C&O / GAP Forum

My husband and I are planning a ride from DC to Pittsburgh Mid-September. We have a rough idea of where we'll end each day, but have not yet made any reservations. We would like to make reservations in the AM for that evening. What has been everyone's experience with this? We'll be using the hiker/biker camps, and the fee camps, obviously can't reserve the hiker/biker campgrounds... do they fill up fast this time of year?
Thanks

Hiker/Bikers will be wide open. Even if you arrived at a packed camp, there’s always another one 5-7 miles away down the trail. Summer is peak season and fall much less so. But you’ll have no issues. Not sure about fee sites, I would just call to assure yourself you’ve got a spot but I don’t see them filling up either.

John

Concur. The fall will just require you to use more lights (and blankets), so either have a good charger or charge them up while you're at a restaurant. It will be a lovely trip that time of year. Have fun (and DC-to-Pitt is personally my favorite direction)!

Just to add something about the fee sites....I would call in advance just to make sure there are no big events or festivals. I stayed in Meyersdale at the Maple Festival campground in June. Wide open then but if you came during the festival, I’m not sure if there would be room. Just speculating, I don’t know when it is. Of course with Covid, I bet this, and other, festivals get curtailed or cancelled. I would call anyways. With Covid, many things have closed or shorted hours. No idea what Ohiopyle is like either during September but you never know.

LOA - My solar charger was a total failure on my last DC to Pitt trip!

I stuck in on top of my rear rack and tried charging my power stick but with all the shade from the trees, it didn’t do much charging. By the time I got to camp, the sun was pretty much going down so that was it. The only thing that saved me was the restaurants and them allowing me to plug in.

I think I need to upgrade my charger and bring extra power sticks just incase. I typically “unplug” during my GAP/C&O trips but do use my phone to communicate, make calls, or for navigation.

John

John - same here. I had the brightest of hopes for my folding solar charger, but it was as heavy as it was ineffective for the same reasons you articulated (I've resigned to only use it only for camping). Thankfully, my cycling buddy had several, small battery packs, which saved the day (as well as the wonderfully tolerant restaurants). And, as much as I'd like to use my phone for navigation, I went and bought a purpose-built GPS device...much less battery drain. It really comes in handy for those not-so-straightforward routes. For what it's worth, I also purchased a Light phone (reminiscent of the old candy bar phones, but with better design).

Thank you for your comments. We have a solar lantern, but also has USB charger. As well as flashlights, headlamps etc.
Glad to hear the restaurants are OK with charging devices. That was our plan!

The three I remember specially plugging into are Beans in the Belfry in Brunswick, MD, Tony’s Pizza in Williamsport, MD , and Cafe Mark in Cumberland , MD.

If you get really desparate for a charge, you'll often find outdoor receptacles on the exterior of buildings/facilities to charge your devices especially if you are forced to eat outside anyways due to the pandemic.

Heck I found an outdoor panelboard with standard receptacles at the empty Brunswick train station to charge my phone a couple of days ago.

We are planning a 3 night trip on the C&O over Labor Day weekend and wondering what the state of the campgrounds are like? It’s been 10+ years since we have done the trip, but on recent short rides, we’ve noticed that some of the campsites were overgrown and not maintained. Guessing this was due to CovID. Can anyone chime in on the general state of the sites from Cumberland to DC? Did we just happen upon a couple of less desirable sites, or is that generally the case?

Campsites are fine. Any overgrowth was due to Covid shut downs or possibly downsized park staff and they may have not yet gotten to the site to mow.

All the campsites on my last trip were as expected. Maybe others have seen something else but other than the pump handle issue back in June, they all looked normal to me. Port-a-johns as expected and campsites were maintained (mowed).

I just finished riding and camping from Pgh to DC. The hiker/biker (H/B) camp sites along the C&O Towpath appeared "normal" and functional. Toilets were in place and reasonably clean. The water pump handles were virtually all in place. As you observed some of the sites had not been mowed in a while but were certainly ok to camp at...and I did so. Not all were in pristine condition but in the last 5 or 6 years I didn't see a noticeable difference in their overall condition. It simply varies by individual site.

Hi there,

Mom and I are biking Williamsport (C&O) to Pittsburgh. Looking for anyone interested in splitting a shuttle service with us? Got a quote from Wilderness Voyageurs of $500 and that would cover 4 people and their bikes.

