C&O / GAP Forum

I'm am from Texas and planning a thru ride in late August and wanted to inquire if anyone has suggestions for the following:

The best way to get from Pittsburgh international to the Trailhead in downtown Pittsburgh?

I've read about the Montour trail being a possible option, but can't figure out if it would work.

Similar question would be the best way to get from the trails (end in my case) in DC to Reagan National?


I might be one of the only persons left who has never used Uber, but would they transport a person and bike?

Thank you,

Reagan National Airport is easily accessible by bike from the C&O Towpath (or from the parallel Capital Crescent Trail) if you cross the Key Bridge to Arlington, VA (the Key Br. will be the first bridge crossing the Potomac as you enter the DC area). Just across the Key Br., turn left on the Mount Vernon Trail and follow it to the airport. There is a well-marked paved connection from the Mount Vernon Trail directly into the airport. (I don't have experience with the Montour Trail, so can't help with that.)

Consider the bus to downtown Pittsburgh from the airport....

https://www.portauthority.org/pdfs/28X.pdf

As noted in the earlier response, there is a Port Authority bus that runs from the airport to downtown Pittsburgh. All Port Authority buses have two bicycle racks on the front of the bus. A face mask is required to ride the buses.

If you are not committed to starting the GAP trail at its origin at Point State Park in Pittsburgh, you can ride from the airport to McKeesport via the Montour Trail and its extension to the airport and pick up the GAP trail there in McKeesport. That is about a 50 mile ride. Doing so bypasses the first 18 miles of the GAP from downtown to McKeesport.

You can, and I've done it, ride from the airport to downtown via the Montour Trail and its extension and the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. While the latter is a "trail" it is not well marked or easily followed by those not from the area. Further, nearly all of it is on busy roads albeit you can ride on a sidewalk adjacent to portions of those roads. Frankly, I wouldn't recommend this to those not familiar with the region but, if you are adventurous and not grossly risk averse, you can do it. I can provide additional details if you are interested in this route.

Thank you for the information. The McKeesport via the Montour Trail sounds an interesting opion to connect to the GAP trail.

This will likely be my first and last ride on the GAP,C&O so would I miss a great deal by not starting at Point State Park?

Obviously you would miss downtown Pittsburgh. The origin of the GAP at Point State Park ("The Point") where the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers join the form the Ohio River and the fountain there is rather unique. From there you can look across the river and see Heinz Field and PNC Park the homes of the Pgh Steelers and Pirates as well as other downtown features. The skyline of downtown Pittsburgh is very visible from there. As you leave downtown Pgh, there is much history of the old steel industry along the Monongahela River most of which has been demolished with shopping centers and industrial/commercial arks built on those mill sites. The ride from Pittsburgh to McKeesport is all paved but free from car traffic. Aside from the Point and downtown and the history along the way, that distance is rather bland albeit an easy ride. On the other hand, once you reach the Montour Trail itself from the airport, the majority of the Montour Trail is more remote and less traveled by bikers with a crushed limestone surface and passes through woods and residential areas. The Montour Trail Extension from the airport to the Montour Trail itself and the Steel Valley Trail at the other end of the Montour that links you to the GAP Trail in McKeesport are on roads with a modicum of traffic. For your first and only ride of the GAP/C&O, you'd probably want to start at the Point to "experience" the entire formal trail.

If you need/want additional local info or assistance in navigating these trails, feel free to contact me at:

Rivnuts@yahoo.com

1. The body is way more capable that we think it is. I haven't ridden 350 miles in six days since I was in my 20's, I'm in my 50's now. There were moments when I though I had dumped all I could into my ride... there was always another 10 or 15 miles still in my legs.

2. You don't need all the stuff you think you're going to need. I could have lightened my load and made due with less.

3. Stop and take in the views. I stopped often just to admire the beauty of the land. In hind site I should have stopped more. There were a number of moments were I saw something in the forest and said "wow." Now that those moments are just memories I wish I had taken a moment to pause, take a photo, and just breathe in the beauty.

4. Stars are amazing. Living in a large city I don't get to see the night sky in all its splendor. If you're camping on your journey, take a moment at night to look up.

