C&O / GAP Forum

I’m flying into Pittsburgh next month to bike the trail to DC. My plan is to ship my bike to a Pittsburgh bike shop that can take the bike back out of the shipping box and reassemble it. Anyone know of a Pittsburgh bike shop near trail?

Thick Bikes in the South Side of Pittsbugh is just a few blocks from the bike trail on the south side of the Monongahela River that joins the formal GAP trail at the Hot Metal Bridge about a mile up river. You can Google them to get contact and location info.

Not necessarily a bike shop but REI is one block from a portion if the trail and can help you out. If you are not a member and like doing bikepacking, etc they are the best and many of their members (and you will be able to figure out which ones quickly) do this outdoor "stuff".

My wife and I planning 3 days biking during the July 4th weekend.
We are not not novice bikers but not very strong either, so doing the entire C O canal is too ambitious for us.
So please advise: should we start at Cumberland and end in Harpers Feryy, or, start at Little Orleans and end in DC?
I understand the trail from Cumberland to Little Orleans is more bumpy and muddy. On the other end, Harpers Ferry to DC is a long stretch.
Thx.

Based on what you stated, I would be inclined to start in Liitle Orleans and go to DC. A large portion of the first day could be on the paved Western Maryland Rail Trail (WMRT) making for a rather easy first day. Aside from that, I think that the Little Orleans to DC portion of the C&O is nicer with more sights than the Cumberland to Harper's Ferry portion.

Thx.
I guess the Harpers to DC will not be too long?
And what about the washout?

Regarding the "washout" near Brunswick, there is a recent report, including photos, of a temporary creek crossing at that location which would allow passage unless the river level is high backing up into the creek.

I'm going to do the C&O trail starting this Friday in Cumberland around 1 pm
Any advise on where to sleep
Being safe
What to carry with me on the bike
Thank you

Well with these few questions it does not sound like you are ready or did any homework for this trail (trip) ride. This is not just a short ride. Do your homework first then come prepared with specific questions not general ones that would plan your entire trip. And your leaving in two days. Good luck with that.

I agree, while I am not quite as skeptical as the other individual who posted a comment, I agree that this trip is not a trip to be taken lightly and you want to keep your suffering down to a minimum so as to enjoy the trip and not curse the day when you thought this was a good idea. There is a boatload of info on line and a bikeshop in Cumberland so read up and spend some money to allow you to enjoy the trip.

Anai - I just finished a four day trip from DC-to-Pittsburgh. Day 1 was spent in at the Jordan Junction site. Found that to be a good site.

But, if you haven't been training, I would recommend a more leisurely pace and enjoy!

REI has a great bike packing checklist here: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/bikepacking.html

There are many variables, but certain truths carry:

- Make sure your bike is in good working order.
- Try to minimize carrying things on your back (use your bike as a trusty mule)
- Hydrate (lots of potable water pumps along the C&O)
- Use the buddy system

Happy to share more experiences

Where does a main road intersect with it come near Paw Paw mile 157 on towpath? Meeting a driver.

The closest "main highway" at Paw Paw is Rt 9/51. This highway travels over the bridge over the Potomac River well above the Towpath. The highway itself does not directly intersect the Towpath. However, you can ride a bike down from the bridge to the Towpath. If you actually want to reach the Towpath by directly by car, you can do so in Oldtown where Rt. 51 does directly cross/intersect with the towpath. There is a parking area adjacent to the Towpath there.

I'm planning to do a retreat outside Charles Town, WV in the very late summer. I noticed references to C&O when I was considering biking from Dulles. I'm wondering if anyone has found a good way to cross the Potomac east of Point of Rocks - by bike. I've generally found east coast biking unsafe because of the highway speeds on most roads, and would love to get on the trail as soon as possible after leaving the airport. Alternately, I see a dotted line on the map, on the Virginia side of the river - is there perhaps a trail that I can pick up and take to Point of Rocks?

Thanks in advance!!
Jason

From Dulles you can almost immediately get on the WOD trail and take that to White's Ferry near Leesburg VA and take the Ferry across the Potomac right onto the C&O trail

Indeed, you can take the W&OD trail from Dulles to Leesburg and then get down to the ferry. That requires you to go about a mile on a high speed highway, but it has a wide shoulder. The problem is that once you get on the Maryland side, you still will encounter the washout at Brunswick. I don't think that's been repaired. You can see the postings on that. Some riders claim to have taken highways from Leesburg to Harpers Ferry. I haven't bike any of those roads, but my general impression of rural Virginia roads is that they are dangerous for bikers.

Last season when I rode from Pit to DC, you would exit the C&O at mile 136.3 and a small connector path would put you at the western terminus of the WMRT, Mile 22.5 (Pearre). I saw them building an extension going north but it wasn't yet paved and no signage existed.