Thanks!

Steph

What is the street address of the Frostburg trailhead??

Don’t know the exact address but the intersection of New Hope Rd. NW & Rankin Dr. NW is where the Entrance to the parking lot of the trailhead is located. If you go there in google maps, you will see the parking lot and GAP trail.

We always stop there on the way to or from our camping trip to Rocky Gap state park. They have a great hot Turkey and mashed potatoes Platters. So my wife and I discussed if we are going to eat it there or do take out with the virus going on and being a truck stop with drivers from all over the country stopping there. God bless our truckers. Anyway I told her if the waitress has a mask on then we will eat there because I don't want her breathing on my food. If not we will get it to go in a closable container by the cook. Anyway we walk in and I sit at a table because I see the waitress with a mask hanging around her neck and being slow I figure she will pull it up when she takes our orders. My wife goes to the bathroom and the waitress brings menus and ask what we want to drink and left the mask hand around her neck.I told her to wait for my wife to come back. So I get up to go back to the bathroom and tell her to get it to go because the waitress is not putting her mask on. So while I was going to the bathroom the waitress gets a little attitude with my wife because I sat at a table and now we want it to go. Sad because the food is good. At least that Platter is good. Not sure about the rest. But I can't get the virus because of my COPD will kill me. Sorry for a bad review but warning other customers.

I feel your pain. I was also just in hancock and had to do laundry, and get supplies. The pharmacy, of all places was not enforcing masking, nor was the dollar store or the laundry. It is like that everywhere, especially in these small towns all along the GAP and C&O. Ohiopyle, Connelsville also had serious making and social distancing problems. It is such a sad shame that these businesses continue to suffer at their own unwillingness to do a simple and even patriotic thing to protect us all.

In Connellsville, the little grocery in town had multiple employees and customers not masking and the same with the Sheets there. AT Whites Ferry, I walked in to get cold drinks and hot grilled sandwiches for me and my kids and walked right back out because the employees were not masking. I truly want these businesses to survive. But I value my own survival more than I value the services they offer. What a shame.

I'm surprised you had the issue in whites ferry. That's full on DC area and not an out of the way location. Of course, the virus doesn't care if it's out of the way or not but I would expect more of the city and suburban folks to not want to do business where they're not wearing masks.

river run and 1828 are sold out in Hancock. Are there any other places to stay? We are not camping.

There is a Super 8 Motel there that I stayed a few years back. It is an older style motel but it was clean and quiet. The continental breakfast was rather spartan but there are plenty of breakfast options elsewhere in Hancock There is an uphill grade to get to it but it is not very long so even walking up the hill isn't a big issue.

And the Super 8 has a hose outside to wash your bike if it’s a little muddy! 8 - )

we just got back Pittsburgh to DC. Had a pleasant stay in Hancock at Comfort Suites. They have a nice shuttle. Also discovered a gem in Shepherds Town. Sundog B&B. Pricy and worth it.

We booked our Amtrak back in May for October 17th from Pittsburgh to Cumberland Got an email today stating that the daily train is now only traveling Sun, Tues, and Friday. Oh well...we will rent a one way car instead. Wanted to post to let others know just in case this news will affect your travel plans, too.

Jennifer R. - yeah it seems Amtrak has clawed back service to the bare minimum. I spoke to an agent when the same thing happened to me when my bike ticket got cancelled back in June. It’s all Covid related and they are expecting to go back to normal once it’s deemed safe to do so (whenever that is remains to be seen).

Thanks for the heads up to this forum.

John

John...yeah I remember your post about the bike ticket being cancelled. I called to confirm our reservations with 2 bike tickets back in June and all was good. They said our bikes had a spot...so whew! But...then today...the whole reservation was cancellation. They said we could switch to the 16th or the 18th, but of course, there were no bike spots available AND...we have airline tickets flying into Pittsburgh that can't be changed without penalty. Changing the train date created a huge domino effect on EVERYTHING...we have B&Bs reserved all along the trail for specific nights. Oh well...the one way car is only about $30 more anyway.

Bummer..... Yeah, I did the rental from Pittsburgh airport to Reagan airport, no issues at all. I did miss being able to take a nap on the train and not have to concentrate on the drive. But it wasn’t that bad looking back now. Just glad I had that option allowing me to do my bike tour!

