C&O / GAP Forum

I just bought an Amtrak ticket to ride D.C. up to Cumberland with my bike and gear and plan to ride the length of C&O back to Union station over three or four days (starting April 17). I have a couple questions:

1) Does anyone know if the boarding process at Union station is the same for those rolling on a bicycle? I can't envision just strolling through to the terminal with all my gear but maybe that's the only way.

2) It seems the trail is closed at Brunswick Family Campground and there are some local services offering shuttles around the closure. Are there any other options? Any timeline for completing the repairs?

3) Does NPS advertise exactly when the water pumps will be turned on and porta-potties maintained? Website currently says mid-April but it'd be helpful to know if I need to bring my water filter and/or extra TP.

1. Yes just as you described...you will be walking through the terminal with your bikes and gear. Don’t worry lots of people do this. Also when you are waiting in the terminal to get called for boarding, those with bikes will be separated off to the side. You will line up with your bikes and be called to the car where your bikes go and then take your seat anywhere on the train after docking. All of the cyclists will walk their bikes to a specific train car before the rest board the train.

2. I just posted an update about the washout, scroll down through the forums for Brunswick Culvert Washout. In short, it will not be repaired in time for your trip.

3. NPS will probably have a more specific date as April approaches. Might have to do with weather or if we have a warm spring. Keep checking their site. There should be adequate opportunities to purchase water in town but I totally understand the uncertainty of the pumps and bringing a filter.

Stay on the lookout for the "spring " 2019 closure of the Paw Paw tunnel to continue its reconstruction as per the NPS C&O Towpath website.

Hopefully they won't close it till after memorial day.

Does anyone have any information on any progress in the construction of the temporary bridge or bypass at the Brunswick Culvert washout around mile 54. The NPS site does not indicate that the temporary bridge has been completed even though it was started last summer.
Also, is big slackwater portion of the trail still closed.
Sure wish NPS would update their site a little more often.

I was wondering the same thing. I plan on leaving Pittsburgh on May 10 riding to D.C.

Looks like attempts were made to provide a temp bypass but those got washed out again. I would assume it will be out until they say is fixed on their site or twitter feed. The shuttles are the following:
Shepherdstown Pedal and Paddle, (304)-876-3000
River and Trail Outfitters, (301) 834-9950

You can try and traverse the creek yourself but proceed with caution. If the water is high (and you won’t know till you get there), I would not attempt to cross but you would then have to backtrack back to the pickup points for a shuttle. We had to take all of our bags off the bikes, carry the bikes over the creek, then go back across the creek to collect our bags back over then reassemble. Also know the rocks are really slippery! It was work to get everything across but we made it. We lucked out because it was relatively dry compared to the rest of the season.

I didn’t attempt this but people are adamant about not going up to the railroad tracks and crossing there. Apparently the trains come thick and fast and there’s not a lot of spare room up there on the sides near the rails. Apparently the nearby roads that constitute a “detour” is very dangerous with little sight distance, little or no shoulders, and fast car traffic.

I agree that they should be more forthcoming with news!

How safe is it for a single rider arriving at midnite in Pittsburgh at the train station to get to a hotel? I am planning to take Amtrak from DC early June 2019 and doing a unsupported ride back to DC.

The train station borders downtown Pgh and an area known as the "strip district". The Strip District is an old location where fresh produce would come in by train and be made available to local merchants. "Strip" does not refer to the generally popular connotation. The Strip still has it's fruit stores and cheese shops, but it's also more geared to restaurants, hotels and entertainment. Very safe during daylight hours. The old original "Primanti's" is also located in the Strip and is open 24/7 if want to ride down Smallman St. about 6 blocks or so.
The area around the train station is also near the bus station and can get a little shaky after 10 or 11 pm, but not really what I would call a dangerous area. As always, just be alert to whats going on around you. The area is generally well lit and well patrolled by the police. Also, there are several nice hotels within 3 block of the train station: Homewood Suites ($116), Hampton Inn ($118), and Marriot ($111) so you won't be on the street very long - 2 minute bike ride at best. I also am planning a C&O/GAP bike ride in late spring. Going from DC to Pgh though. Hoping for better weather as I cancel twice last spring/summer. Good luck to you.

I did this same exact ride your looking to do. Drury Hotel was bike perfect and close to station. Enjoy.

I walked at midnight from the Amtrak station to a hotel that was further away than the three hotels mentioned above. You have the option of walking your bike on the city sidewalks if you are not equipped and experienced with night riding.

I have done the opposite (leaving early in the morning) after riding from DC to Pittsburgh. The William Penn has really good deals on Priceline, and is a 1/4 mile from the train station. Downtown hotels can be pricy though.

Good luck on your ride!

I've arrived back in Pgh at midnight and proceeded to ride to my home some 9 miles out of the city along the trail. The city was nearly deserted with very little traffic although I chose to ride on the sidewalks for the few blocks downtown to pick up the trail.