I just saw the official map and it looks like it goes out to about 28.5 miles in total, a six mile extension. According to map, it says the first interconnect would be approximately Mile 141 of the C&O which would put you just shy of WMRT Mile 28.

Can anyone confirm if the new interconnect exists? If so, how's the new trail?

I’m having difficulty correlating your C&O trail mileage mark with my recent observation. During my ride from DC to Pittsburgh 3 weeks ago, It appeared that the WMRT has been extended to within a couple of miles of Little Orleans/Fifteen Mile Creek. There was a new ramp down to the C&O. However I did not ride that far on the WMRT itself so I can’t comment on its level of completion or condition beyond its former end toward Little Orleans.

Riv, that’s the one. Last year, the first entry to the WMRT was at Pearre. Now it looks like a new entry is up near Fifteen Mile Creek to connect to the new extended part of WMRT. Yay, six more miles of paved goodness!

Two of us will be traveling Pittsburgh to DC by bike midweek during the last week of June. Plan on camping each night. Anyone have issues with H/B availability during that time?

At mile 30.5. Very strange guy here saying all this stuff about religion. About to see if we can get someone from the C&O on the line but who knows. Does anyone know who this guy is and if he is a safety hazard? Will do all the necessary things but wanted to ask here and let ppl be aware

MY dad and I stayed at Adele's Bed and Breakfast on May 23,2019. Christine and Dan were wonderful hosts. Breakfast was great too!! You can find them on facebook: Adele's Bed & Breakfast

What outer did you take to get from the GAP Trail across the river to Smithton and Adele's?

I am considering riding from Point o Rocks to Cumberland over three days. I rode from DC to Point of Rocks in October and it was complete mud. I was constantly having to make sure I didn't slip in it. According to the 'almanacs' June is the wettest month. Should I assume the same amount of mud?
Also is the GAP a more 'finished road surface or does it have a similar mud/dirt condition? Thanks!

The gap trail is incredible. It is ‘crush and run’ gravel which is very smooth. We just finished riding from Cumberland to Pittsburg. Very different surface than the dirt of the tow path. I highly recommend it.

I Believe that the C&O from DC to Point of Rocks is the best part of the C&O with any recent wet weather. In my opinion the trail gets muddier the further north you travel toward Cumberland. Given the tree cover over the trail, there are sections that seem to never dry out even in late summer and fall. Of course you can avoid a portion of the Towpath itself by taking the paved WMRT on either side of Hancock. That said I believe the miles from Spring Gap to Cumberland are the last to dry out if at all.

I'm backpacking along the canal tow path in late June 2019. Has anyone camped between Williamsport and Cumberland lately?I
To save weight of carrying a lot of water,I plan on filtering water from pumps. Is there anyway to find out if pumps are working before I reach them? I remember a summer or two when some pumps were turned off for some reason.

Also, I have been taught to hang food and articles that have a small in Bear/rodent bags.( You know throw rope an hoist from tree etc.) How are others dealing with their food overnight while camping at hiker/biker campsites?

How is cellular coverage North of Williamsport?

Yes. I rode and camped from DC to Pittsburgh a couple of weeks ago including at the Indigo Neck Hiker/biker campsite between Wiiliamsport and Cumberland along with others. The pumps were working at all but one that I tried. You can find the status of water at the hiker/biker sites at:

www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

Page down to find the list of "remote water faucets" and there status. I can't vouch for the accuracy of that entire list however.

I did not encounter any varmits after my food but I didn't carry a lot with me. I have heard recent reports of raccoons pillaging bags for food but those were at sites along thr GAP rather than the C&O.

Cellular coverage from Williamsport to Cumberland was spotty at best and nonexistent much of the time.

Hello,
I will be hiking from Harper's Ferry to DC. I do not see any camping on the last stretch (14 ish miles) from Potomac to DC. The rest of the journey I will be primitive camping at the designated locations.
Any recommendations? Thanks in advance!

You are correct. The last hiker/biker site is at Mile 16.6 Swains Lock. I’m not sure where else to check. Good luck!

I live in Bethesda and bike that stretch all the time. The last campground that I can remember is at Swain's Lock, so it seems right that there's nothing after Potomac. You probably wouldn't want to camp any closer to the city anyway for safety reasons and besides, once you get inside the Beltway, it tends to get buggy and swampy.

I was going to bike from Harper's Ferry to DC, but I see on the NPS website that the trail is closed between MP 55 and 50. It looks like the next location eastward is Point of Rocks. I know there are no guarantees in life, but is that parking lot relatively safe to leave my vehicle parked for 3 days while I visit DC? If not, do you have another suggestion? Thanks for your help.