Wondering if the new surface has been extended any since last September (2019). I believe it was maybe 17 mi near Brunswick (can’t remember). Anyone know?

New surface runs from edwards ferry up to shepherdstown.

I’m traveling through the area and have a road bike. Will this new surface be ok for a road bike? Thanks for any insights!

New surface is just fine on a road bike. Much smoother and without the mud/puddles of the old surface.

I am interested in riding this trail in May '21 and looking for info from anyone who has rode during this time frame.

I rode from DC to Pittsburgh between 5/14 and 5/21 in 2019. What information about that trip would you like?

I am going to be riding the GAP/C&O towpath in a few days and am trying to find information about the bike path options once I come to the end of the C&O in DC. My ultimate goal is to get as close to Manassas, VA as possible. Suggestions?

I have looked at Google Maps, the GAP website and searched this forum to find out how to bike from the Point to the GAP. Does the Three Rivers Heritage Trail connect these two? It appears on Google to do so. But, I have found directions which indicate that a biker needs to take Boulevard of the Allies to Grant to the GAP. Can any one offer more details?

The trails around Pittsburgh are like the roads in Pittsburgh. They change name every few blocks or miles. The link below shows the trails around downtown and Point State Park along the Monomgahela River in route to and are part of the overall GAP Trail to Cumberland. Sections of these trails a referred to as the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, the Eliza Furnace Trail, the Steel Valley Trail, the Youghiogheny River Trail, etc. You don't have to ride on the Boulevard of the Allies or Grant Street but the exclusive bike route leaving Point State Park is not particularly well marked. However, just ask someone in the park on a bike how to do so and you should be fine.


https://friendsoftheriverfront.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/FotR_SouthSideMap.pdf

Once you get to the trail headed for Homestead you're well on your way down the GAP.

Thank you for this clarification.

Each of my sources seemed to show a different discontinuity. As the PDF you provided shows (I had accessed it previously, perhaps from one of your earlier posts), there appears to be breaks in the trail just "upstream" from the park, at a point where the roads appear to be big limited access expressways. Looking at Google Maps satellite, there appears to be a break at the Smithfield Street Bridge. And then, from my search for directions, two different sources say to use the roads I mentioned above.

Again, thank you for the clarification. From what I could determine from all the sources, it looked like we could ride from the point to the Hot Metal Bridge on designated bike trails. But, I did not want to get surprised with a dead-end and have to back track to the park and take the roads.

Do you know why others suggest taking the Boulevard and Grant Street?

Until a couple of years ago, riders would indeed have to ride on the Boulevard of the Allies to get from Point State Park to Grant Street to get to the Three Rivers Heritage/Eliza Furnace Trail in route to the Hot Metal Bridge on the north side of the Monongahela River.

However a switchback bike/pedestrian bridge was built at Smithfield Street to get from the Mon Parking Wharf at river elevation up to street elevation to Grant Street via a dedicated bike/pedestrian lane.

The trick is to get from Point State Park to the Mon Parking Wharf. There is a bike path to do so and thereby avoid the city streets but it is not well marked. You can see it in the Google Maps satellite image as it is labelled Three Rivers Heritage Trail and passes under the highway and bridge overpasses as you approach the Mon Parking Wharf.

If you are anxious about getting out of town efficiently and safely, I'd be more than happy to meet you at the Point and guide you out of town. I typically ride through that Park each day anyway.

Rivnuts,

I always wondered why the signage is so poor coming in and out of Point State Park.

I realize there could be difficulties getting this done as it’s a state park and they likely have tougher guidelines and restrictions about the placing of public signs. The pinch point that goes under the Ft. Pitt bridge should be a focus of theirs. I could imagine how confusing it is for first time tourists. I live here and sometimes I get confused! :-)

Same with the C&O Canal. You get to the end of the “trail” in Georgetown but are still short 0.3 miles of the Mile 0 post. No signage at all to tell you. I had to rely on a YouTube video to get me there.

Do you know who could be asked or approached? Friends of the Riverfront? PA State Parks? Bike Pittsburgh? I would love to get the conversation started. I wonder if it’s been brought to their attention? I’m sure it has but you never know.

John

John W.