Hi. Can anyone recommend a bike rental place near Point of Rocks, MD?? We are only there visiting for a couple of days, but would like to ride part of the C&O canal. We will be staying north of Leesburg and the only place I was able to find was in Ashburn. Thank you!

We are planning to ride from Connellsville to Pittsburgh, take the train to DC and ride back to Connellsville in late May/early June. We have 2.2 inch tires and Amtrak states that the maximum tire width can only be 2 inches (no fat bikes). How strict is this rule? Will we have a problem or can we deflate the tires if necessary? Also, we have to get the train very early morning in Pittsburgh and are staying at the Hampton Inn close to the station. How safe is this area at 4:00 am?

Thanks for any advice!

Your tires will be fine, no worries since they’re not fat bikes. You could always deflate if it came to it but I’ve not heard of anyone having to do so. But it’s not that strict.

I would exercise the same caution you would use in any mid-size or major city at that hour. Once in the station,though, there should be other travelers inside.

Happy Riding!

Can anyone inform me as to the current(ish) conditions on the GAP? Is there snow on parts of the GAP or have rains come through. Continuing through from the C&O to Pittsburgh.
Thank you for any info!!

I cannot comment on the higher elevations near Big Savage Tunnel (isn't this closed for winter?) the northern half of the GAP (say Connellsville to Pittsburgh) should be a little wet but fine. Most, if not all, of the snow has melted.

hi,

looking for a list of casual cyclist campgrounds on the GAP for a ride im planning this summer, starting Pittsburgh. Trying to avoid the big KOA style or motorhome camgrounds, if possible. Looks like the GAP doesnt have as many as the C&O so i think i need to plan more carefully. Thanks

Here's the free ones. If I could give any suggestion to the stewards of the GAP I would say please put one around Mile 35-40, only paid campgrounds exist there:

Mile 89 Connellsville Adirondack Shelters (I think you can pitch a tent around them if these are full)
Mile 99 Roundbottom Primitive Campground
Mile 110 Cedar Creek Park Primitive Campground
Mile 122 Dravo's Landing Primitive Campground

Any cyclist camping options in this area?

Try Festival Park Campground. Seems to be liked by riders though I have not personally stayed there.

Is the quality of the C&O sufficient for an ordinary cruising bicycle? About 7 years ago I cycled the GAP from Pitt to Cumberland. The quality of the trail was very good along the entire length for my small folding bicycle. However, after Cumberland, on the C&O, the quality of the trail was very poor; only wide enough for the bicycle wheel with many muddy ruts. I could go only a few miles then I aborted the trip. Now in 2019, has the condition of the C&O improved? Is it now as good as the GAP was or is the C&O still a muddy mess?

2018 was brutal. I was fortunate to go when it was relatively dry last week of August. It was really wet and muddy in sections and many people abandoned or cancelled trips outright. It was a bad year.

The GAP (Pittsburgh to Cumberland) is rail trail and it drains really well and only gets soft when it’s been super rainy. The C&O (Cumberland to DC) is an old mule path and is covered in tree canopy and takes a long time to dry out. It is always the muddier of the two. It could have rained three days ago but the C&O could still be wet. I always assume I will get muddy and just plow right through the mud and water. Part of the adventure I guess.

An ordinary cruising bicycle should be fine . I wouldn’t use thin racing tires though. I have Bontrager Race All Weather 700 x 38 tires and was fine. I’ve used 32 in the past and made it through the mud also. I guess I would just keep and eye out for weather. If it looks like a huge storm is imminent I can see people not bothering. If you’re arriving right after a massive storm I would expect mud.

2018 was unusual. It’s not always like that. Nobody knows what 2019 will bring. It’s a crap shoot really.

Happy Riding!

It's worse if anything. The maintenance has deteriorated. The last 25 miles between Violette's Lock and Georgetown is pretty good except for some thick spots of gravel. The rest of the trail is nearly impassable in spots particularly if it had rained within a week.

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Can you just put a tent anywhere? Are there bathrooms and showers available?

Is there long term parking at the Frostburg Trailhead.

is here a campground in this area, formal or informal?

ill be starting out from the airport area in the late morning and figure this is about as far as i want to go that day.

have to go through Pittsburg too.

thanks

Hello
You are still in the city with Homestead. Not much camping available.

If you are coming from Greater Pittsburgh Airport, You can take the Montour trail
https://montourtrail.org/
from the airport to Clairton.
Go over the Clairton bridge and travel through Glassport PA to
McKeesport.
Pickup the GAP trail at McKeesport and go to BuenaVista to the Dravo campground.
That is ~60 miles from the airport.

Ray, I tried to send you an email via your contact info on this site. It was sent back to me and labeled as "Rejected". I had written to you regarding posting your site as a link from mine with your permission. If you would like to check out my site before giving me a thumbsup, its www.candocanal.webs.com

Email to contact info still fails.

