good News. Just saw this on the GAP's webpage. Closure Between Mile Markers 92 and 94.5 (GAP Mile 92) Cleared: Project completed on 8/31; GAP open for normal travel
Reported: June 3, 2024
Last Updated September 1, 2024

Thank you for sharing! Than is great news!

I see I reviewed the Donges Drive Inn way back in 2013. This time we (myself, my two brothers, my sister, a sister-in-law, and my wife) stayed at the Donges Motel while biking the great Allegheny Passage. It was clean, quiet, and comfortable, just what I expect for a bike ride.

I’m staying there now. It’s called the Crosstrails Hostel and is not in Harpers Ferry. You have to go past mm 59 and double back up a hill to the hostel. Google tried to take me on Harpers Ferry Road to Sandy Hook Road cutting off before mm 61 to Harpers Ferry. These roads are closed and ther was no way to access them from the trail. It caused a heap of confusion. I’m glad i came this way because now I just have to go back down a hill and will be further down the trail. It used to be an American Youth hostel for 50 years a volunteer told me but they had staffing and other problems and shut down for a time in 2019. Now there’s a manager and several volunteers. You can make online reservations. It’s $30 to stay in the dorm. They have men and women’s dorms. They have a private room and camping too. They do host groups from time to time and then are not open to the public. I think it’d be better than the KOA cause you can stay inside out of the elements. You get a towel, blankets and sheets. They offered breakfast food too, but it didn’t say that on the website.

Patty: I’m a little confused (as is often the case). For me to be clear, if you were riding upriver, where did you cross over the railroad tracks to get to Sandy Hook Road without getting on Haepers Ferry Road near the railroad tunnel?

Please forgive my ignorance.

I believe that you would cross the railroad tracks closer to mm 58 where the Appellation Trail turns north off the C&O trail.

After crossing the RR tracks go to the left on Keep Tryst Rd. Go up the hill ~.7 mile turn left on Sandy Hook Road.

Another tenth of a mile after Sandy Hook Road is the Guide House Grill (great place by the way), a great liquor store.

"Ah said the blind man, now I see it". An uphill jaunt but doable. Thanks for that info. I'll be passing by that way next week in route from DC to Pittsburgh.

I just want to add my experience with the Hostel. Last Fall, I made reservations to stay one night at the Hostel. When I called to get directions, from the Harpers Ferry trail marker, I was told that there was not an opening that night. I explained that I already paid an overnight fee via credit card. The manager said sorry, but my reservation was cancelled, on the spot, and that I would receive a refund. We ended up staying at the KOA in Harpers Ferry. Despite phone calls and emails, I never got a refund from the Hostel. That is my experience and obviously do not recommend staying there.

I stayed at the Cross Trails Hostel last night. I’m surprised at the negative reviews here. Booking a dorm bed via the website was painless, and the staff had no trouble with my booking when I arrived. Directions from the trails (AT and C&O) to the hostel are on the website. The place is clean, quiet, welcoming, inexpensive, and exactly as advertised on the website.

The only exception worth noting is that the Hillside Restaurant reportedly 0.3 miles from the hostel has recently closed and decamped to Purcellville. This means you must either hike/bike back to Brunswick or Harper’s Ferry for dinner or buy some groceries in advance to cook in the hostel’s kitchen.

If you’re biking from downriver and plan to shop at the Weis grocery store in Brunswick (as recommended on the hostel’s website), be aware that hill up to the highway from the river has a 12% grade. A bit of a slog with a loaded bike at the end of a day’s ride…

There are a few routes to get you to the weis from the tow path. I would do walnut st from the train station, right on georgia ave, left on brunswick st, right on valley trail (across from west end playground), bear left about 0.7 miles to stay on valley trail. This will take you out past the beach volleyball court onto potomac view pkwy, which is behind the weis. Of course, you've still got about 300' of elevation gain to deal with but I suspect most people riding the tow path will be more comfortable on this route.

While the various trail closures and detours on the GAP and C&O trails are cited in various web sites, I'll identify the significant ones that I encountered in my trip from Pittsburgh to DC last week.