Some simple painted green arrows like the path from the Smithfield Street Bridge to Grant Street would be enough to get you headed into that narrow chute to the Mon Wharf from the Park. Likely too much bureaucracy. I know that various approvals were required to get the plastic mile markers installed in and about the city where the stone markers cannot be installed such as on walkways and bridges. Apparently the necessary approvals have still not been received because those mile markers have yet to be installed.

Maybe someone with a GoPro could shoot a short video of the route out of Point State Park that could be put on YouTube and referenced to those firsttimers needed assistance.

Rivnuts and John W.

Thank you for the information. Our plan is to be dropped off at The Point Park Tuesday morning. Any suggestions for drop--off? I assume we can do pull into the parking lot at Commonwealth Pl and Fort Pitt Blvd? Or in front of the Wyndham? There will be three of us unloading from a pickup truck.

From looking at Google Maps and the satellite view, I feel confident that once at the park we can find our way. It was helpful to read that there are two levels of bike path and we need to be on the lower level next to the river.

Again, thank you for the information. It was helpful and reassuring that if we follow the bike trail from The Point State Park, it does go through and is complete to the Hot Metal Bridge.

I am really excited to start our ride on Tuesday. And am excited to see the GAP Trail.


John W.
I agree with you on the end of the C&O Canal. I rode from Cumberland to Georgetown a couple of years ago, and ended up on a public street in Georgetown, not really knowing what happened to the C&O Canal trail. On this trip I hope to find the both ends of these trails. If not, I guess I will have to come back again...

Biker Dave, here’s the video I found years ago to get me from the “end” of the trail in Georgetown to the Thompson Boat Center and the Mile 0 marker: https://youtu.be/9kzs51zRsSY Once I saw this, it was easy to locate. Still bugs me that they don’t have any arrows or signs!

Also, you are correct about the drop off point at Point State Park. Anywhere along Commonwealth Pl or in front of the Wyndham will do, that’s where I was dropped off one time I did the trip. And with almost no one working downtown due to the pandemic, car traffic should be way down.

After exchanging remarks with John W regarding the lack of adequate trail marking to exit Point State Park in Pittsburgh to avoid riding on the Pittsburgh streets, I made a homemade video of that route. It illustrates the exit out of the Park, the ride along the Monongahela River, the new switchback bridge up to street level and the path to and across Grant Street to continue down the GAP. While it is certainly not professional quality, it does show that route as I rode it recently. Perhaps it will help those looking to do so for the first time. The video can be found at:

https://youtu.be/BkoObWQqrag

So nice Rivnuts!

Thank you so much for taking the time to record and post this video. This will be extremely helpful for those new to the area and those not exactly sure where to go.

John

Wow! The video is very helpful. I am not sure I would have taken the right turn under the interstate....

Thank you for your help and advice.

Indeed, finding and following that narrow path out of Point State Park onto the Monongahela Rver Wharf is the trick to getting out of town without commingling with city traffic. It should be much better marked. Glad the video helped.

Why don't riders use the Ft. Pitt bridge path which is nearest to the Point ? There is direct access from Ft. Pitt avoiding Pittsburgh center.

Roadrider:

I'm not sure I fully understand your question. You can indeed exit Point State Park by riding up onto the sidewalk portion of the Fort Pitt Bridge and avoid riding the streets of downtown Pittsburgh. (Note the downtown streets, notably the Boulevard of the Allies, are not unduly dangerous to ride. Whatever you do, don't get on the Fort Pitt Bridge roadway. That would be extremely dangerous for a cyclist.) Once across the bridge via the sidewalk you can wind your way down to the Three Rivers Heritage Trail on the south side of the Monongahela River and on through the so-called South Side section of Pittsburgh in route to the Hot Metal Bridge. This is not the formal route of the GAP on the north side of the river out of town but certainly doable. It can be a little confusing however as it winds around and through the Station Square shopping/restaurant area and adjoining industrial area. I've found many out-of-town riders lost and unable to find their way along this route. Its even difficult to describe this way out of town clearly enough for out-of-towners to do it successfully. That's probably the reason why riders don't use the Fort Pitt Bridge to exit the Park to get to the GAP Trail.