Another suggestion for this trip would be:

5. Take a few minutes before and during the trip to learn and appreciate the history of each of the trails and imagine what they were like and how people lived in their eras.

From the GAP webpage:

"Re-surfacing of the 11 mile section of the Great Allegheny Passage between Ohiopyle and Confluence will begin on Monday 7/13, with an anticipated end date of 7/24. Although the contractors plan to keep the trail open it would helpful, if at all possible, to please bike elsewhere during the next week or so. Thank You!"

WHat are they resurfacing the GAP with? Is it ashfault or similar or crushed granite/ clay?

Is there a place to look to see what the trail surface is from Pitts to Cumberland? It seems Cumberland is Clay/crushed Granite but correct me if I am wrong. Trying to figure the right type of bike to bring from Houston.

It’s still crushed limestone, it’s just a resurfacing which I think they do every decade in sections or where erosion requires it.

90% of the GAP is crushed limestone except where it’s paved out of downtown Pittsburgh for the first 10-12 miles, a little bit through Connellsville, and the last bits before Cumberland.

Virtually any bike will make the trip successfully albeit a road bike with 19mm or 23mm tires might be less than desirable if you encounter significant rain. (There can be some occasional soft spots and puddles under those circumstances). Road bikes with 28mm tires or larger, hybrid bikes, gravel bikes, recumbent bikes and mountain bikes generally would be fine. I don't see many tandems on the trail but they should be ok as well as long as there isn't a sustained deluge during your journey.

Take the bike you are most comfortable on and can carry whatever load you'll be taking and you should have an enjoyable trip.

John from Pitts, and Rivnuts - Thanks for the prompt feedback. It is SO MUCH appreciated. Really, ... THanks.

A clarifications
GAP TRAIL
1. Between the two messages I gather the surface and that it is relatively smooth and PACKED, meaning not loose gravel, to Cumberland? Tire size suggestions were excellent, by the way. A fellow traveler does not have experience on unpacked trail and it would be difficult to get that experience before hand. It would not prevent the trip just mean possibly a different set of equipment and allocation of time. So the clarification needed is whether it is packed.

C&O trail
1. I am wondering if the same tire sizes are recommended for C&o trail. I get the idea that the C&O is much less smooth and packed.

Again, thank you so much for your time.

I haven't ridden the entire GAP, but the sections that I have ridden are crushed limestone. That gets a little mushy in the rain, but it is not like mud. Even a thin road bike tire might work, but I'd recommend something a bit wider. The C&O Canal towpath presents a very different surface. In the worst areas, it is two thin lanes of dirt with a grass median. This is the result of years and years of bikers riding over a dirt surface in opposite directions. If this gets wet, mountain bike tires would be best. I ride it on a mountain bike with big fat tires and only get into trouble when it's really muddy and the mud gets stuck in the fork. There is a nice bypass around Hancock, Maryland that is asphalt and a wise choice. Yesterday, I rode from Mouth of Monocacy to Harpers Ferry on the towpath. It's been resurfaced with crushed limestone and quite firm. I don't know how far up in goes, however. It does go down to White's Ferry. From there to Violette's Lock, the towpath is the two-lane dirt affair. It has never been completely dry any time that I've been on it. There is a base of sand so that my mountain bike with fat tires has always been able to push through the many mud holes, but thin tires would not. From Violette's Lock to Georgetown, it's a macadam surface composed of rocks and sand and dirt. This generally is dry even after rains. However, the rocks are rather large in places. The bike shops in DC advise against road bike tires because they can get punctured. In any event, the rocks will shake you to death on road bike tires.

The GAP Trail has virtually no loose gravel sections. When dry, the surface is "packed" i.e. your bike tires will not penetrate the surface. With lots of rain it becomes soft in some spots and you'd be able to see your bike tire tracks in the surface albeit not like riding a muddy, earthen trail.

Tire width on the C&O is a function of whether the trail is dry or muddy. I've ridden a road bike with 28mm and 32mm tires in both conditions but wider is better, even in dry conditions. I have purchased 35mm knobby tires for the trip this year in case it is wet. Even wider tires requiring less pressure might even be more comfortable.