Hi. I can't vouch for 3 days but I left my car in lot for a full day in early May and it was fine. There is a small restaurant/ Pizza place right across the street and the park and parking lot are pretty open to view.I think Visibility helps to detour crime.There was some lighting after dark too.

How far is the B&B from the C&O trail. We will have biked over 60 miles when we arrive in Harper's Ferry and will need to transport our bikes and our selves to the location.

Will they allow us to store bikes ?

The actual "distance" is short, perhaps 1/2 mile. However, you must cross the river to get to Harpers Ferry from the C&O Towpath trail. To do so, you must travel across the pedestrian portion of the railroad bridge across the river. To access the bridge deck from the C&O, you must go up a steel, spiral stair. Its not all that high of a stair and its quite wide. Nonetheless, you will have to carry your bike and gear up those stairs. Once on the Harpers Ferry side of the bridge you can ride to the B&B albeit with a manageable uphill grade.

I can't comment on the bike parking situation directly. The only B&B I've stayed at in Harpers Ferry did not have a specific bike storage area but did enable bikes to be locked to an outdoor railing just outside the B&B. Just call your particular B&B to determine their bike parking situation.

Last year I road the GAP and there were so many awesome waterfalls off the trail. Are there are waterfalls off the C and O trail?

Although quite different in nature Great Falls in the Potomac River along the C&O is more impressive than those along the GAP including Ohiopyle on the Youghiogheny River.. As for "mountainous" waterfalls themselves I can't think of any of note along the C&O. The terrain along the C&O is much different (flatter) and doesn't facilitate the formation of hillside waterfalls.

Thanks

Although quite different in nature Great Falls in the Potomac River along the C&O is more impressive than those along the GAP including Ohiopyle on the Youghiogheny River.. As for "mountainous" waterfalls themselves I can't think of any of note along the C&O. The terrain along the C&O is much different (flatter) and doesn't facilitate the formation of hillside waterfalls.

Is the washout located between DC and Brunswick or after Brunswick? I can't remember from last yrs trip. I do know it was somewhere after Knoxville heading torward DC.
We're starting in DC next Saturday and our first overnight is Brunswick Campgrd. Thanks again!

Between DC and Brunswick.

In google maps search for “Catoctin Aqueduct”, it’s about 3-4 miles east of Brunswick, MD. Where Catoctin Creek and the C&O Canal towpath meet, that’s where the washout is located.

What is the food/store situation like along the trail? My kids and I can't eat gluten, so I'm trying to figure out how much of our food I need to bring with us and how much we'll be able to buy in stores along the way.

Along the GAP portion of the trail between Pittsburgh and Cumberland there are large groceries along the trail in Homestead, Connellsville and Cumberland. There is a smaller grocery in Confluence. There are dollar stores and convenience stores in Boston, Meyersdale and Frostburg albeit somewhat off the trail and up/down hill(Frostburg/Meyersdale) from the trail. The latter may not provide the breadth of products to suit your gluten-free diet however.

I don't know specifics along the C&O as well but, in general, the options are fewer and further off the trail. However, I'll defer to others that know the towns along the C&O better than I to provide more info on food options there.

Thanks! Looks like we might need to carry some more food than your average person. Good to know. I guess my kids will be happy to eat GF mac n cheese moat nights ?? I'm assuming we can only count on finding GF food at the larger supermarkets. Maybe we'll be lucky elsewhere, too.

My son has celiac, and we felt safe eating at the Desert Rose Cafe in Williamsport. Some online reviews confirm that experience, though of course time passes and you should talk to them to confirm appropriate precautions.

Reading the last post made me start to think of this summer. Does anyone local have a update on the Brunswick washout for this summer?

"You can avoid the washout at mm52 before Brunswick by using the WOD past Leesburg to almost Purcellville. Look at google maps. Take Rt 287 and go north to Brunswick"

Someone mentioned something about a path cut that goes down to the creek and arround the washout. Passable only when the water is low. I saw the video. I'd say, if no rain for 7 days give it a shot. Otherwise take the shuttle.

I am looking at alternate bypasses as well. Once in Brunswick, it seems do-able to cross the river into VA on 287, then take back-roads to 15, crossing over the river again back into MD at Point of Rocks. This route is only about 10 minutes longer than the actual distance on the C&O between Brunswick and POR. My only concern is whether there is access to the trail from the RT 15 bridge. I can't recall last time I rode through there. Anybody know?

David, looks like you should be good crossing back over at POR. Just turn right off the bridge onto Clay St. (Hwy 28) then a quick right into Commerce St. then another right onto Canal Rd. You will immediately cross over railroad tracks and then you’re there. There’s even a big C&O Canal parking lot and sign. Good luck!