GAP Trail - Between mile markers 95.5 (Dawson Trailhead) and 92 (Adelaide Blue Canoe RV Park). The trail is closed between these locations for construction. A shuttle service for the riders and their bikes is provided for free between these locations. The service is provided 7 days a week from 7:30 AM to 7:00 PM. Expect the shuttle to require 30 to 45 minutes. I do not recommend trying to ride your bike along the detour on the roads between these points.

C&O Towpath - At C&O mile 134.3, Polly Pond Creek, the trail is closed for a bridge failure over the creek. There is a detour sign at Lock 56 (mile marker 136.2) that directs you across a causeway up to and over the WMRT onto Pearre Road to Deneen Road and back to the Towpath at Cohill Station (mile marker 131.3) This an onerous and likely unnecessary detour. Alternately, I was able to leave the Towpath up onto the parallel WMRT and avoid the Towpath bridge outage. Where there are signs along the WMRT itself approaching Hancock stating that sections of the WMRT may/are closed, the WMRT was open far enough for me to bypass the Towpath bridge closure and return to the Towpath toward Hancock. This is a much better detour. I recommend you stop oncoming riders from Hancock and inquire their route going upriver from Hancock on the Towpath and WMRT.

C&O Towpath - There is a detour on the Towpath at mile marker 106 for construction at Dam 5. This is a short detour but requires going up/down two flights of wooden stairs. There are planks provided along the stair steps to push/roll your bike along the steps but this is very difficult with a fully-loaded bike. You may have to unload/reload your bike to navigate the stairs or have another rider assist you.

C&O Towpath - There is construction work along the towpath between miles 11 and 11.5 requiring its closure. The detour takes you up onto and along a public road before returning to the Towpath. There are shallow steps to the road but there are earthen paths adjacent to the steps to facilitate taking your bike up and down.

There are a few, very minor detours for washouts along the Towpath but these are very short and inconsequential.

Hopefully this info helps. You can find more details about these closures/detours on the GAP and NPS C&O Canal websites.

Thanks for the updates

Appreciate the updates. I'm heading out in 9 days for my trip.

Thanks, doing the trip with my son the week of the 23rd. His first time doing the GAP.

Note the GAP Trail closure between MM95.5 and MM92 is scheduled to be completed by mid-October so watch the GAP Trail website for updates.

hello, my wife and I are thinking of riding from Cumberland to DC. We've done sections from Hancock/Big Pool and from DC up 50 miles. My wife gets very nervous on long, tall bridges. Are there any bridges on the C&O section that should concern us? I see some photos of old rails converting and one photo of a walk bridge that goes over trees, not sure if that's on the C&O or Allegheny. Thanks very much.

There are no tall bridges on the C&O. The tallest is likely the new bridge over Little Catoctin Creek at MM 52.5 and is only, say, 15 feet above the creek and perhaps only 50 feet long. The only high bridges are those across the Potomac River should you choose to leave the Towpath to go over to Harper’s Ferry, Shepherdstown or Paw Paw and they are much lower than the viaduct approaching Meyersdale on th GAP.

There are no tall bridges on the C&O. The tallest is likely the new bridge over Little Catoctin Creek at MM 52.5 and is only, say, 15 feet above the creek and perhaps only 50 feet long. The only high bridges are those across the Potomac River should you choose to leave the Towpath to go over to Harper’s Ferry, Shepherdstown or Paw Paw and they are much lower than the viaduct approaching Meyersdale on th GAP.

Thanks very much! "viaduct approaching Meyersdale on the GAP" was what I needed to google to see the bridge I know we don't want to cross. Keystone viaduct also looks not great for acrophobics. All of that is in PA and they can keep it. Thank you.

The Salisbury Viaduct is the bridge I was thinking of at the time. The Keystone Viaduct is not nearly as high nor as long and doesn’t seem as daunting as the Salisbury Viaduct as it is shrouded in the adjoining landscape whereas the Salisbury Viaduct is completely exposed. The exposure makes for a much more dramatic view but likely much more imposing to those fearful of heights.