Yesterday, I finished a solo, self-supported, N-to-S, camping through-bike from Pittsburgh to DC (7/17/20-7/21/20). The trail conditions were excellent with no rain (dusty), but it was very hot and electrolyte powders/tablets are essential this time of year. The GAP surface is very good, and I saw no evidence of resurfacing work currently occurring along the GAP. The C&O was in relatively good shape and generally dry. The new surface on the C&O (similar to the GAP crushed limestone surface) now extends from the Shepherdstown turnoff (approx. mile 74) to around Edwards Ferry (approx. mile 31), and the new surface is exceptionally nice. As others have said, take the paved Western Maryland Rail Trail (WMRT) from around Little Orleans to around Licking Creek Aqueduct for some relief from the old C&O surface. I averaged 74 miles per day on an adventure/gravel bike (no shocks) with 40 mm tires and about 30 lbs of food/camping gear. I stopped at one supermarket along the way in Cumberland and prepared all of my own meals, so generally had more food in my panniers than might be needed but for Covid-19 precautions. I would not recommend camping at Ohiopyle State Park due to partying and noise from other campers (well past midnight) and no attempt by the park to curtail the noise during "quiet hours" (9pm-8am), but I would recommend the NPS camp sites at Antietam (did not camp) and McCoy's Ferry (camped) on the C&O. Most (but not all) pump handles were installed at hiker-biker sites, and water was usually plentiful maintaining two bottles on the bike. It was a great adventure but, in July heat, not for the faint of heart!

Rivnuts and Richard thank you for the additional data - it is very helpful.

Last question: The bypass around Hancock going from Cumberland to DC. Where do you suggest rejoining the C&O?

The only place I found to cross over towards the end, and that is if I have correctly identified the "bypass" trail" is at Ernstville road UNLESS there is some other strategy like going down Big Pool road for a bit then ... Here is a link to the location that I think is for maximizing the bypass.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Big+Pool,+MD+21711/@39.6327779,-78.0301322,327m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89ca1930cc5ecc47:0x6fca929deeff8d45!8m2!3d39.6327724!4d-78.0290601!5m1!1e3

Texastree, you have identified the crossover correctly. When you are riding N-to-S along the Western Maryland Rail Trail, you will see a sign directing you to turn right on Ernstville Rd. in order to reconnect with the C&O Towpath. Take that right and go a short distance. At the point where the road turns hard left, leave the pavement and go straight into the woods. That trail isn't marked, but it will take you to the C&O. It is the trail that you've correctly identified on your map. (I was there just a few days ago.)

JM is quite right in his description. As noted it is not well marked as I found on my first trip a few years ago so keep your eyes open or you will ride right past it.

Thanks for your responses including the trip update from JM from Central Florida - this has been very helpful.

Just to share. I wrote the NPS about trail upgrades and where they happened/happening. They pointed me to this link which includes a before and after construction photo. The posts above correlate with their web page.


https://www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/towpath-resurfacing-project.htm

The base layer of the new towpath surface is crush and run gravel, also known as CR-6. The top layer is stone dust, also known as AASHTO-10. The crush and run layer creates an adequate drainage system, so that heavy rainfall can easily drain off the towpath. The stone dust layer at the top adds a nice, smooth surface.

The National Park Service's photos and description are a bit rosier than what you may experience on the towpath. The new surface is indeed good and firm but that top layer of "stone dust" gets kicked up when it's dry. On last weekend's ride, the dust hung over the towpath like mist in the morning and left me with shin guards of gray dust from ankle to knee. I suppose my lungs will recover and the dust does wash off. The photo of what the towpath looked like before it was resurfaced was taken at White's Ferry in a well-drained location. In shady areas, which include the path from White's Ferry to Violette's Lock, the towpath almost never dries. There are always mud holes. And during or immediately after a rain, sections of it are virtually impassable. I don't mean to criticize the Canal Trust, which paid for the work, but be prepared for some tough, slow biking on the old surface if it's rained.

We're staying in Leesburg one night and looking for tips to get there from White's Ferry. Our hotel (Colonial) used to provide shuttle service but suspended it due to pandemic. 4 riders

Not being local to that area, I can’t offer any alternatives for transport from Whites Ferry to Leesburg. However, I have ridden it on my loaded bike 3 or 4 times. Hwy 15 is busy but there is a shoulder for much of its distance and there is a sidewalk for the balance to the hotel if roads aren’t your thing. If you can avoid rush hour traffic, it would be easier on your nerves.