Roadrider:

I'm not sure I fully understand your question. You can indeed exit Point State Park by riding up onto the sidewalk portion of the Fort Pitt Bridge and avoid riding the streets of downtown Pittsburgh. (Note the downtown streets, notably the Boulevard of the Allies, are not unduly dangerous to ride. Whatever you do, don't get on the Fort Pitt Bridge roadway. That would be extremely dangerous for a cyclist.) Once across the bridge via the sidewalk you can wind your way down to the Three Rivers Heritage Trail on the south side of the Monongahela River and on through the so-called South Side section of Pittsburgh in route to the Hot Metal Bridge. This is not the formal route of the GAP on the north side of the river out of town but certainly doable. It can be a little confusing however as it winds around and through the Station Square shopping/restaurant area and adjoining industrial area. I've found many out-of-town riders lost and unable to find their way along this route. Its even difficult to describe this way out of town clearly enough for out-of-towners to do it successfully. That's probably the reason why riders don't use the Fort Pitt Bridge to exit the Park to get to the GAP Trail.

Rivnuts,
Yes, I agree with you. I was going to do the GAP ride this year until the virus struck and planned to use the Ft.Pitt bridge to the Three Rivers trail to the GAP. I followed the route from the Point start using google maps street view. My question is why a lot of posters on here don't plan to use the closest way out of the Point ?

Roadrider:

I can't speak for those riders that don't take the Fort Pitt Bridge to exit Point State Park to begin their ride on the GAP but I'll speculate on some reasons as follows:

1. Exiting the Park via the Fort Pitt Bridge is not the formal GAP route published in the various GAP Trail Guides and trail maps.
2. It is counterintuitive the head southwest out of town when the trail heads southeast.
3. They can't find the ramp to get up on the bridge.
4. The ramp to get up on the bridge is steep, albeit short, and may be difficult to ride up with a fully loaded bike for the casual rider.
5. The formal route is the shorter route.
6. They are afraid of heights. :-)

The exit out of the Park via the ramp to the Fort Pitt Bridge isn't any closer than the exit from the Park to the bike path that passes underneath the Fort Pitt Bridge onto the Monongahela River Wharf. Using that bike path out of town does not require any riding on streets or comingling with cars and thus avoids "downtown".

I've ridden both routes probably hundreds of times and exiting the Park via the Fort Pitt Bridge would not be my recommended route for new riders of the GAP. That said it is certainly doable if you choose to do so but you will spend a short distance on streets with motor traffic.

Rivnuts,
Thank you for your well detailed answer. I have only walked the paths in Pittsburgh center between trains and the closest bridge seemed convenient to the Point Park. I am saving your comments for my ride next year. Roadrider

The YouTube link below illustrates the exit out of Pittsburgh's Point State Park, the ride along the Monongahela River, the new switchback bridge up to street level and the path to and across Grant Street in downtown Pittsburgh to continue down the GAP. While it is certainly not professional quality, it does show that route as I rode it recently. Perhaps it will help those looking to do so for the first time. The video can be found at:

https://youtu.be/BkoObWQqrag

Thank you . This will be helpful.

Thank you . This will be helpful.

Thank you, Rivnuts. Great video information. I wish I had seen it three weeks ago when I was starting out for DC!! (I followed some bike path signs and crossed the river too soon, maybe on the Tenth Street Bridge??) I'll file your video away for my next trip.

Thank you for this video. It is very helpful.

Does this site allow for overnight parking? If not, where nearby allows overnightparking. We are planning on kayak camping.

I don't know about the legality of it but there should be plenty of space. That said, it's also pretty remote so be sure not to leave anything of value.

Where is there free long term parking on the trail closest to georgetown? I want to do the whole thing all the way to pittsburgh and take the train back to DC. Then I'll ride to my car.

I biked Pittsburgh to DC 2 weeks ago. I parked at Great Falls Tavern, MD (then biked to DC Reagan National Airport, rented a car, drove to Pittsburgh, dropped the car off in downtown Pittsburgh, rode to Point State Park and then back to my car at Great Falls). Parking at Great Falls Tavern is plentiful and free. If you alert the NPS either online or at the entry gate, you'll feel better about leaving your car.

I considered Amtrak, but recent info made me wonder how that would work out. It sounds as if the bike racks aren't currently being used, but bikes are laid down in the baggage cars. There have also been recent notices on the Amtrak site about possible bus transfers due to construction if the train got behind schedule by more than an hour. Too many unknowns for me. Good luck and enjoy the trails.