I think what you're doing is great and is a tremendous help to local bicycle shops along the C&O. I noticed on this listing for Mile Marker 99 Bicycle Shop, there is no link to their website, probably because the site wasn't live when the listing was created. I was wondering if it would be possible to get a link to their site added? Its milemarker99bicycleshop.com. This would tremendously help them compete in the google rankings for their hometown. Thanks in advance for any and all help.

Kevin Young,
Mile Marker 99 Bicycle Shop's digital marketer.

The following is a summary of the types of trail surfaces that exist along these trails. This information may assist riders in making their choices about what type of bike and tires to ride. These surfaces were those encountered while making that ride last week. Mile marker references are specific to their particular trail.

GAP Trail - Downtown Pittsburgh Mile Marker 149 to Mile Marker 130 near Boston PA. The first 19 miles leaving Pittsburgh from Point State Park are on asphalt paved bike trail and roads

GAP Trail - Mile Marker 130 near Boston to Mile Marker 0 in Cumberland The trail surface is compacted, crushed stone with some short asphalt paved sections through Connellsville and approaching Connellsville.

C&O Towpath -Cumberland Mile Marker 185 to Spring Gap Mile Marker 174. This Towpath section is the original, earthen towpath surface including single track and double track. The three R’s are present: roots, rocks and ruts. It doesn’t drain well and can be muddy and slick when wet.

C&O Towpath - Spring Gap Mile Marker 174 to Paw Paw WV Mile Marker 157. This section has been resurfaced with compacted, crushed stone.

C&O Towpath - Paw Paw WV Mile Marker 157 to Little Orleans Mile Marker 141.5. This section is the original earthen surface similar to that between Cumberland and Spring Gap.

C&O Towpath - Little Orleans Mile Marker 141.5 to C&O Towpath/WMRT Bypass Mile Marker 138. This section has been resurfaced with compacted, crushed stone.

C&O Towpath - Mile Marker 138 to C&O Towpath/WMRT Bypass Marker 115. This section is the original earthen surface but firmer than earlier earthen surfaces and containing some gravel.

WMRT - Mile Marker 138 to Mile Marker 115. The WMRT runs parallel to the C&O Towpath. It is paved asphalt and is undergoing repairs. Thus far raised areas across the pavement due to underlying roots, are being milled to level the pavement prior to repaving.

C&O Towpath - Mile Marker 115 to Lock House 23 Mile Marker 22. This section has been resurfaced with compacted crushed stone.

C&OTowpath - Mile Marker 22 to Georgetown Mile Marker 1. This section is the original towpath surface including some gravel and exposed rocks, especially in and around Great Falls. Puddles and ruts are common after rainfall.

Capital Crescent Trail - Fletcher’s Cove Mile Marker 3.3 to Mile Marker 0. This trail parallels the C&O Towpath for the last 3 miles. It is an asphalt paved bike path into Georgetown.

Although I've ridden several trips from Pgh to DC, I've not visited the Antietam Battlefield. Hence, I'm adding an extra day to my itinerary this month to make a side trip to Antietam and back to Shepherdstown to visit my favorite bakery. What might be the best way to visit the Battlefield on a bike? Any suggestions as to the best route to/from the Battlefield, difficulty, cost, safety, etc. would be appreciated. It looks like an uphill ride for a couple of mile or so to get there via Mondel and Dunker Church Roads. Also any suggestions or comments about points of interest in the Battlefield itself and in Sharpsburg in route back to the Towpath via Harpers Ferry Road would be appreciated.

In the meantime, I'm going to brush up on the Civil War history there to learn about the battles to better appreciate what I see there.

Thanks in advance for you thoughts and recommendations.

Although I haven’t taken the route from the C&O to the battlefield, I found this website that may help you out:
https://civilwarcycling.com/battlefields/antietam/routes/

There is a section that gives some directions.

Enjoy your trip!

Thanks a lot for that link. That is exactly the kind of info I was looking for.

BTW: I’ve met a number of folks on the GAP Trail leaving Pittsburgh this season to think that Cleveland is perhaps an unexpected hotbed of cycling tourists. I guess that’s not surprising with its proximity to not only the GAP but also the OTET, Erie Canal Towpath and flatlands and trails west of Cleveland..