I called a couple of hotels in Leesburg today looking for one that offers a shuttle from Whites Ferry. Comfort Suites currently offers a Ride & Stay deal for $129/ night. One other place suggested requesting a van from UBER. Maybe that would work, maybe not. We will be going with the Comfort Suites.

I'm looking for reasonably-priced options for a return trip (DC to Pittsburgh) for 3 bikers and their bikes now that Amtrak is not hauling bikes. Any advice?

I had the same challenge last week. I rented a mid-sized SUV from Hertz at Reagan National and dropped it off at Hertz, 1318 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, which is a mile and a half from Point State Park. Cost with taxes was $121. My rental was a Toyota Highlander, which is perfect for 1-2 bikes/bikers, but might be tight for 3. When I made my reservation, Hertz had larger minivans for one-way rental at the same price. National Airport is easily accessible by bike if you cross the Key Bridge to Virginia and follow the Mount Vernon trail. There is a paved connection from the trail to the airport. When you get into the airport proper, follow signs directing you to bicycle parking/racks, but just before the racks, turn right through the rental car maintenance area and ask the guys working there how to get to rental car pickup. I rode my bike directly to the rental car counter without the need to store my bike or take a bus. Easy to do if you ask directions. Have fun.

You can check your bike on Amtrak.. It’s an additional charge and you must remove the pedals and front wheel then fit it into a bike box. Amtrak has bike boxes for sale at Union Station for $15.

Cumberland to Georgetown ride notes for Friday, July 17:
First 60 miles muddy after heavy rains the night before. Likely has dried out now. Trees down at 10 and 20 miles from the start. Both could be climbed over, though lots of poison ivy on the second one. Nearly all the pump handles were in place the whole ride. The Desert Rose cafe in Williamsport is closed until August. Potomac Grill in Brunswick has shaded outdoor seating and friendly service.

This is exciting but sudden! I recently [June 6-12] biked the Erie Canalway Trail End-to-end. The GAP had my attention and I figured I could easily jump on and do the 150 mile as I have all the gear figured out and ready at a moment. So... I just booked rail passage for my bike and myself on the only day [and last rack] I could find in the near future. So... next Wednesday I will be on the trail Pittsburgh to Cumberland.

I'm looking for info about camping along the trail. I'm open to suggestions in campgrounds, State Parks or trail-side. I'm cool with somewhat renegade camping wherever it is semi-acceptable -- that's how I did the ECT.

Also looking for understanding about food. Are there convenient stores or places to purchase food, water, etc. along the trail? On my recent tour I carried some food, but was able to eat well in towns along the Canalway. Hoping for the same.

Thanks in advance. Any other info any posters here care to share to make the tour safe and enjoyable, please sound off as I will have limited time to fully research maps, etc.
-bubba

PS - info about parking in PGH would be helpful. Deals available or special places. Hoping I don't have to pay $30/day to park!

i camped in connelsville,at the adirondack shelters. a;so there is campgrounds in ohiopyle state park.

i rode cumberland to pittsburgh camping only one night.

WNYBubba! Welcome to the C&O/GAP forums. I’ve seen many of your posts on the Erie Canal version of this site. Welcome to the Dark Side! ; - )

The GAP has four free camping sites: Dravos Landing (Mile 122), Cedar Creek Park (Mile 110), Roundbottom (Mile 100), and Connellsville (Mile 88). Connellsville has a grocery store and restaurants within walking distance. The other three are a bit more remote and you need to either eat before you arrive or bring food to camp. I’m not sure about Dravos but the others have some Adirondack shelters if you can snag one.

Here’s a great map of the GAP:
https://gaptrail.org/system/resources/W1siZiIsIjIwMTkvMDYvMjUvMTUvNTQvNTIvNDUyL2dhcF9tYXBfd2ViLnBkZiJdXQ/gap_map_web.pdf no

There are other campgrounds but they are pay sites. In Meyersdale, the Festival Park is really Nice for $15 and has showers, real bathroom, and a Sheetz and a diner within walking distance. You can even pitch your tent on the Covered band shelter if you want.