Signage on the trail gives no specifics to a fix or timeline for the washout. The trail is closed a ways before on each side of the washout.
We had a lot of rain this week - so I would recommend the shuttle and not trying to cross the creek for the time being.

Also, route 15 is very dangerous.
I would recommend against biking on it.
But if you choose to do so, please be extra cautious - there are a lot of accidents on that highway. And it gets very busy with commuter traffic.

Safe travels, everyone.

Do 6ou think there is a chance that the creek will be low enough to cross in the next 2 weeks?

On 5/6, Potomac was at flood stage: Whites Ferry ceased ops...I would not consider a time frame or period of no rain as a gauge to cross. The suggestion for RT287 is a stressful ride. You would take Rd 287 from Brunswick MD into VA, into Lovettsville, VA and turn onto Rd 672 (lovettsville RD) for 8 miles to Point of Rocks on RT 15, the bridge is right there and cross over and the end of the bridge turn right and then right again to get back on the C&O. But caution: Especially with a troop of boy scouts...You MUST realize this detour is a well paved road but a number of very steep hills and a number of blind curves with little to no shoulder and speed limit of 45mph...The NPS website even states that there is no viable detour due to road/traffic conditions. They are being very truthful. Get to Brunswick and shuttle around to Point of Rocks. River and Trail Outfitters has a great van and a trailer so depending on the size of the troop, this may be better than biking on RT287 and RT 672 to Point of Rocks. I have biked the C&O for years and on RT672 and even 287 is heavy on traffic-real heavy...take the shuttle or use yours. I am getting ready to bike with 12 others from Yorktown VA to Oregon. We are coming up to DC in 4 days of biking and getting on the C&O to Cumberland on the GAP and we are using the shuttle services. From Pittsburg we go to Wheeling WV thru Ohio, IL, IN into Ks and to Denver, and so forth...Again suggest you check with NPS website for updates on the wash out.

According to the C&O NPS alerts I found this piece of info: “Due to repeated flood events, attempts to install a temporary bridge have been halted. The park is working on a long-term solution.”

Doesn’t look hopeful for this season. I would just take shuttle. It’s shame they can’t find a way around it safely.

Has anyone tried riding the Point of Rocks Road (HWY 464) to Lander Road and then down to the towpath near lock # 29?

Hi Jim M. I am local....under no circumstances would I considered 464...this is 50 mph, curves, worse hills than 287/672 on the Virginia side....I have never seen anyone bicycle on 464...there are a few very steep hills...no shoulder but also there is a one very long stretch the guard forces you to bike in the road. If forced to bike from Brunswick to POR....and it is a an early Sat or Sunday...roll the dice and use the VA side...one hour detour...but again....depending on the size of the Canadian Boys Scout troup....decide based on that...and my advice all along has been has been towards the youth. If a solo or a pair of bikers come in Brunswick it is only a short trail ride to the washout out. From POR it is 6 miles or so before you can consider crossing the creek down by Potomac River or turning around and use 672 to 287 Lovettsville Rd to Brunswick. or sit, relax and wait for the shuttle you called to come and get you. An hour wait tops..?

Wayne: Can you comment on riding on Rt 287 from Brunswick to Lovettsville in route to Purcellville to pickup the WOD on to DC? Looks like about +3% average grade for 2 miles leading into Lovettsbille with a max grade of 5.5% for a short distance. Google Earth appears to indicate it as a 2-lane highway with a narrow shoulder. Once reaching Lovettsville, Google Maps' primary bike route takes me off Rt 287 on some other roads in lieu of continuing on 287. They appear basically flat in into Purcellville.

Not sure why the NPS is not holding the railroad partially responsible for the Brunswick culvert washout? I passed thru that part of the trail a year prior to the flood, and the culvert under the railroad tracks was 90% obstructed with trees, mud and misc debris. In my opinion, when the waters backed up in front of the railroad culvert, it eventually overflowed the tracks causing a huge waterfall type effect and that is what caused the wooden trail bridge to wash away. If the railroad had done proper maintenance at their culvert (keeping it clear of debris) I don't think the degree of damage would have been as devastating as it turned out to be. I worked as a civil engineer for 35 years and I have seen the force of flood waters and the damages they can create.
The very least the railroad should have done was to provide controlled access to the railroad tracks that would allow bikers to safely cross the railroad tracks during certain hours of the day. This washout has deterred many people (including me) from enjoying the unique beauty and solitude of this national treasure and I would love to see it back to some degree of normalcy. Sorry for venting, had to get it off my chest.

I rode 464 from Point of Rocks to Brunswick on Dec 18. It didn't strike me as too bad. Looking at a map now, it looks like one could cut the time on 464 down to about 4 miles by accessing/leaving the the C&O at lock 29/Lander Rd.