Our Antietam layover day was a highlight of our GAP-C&O tour two years or so ago. We started the day with a ride up the towpath to Mondell, and then rode the steep hill up to the Cornfield (Monel/Dunker Church roads), which is where the day's battle began. I expect that the maps linked above have some great insights on battlefield highlights, of which there are many. Our day generally followed the flow of the battle and we made our way down to Burnside Bridge. We found that Miller's Sawmill Road was a good way to return to Shepherdstown; it has less traffic and dumps you onto the paved road paralleling the towpath for your return to the base of the bridge to cross the river back into town. The battlefield is very interesting and you might enjoy staying for more than one day.

Huberww:

Thanks for that info.

Rivnuts

Hopefully I'm not too late with this info, and if so, someone else may find it helpful in the future.
Assuming that you're coming from PGH to DC--I'd exit the towpath at mile 80.1.
- Take the little wooden bridge onto Taylor's Landing Road.
- Continue straight onto Bowie. After you cross a tiny stream, continue RIGHT on Bowie. Don't panic, the hill is short.
- Turn LEFT onto Mondel at the top of the hill. Mondel also goes right and into Sharpsburg.
- In about a mile you will cross Route 65 into the battlefield. If you've done your homework, it's pretty easy to navigate and feel your way around. Nice views from the top of the "Lookout tower".
-Make sure that you continue past the tower and cross Route 34 to see Burnside Bridge and "the other half" of the battlefield.

How you choose to get back to the towpath will depend on how you answer the following question: "Do you like ice cream?". If so, take Harpers Ferry Road into Sharpsburg and stop at NUTTERS. I believe that they are only open from 2-8, and closed on Mondays.

Options to get back, and I believe you'd like to end up in Shepherdstown.
- Millers Sawmill is a nice ride back DOWN to the towpath. Some coming the other direction might find it a little challenging. You will then have a couple miles on Canal Road or the towpath back upriver. Steep hill on Canal Road to Route 34.
- Route 34 is "bikeable", but it wouldn't be my first, second, or third choice. Narrow shoulder and cars going 50+ mph.
- If you go into Sharpsburg and stop at Nutters, you can cross Route 34, go a couple blocks to W Chapline St, and connect onto Snyders Landing Road for your return. This will put you on the towpath about 4 miles upriver from Shepherdstown.

Hopefully you find this helpful and not too confusing. Any questions, I'll try to respond and be as helpful as I can.

CORRECTION..........I've only biked and run the area a couple hundred times......brain fart.

You would exit the towpath at Mile 81.1 !!!!!

Although you could technically exit around 80.1 and take the little dirt path straight onto Bowie.

Sorry Folks for the mixup.

DG:

Your timing was perfect. I'm leaving Pgh for DC next week. Your insight and experience in this area is much appreciated. I think I'll follow your recommendation on where to exit the Towpath in route to the Battlefield. With that I can finalize my route around/through the Battlefield. The return to the Towpath via Snyders Landing Road or Millers Sawmill Road will likely be a gametime decision.

What is absolutely firm at this time is to stop at Nutters! Burkholder's Baked Goods may be a second stop also.

Thanks so much.

Rivnuts

Enjoy your trip. It'll be interesting to hear how it goes this time. They have finally started "improvements" on the Western MD Rail Trail. You'll likely find sections closed. It appears that they are cutting the roots along the trail that have burrowed underneath before they begin to repave. The project won't be finished till next summer.
Also, you should find sections of the towpath resurfaced. The couple mile stretch along Big Pool no longer has roots that may eject you from the saddle. Let us know when you finish, or as you progress, your thoughts this time. And, enjoy you ice cream!
Travel safely,
DG

DG from Hagerstown:

Ok, so I made it up to the Antietam Battlefield on my loaded bike albeit not taking the best route. I took Taylor’s Landing Road to Rt 65. And yes I did walk up portions up those hills. (I should have stayed on Bowie Road to Mondell Road but I felt adventurous. How stupid of me.)