The state park campground at Ohiopyle has a brutal hill to get up like a 1/3rd Mile Steep grade so I leave that up the person themselves if they’re comfortable taking that on. That’s the only one people have said to avoid but I’ve never camped there.

Food situation is like the Erie Canal. Towns typically have Restaurants and c-stores to get provisions. The GAP water fountains were all on during my just completed trip so that is a good thing. You will eat well with some planning. With Covid going on, you may want to phone ahead and make sure they’re open.

Scroll down in this forum as many threads address the parking in downtown Pittsburgh options.. I’m sure others will chime in shortly.

The beginning/end of the trail in Pittsburgh is the medallion in the ground the very tip of Point State Park.

You will absolutely love the downhill from the continental divide to Cumberland! Great scenery and eaaaaasy peddling.

I really enjoyed your recaps of your recent Erie Canal trip. So we’ll done!

Welcome aboard...

John W.

@John W. Thanks for the info and warm welcome! This should be a fun run... especially now knowing about the downhill into Cumberland. [I'm a snowboarder so I know the "dark side" pretty well! LOL]

Interesting that the free campsites are clustered together. Be nice if they were 50 miles apart. I should have time to research and find places as I again plan to ride about 50 miles a day with no stress [except for the heat that long-range forecasts say high 80's].

Also so great that food is pretty easy to come by along the trail. I enjoyed ECT and being able to stop for lunch and run into small towns for dinner take-out in the evening. That worked nicely, so hoping for the same.

So you just did the PGH -> Cumberland GAP? Very cool. Are you planning on riding the Canal Trail?
-bubba

WNYBubba,

Not this summer, I don’t think there will be any more week long summer trips for me this year. Strictly down to the odd after work trip or weekend days out. I do want to get back up and see the paved parts from the Tonawandas to Lockport. Maybe ride Niagara again if the border ever opens back up.

Good luck on your GAP planning. Have you picked nightly camping spots yet?

John

WNYBUbba,

First Ave Parking structure is convenient for your parking. There are other city parking locations in downtown as well. See link

http://www.pittsburghparking.com/first-avenue-garage-and-station

Enjoy the ride.

Ed

Yes, all looks good. I'm going to park at the Homestead Mall area and leave my vehicle ["trailhead" park/sleep] Tuesday and take off on Wed AM. Take Three River Trail into PGH, pick up GAP and ride back past Homestead and onto Cedar Creek campground in Smithton for nite. Outflow Campgrond in Confluence the next, Trail Inn Campground in Frostburg on Friday nite and then into Cumberland on Saturday. If all goes well, I've got most of the day in Cumberland before the 7:30 PM train to PGH. It gives me nearly a day in case of any issues on the trail, so I'm happy with little stress getting things to play out correctly.

Once back in PGH I'll lock up my bike somewhere and grab an Uber to Homestead and pick up my vehicle and drive back into PGH to grab my bike and head home [maybe grab a nite sleep on the road after I leave town]. I have a van equipped with cot so I'm nicely self contained. I'm not sure what the trail to Homestead is like, but maybe I can ride at night with a lights. Surely it looks to be through urban areas.

Your advise and experience and offering suggestions to any of the above welcome and appreciated. [Or anyone else reading this!]
-bubba

wnybubba:

I live in Homestead. If you park at the so-called Waterfront Shopping area in Homestead as you indicated, I recommend you park in one of the hotel parking lots, Costco store parking lot, Giant Eagle grocery lot or the Lowes lot. These should be the safest places to leave your van for a week in that shopping area.

Note the GAP trail or so-called Steel Valley Trail portion thereof passes right through that shopping area and since it is only 8 miles to downtown and Point State Park where the GAP Trail literally begins, you could ride into to the Point and back to Homestead on Tuesday after you arrive and then start out directly from Homestead
onward on the GAP Trail. From Homestead, Cedar Creek Park is less than 30 miles so you could consider going beyond to stay in Connellsville which is 50 miles from Homestead and has trailside camping albeit with now showers. (The nearby KOA in Adelaide also has tent camping which has showers and a pool albeit for a fee.)