I basically rode the tour route of the notable battle sites and landmarks including DOWN to Burnside Bridge. And yes, what goes down must come up. But I was heartened knowing that Nutters was soon to be found. But my hopes were squashed when the sign on the door said CLOSED! So I made up for it by riding to Shepherdstown via Rt 34 to my favorite bakery after lunching at the Blue Moon Cafe there.

As for the WMRT surface, it was notably better even though they have just simply milled the paved surface to remove the raised areas where the roots had grown beneath. Though they have yet to place new asphalt in those areas yet, it was a much more comfortable ride before and after the closed sections. More on that later as well as the Towpath closure in that area. It appeared as though they have/are grinding down along each side of the WMRT to cut those roots so they don’t grow back…at least for a while.

Rivnuts

Glad to hear that you found your way thru Antietam. You really did not make a bad choice by going up Taylor's Landing Road. Bowie and Mondell Roads have a series of "challenging" hills.....not long, not excessively steep......but challenging.
Sorry to hear that Nutters was closed when you went by. They are only open 2-8pm (I believe), and they are CASH ONLY. However, if you had $5 on you, your belly would've been satisfied for the rest of the day.
You made the right call to get to Shepherdstown. Route 34 is the most direct route and bikeable. It can just be a little busy at times.
I've been on it a half dozen times this summer, but on my road bike so I can get thru there quickly. Snyder's Landing Road is best if you wanna head "upriver". Miller's Sawmill is best if you're heading to DC.
If you were biking between Weverton (58) and DC (0) last Friday, there's a 100% chance that we crossed paths. After asking 5 or 6 guys if they liked their ice cream from Nutter's, and getting a blank stare like I had my head screwed on backwards, I stopped asking.
Glad to hear that you discovered the paw paws, and I too am old enough to know who "Mikey" is. Ain't LIFE grand???

I was between Cumberland and Hancock last Friday.

As I rode fem Pgh to DC over the last few days, I noted that paw paw fruit is ripening and could be a native food source along the C&O Towpath in particular. If you are not familiar with the trees and the fruit, a little Google searching will provide useful information. As they kept telling Mikey, “Try it, you’ll like it.”.

Sorry you may have to be as old as I am to appreciate that quip.

The better news is that the trails are not littered with many walnuts yet.

“Yeah!!! Mikey’ll eat anything!!!” ??

Paw Paws are awesome! I used to live in Jefferson City, Missouri and there was a guy at the farmers' market who sold them. I'm so glad I bought a few and tried them.

PS: Congratulations on someone finding and returning your phone.

Last week I unknowingly dropped my phone from my bike on the C&O on the way to Hancock, MD. It was only after I reached Hancock did I realize it was missing. Not able to backtrack to try to find it, I proceeded on the next few days to finish in DC. In the meantime a fellow rider, Steve, found my phone and went to the effort to contact my wife and inform her that he had found it and would return it.

It arrived today and I am so thankful. Such acts of kindness reinforce my faith in the goodness of most fellow man in general and Steve in particular.

How do I find Dave on YouTube? What is his link or name to access his videos?

It’s not obvious what “Dave” you are looking for? Could the following be what you are looking for?

https://youtu.be/32TnDoFXtGs?feature=shared

I am wondering if 40 miles per day is a decent goal for two recreational bikers who plan to camp along the trail (we are 59/63 years old). We are very outdoorsy and camp alot but this is our first camp bike trip!

Yes. Forty miles per day on the GAP and C&O is indeed a reasonable goal especially if you ride frequently. If not, you would be smart to take a couple of day rides of that distance to gauge your preparedness. That said you may have to ride even further a couple of times to accommodate your itinerary especially on the GAP where the campgrounds are not as frequent as the hiker/biker campsites on the C&O.

Is it difficult to find parking at Fletchers Cove lot on a Sunday morning?
Does it fill up quickly?
Thanks

No, I would not think so. While the parking lot next to the canal lockhouse is fairly small, if you drive through the tunnel under the canal, you will reach a very large parking lot on the river side of the canal. It has lots of capacity (at least 150 cars, I expect). It was nowhere close to full yesterday afternoon when I rode past. (Admittedly, that was a Sunday afternoon in August.).