Note that there is a rather long uphill ride from the GAP Trail up into the town at Frostburg where the Trail Inn Campground is located. Since it is a very easy 16-mile downhill ride on the Trail from Frostburg to Cumberland you might want to consider riding on down to Cumberland and camp at the YMCA there which also provides access to there air-conditioned facility and showers, Just make sure they are open with the pandemic.

The trail is posted as usable from dawn to dusk but the trail into and out of Homestead is paved and would otherwise be rideable at night with a decent light.

If you'd like some company or guidance in or about Homestead Pittsburgh and beyond, just drop me a note at:

Rivnuts@yahoo.com

If you have other specific questions about the GAP, don't hesitate to contact me.

I parked near the Amtrak station GreyHound bldg. For 6 days it was $67.00

wnybubba:

How was your GAP experience? Hope it went well!

John

Howdy, all, getting ready to head to HF from DC this Sat (18 Jul) with my 11 y/o son. Was wondering about:

- Trail conditions (muddy?)
- Any trail camping at or near Harpers Ferry (I've only cycled "through" and not "to" HF)
- Status of water pumps from DC
- Any additional intel

Many thanks!

There's huckleberry hill hiker/biker camp area just past harpers ferry (2ish miles north of harpers ferry, I think). There's paid camping in brunswick but that's about 7 miles from harpers ferry.

I don't think you'll see much mud and from whites ferry you have new trail surface all the way to harpers ferry.

We are looking for clean / COVID compliant hotels along the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP). We will have an inexperienced SaG vehicle to meet us at various locations. Our plan is to start in Cumberland, ride the first day to Meyersdale, ride the 2nd day to Ohiopyle, the third day to West Newton, and finish the fourth and final day in Pittsburgh. Because we have a SaG vehicle- we can stay away form the trail and we can stay in the same hotel for multiple nights. Suugestions? TIA.

We stayed at the Parker House BnB in Confluence. The cleanest BnB I have ever stayed at.

We stayed at Paddler's Lane Retreat in Confluence last September because other lodging options were not available. The BnB is RIGHT NEXT to a railroad track, so you will hear trains going by. The first time a train went by, we each thought the train sounded as though it would come crashing through the lodging house, that's how loud it was. That said, the BnB provides earplugs for your use, and we were told that only a handful of trains that go by each night. We were both tired from having biked 86 miles from Pittsburgh that day that we both slept right through the subsequent train noises, and we are not people who are used to sleeping with train noises. The hosts were very gracious. We ended up being the only ones at the house that night, so we were told that we could each sleep in a separate room, even though we had only paid for one room. The beds in both rooms were on the mushy side ~ we both prefer our beds on the firmer side. Breakfast was very good. I had contacted the host beforehand and specifically requested eggs and some type of carbs, and they were accommodating. I think we had eggs, French toast (or pancakes, I can't recall), yogurt, fresh fruit, coffee and orange juice. It was a delicious meal and prepared us for our 122 mile ride to Hancock that day. CONS: The BnB is further away from the towpath and dining options in town; it is right next to train tracks; and (for us) it had mushy beds. PROS: As I recall, the BnB was priced cheaper than other lodging options in the area (maybe because of the proximity to the train tracks?), good breakfast, accommodating hosts, and the property itself was really beautiful. If we had to do it again, we'd go for a place closer to the towpath, just because we didn't like to bike the extra miles since we were already going to bike very high miles that day (but that is a personal preference). That said, Paddler's Inn is a solid option.

Last year we stayed at the Smith House Inn, a B&B in an old but well-maintained house. The rooms were clean and comfortable. We had a good breakfast and the folks running the place were friendly.

The Smith House Inn is a short walk to downtown, to local restaurants, and really to everything in Confluence because the town isn’t that big.

I don’t know about it’s COVID status or whether it’s open right now but you could give them a call.

Last year we stayed at the Smith House Inn, a B&B in an old but well-maintained house. The rooms were clean and comfortable. We had a good breakfast and the folks running the place were friendly.

The Smith House Inn is a short walk to downtown, to local restaurants, and really to everything in Confluence because the town isn’t that big.

I don’t know about it’s COVID status or whether it’s open right now but you could give them a call.