Wow! I totally forgot I've posted here before. That candocanal page I had is no longer around though.

Granted it has been a few years, almost 5 to be exact, since I've stepped foot on the C&O, you would think after 8 thru-hikes, I would be tired of this trail. Out of the 8 I have done, one of them winded up becoming a flip-flop, and became a 369 mile trip, from Cumberland to Georgetown and back. And for whatever reason, I have never gotten tired of the trail.

When I lived in Cumberland, anywhere between the scenic train station to Evitts Creek campsite was my playground. When the ex-girlfriend couldn't find me, I was on the trail somewhere, whether exploring, fishing, biking, walking, or camping at Evitts Creek.

I even picked up my trail name, whisperingwind, in 2007 on the C&O. This happened when another hiker, would leave a campsite before me, and be in his/her tent sleeping before I got there. After 5 days, I woke up to find a note sitting on the table. It said, "Each evening, you sneak in, and I don't hear a sound. Each morning I get up, leave, make shelter, sleep, and wake up to find you, yet again, have snuck in. You have been like a silent breeze. I hereby call you whisperingwind." Sadly, I never caught up with him/her, as I would have loved to sit and chat with this person. In that entire time, we never spoke, nor seen each other. I only use this name when on the C&O, as it pertains to this trail.

So fast forward to now. I had been thinking all last year of doing another Appalachian Trail thru-hike, but after some more thinking, I've twisted it up a little. I've come up with hiking the C&O from Cumberland to Georgetown, and back to Harper's Ferry. From there, I will cross the foot bridge and hike from there to Springer Mountain in Georgia.

But I got 2 questions now. Hopefully it doesn't continue much longer, but is the government shutdown affecting the C&O at all? I ask this because I wondered if the handles would be back on the water pumps. And the water pump brings me to my next question.

For as long as I remember, and as many times as I have been there, the water pump at Potomac Forks campsite has never worked for me. Me and a friend one day took about 20 minutes trying to make water come out of it, and not even a drip. Does anyone know if it's working yet, or should I bring water just in case?

Just to add this last bit, I love the Potomac Forks campsite and it's listed as my favorite campsite. I love how it's set up, with the lock and the house there. It makes it feel as if you are experiencing the past.

Two of us are considering riding the GAP/C&O the fall of 2019. We think the best way is to drive to Pittsburgh and take the train or a shuttle to Washington DC. I am looking for recommendations which is the best way to do this. The train has a lot of restrictions as my bike tires are 2.25", train allows up to 2", handle bar max width 8.5", mine are wider etc. The train for 2 is around $150 and Shuttles are over $500. Is there a better way to travel one way to Washington?

Most mountain bike tires would exceed 2 inches . I haven't seen any comments on the train forums about trouble fitting bikes into the racks using the roll-on option. Deflating the tires would be a work-around. I presume you carry a pump and tools to turn your bars. You still have the option of boxing the bikes as checked baggage from Pittsburgh to Washington, DC.

You can rent an SUV in Pittsburg and drop it at Union Station in Washingon for about $156. That's a one-way, one-day rental.

Last year my wife and I rode from Pittsburgh to DC. Once we got to DC, we took the Metro to Reagan National and rented a small SUV. Taking the wheels off the bikes, they fit well. A one way rental was about half the cost of the shuttle.

Any word from the trail on the effects of the government shutdown? Vandalism, garbage etc?

I’ve been watching with disgust what’s taking place in the desert southwest. Seriously what is wrong with people? It’s free so let’s trash it! I just don’t get it.

Anyways, I have not seen or heard anything about the C&O. I suppose we’re lucky it’s winter which probably keeps the partiers away. I wouldn’t doubt that there will be some dumped trash found come this spring or when it reopens. This whole thing is a disgrace.

I had heard it was still open, but as normal for the winter the pump handles will be off and bathrooms closed. Bikers were already expected to take out their own trash and they normally do a great job of “leaving no trace behind”. It’s the up bringing of certain people, they just don’t care and will ruined it for others. It is a disgrace that people do that.

Has anybody actually hiked the GAP, end-to-end, on foot? I've never seen any information directed to hikers. The campgrounds and accomodations are so far apart that I think hikers were not given much thought when the trail was developed. Do hikers and bikers co-exist on the GAP?

Hi Jim. I've spent a lot of time biking the gap over the years, especially the sections between Connellsville and Meyersdale, and I have seen very few "thru" hikers on the trail. (Maybe 4 or 5 over the span of 24 years) Lots of day hikers around Ohiopyle and Confluence, but never anyone loaded down with camping gear and supplies. Some nice camping areas near Ohiopyle, Confluence and Rockwood, but still pretty spread out. Even adding a few primitive camp sites would be an excellent addition to the GAP, but like everything else, I guess it comes down to funding. It seems that people intent on long distance hiking make it down to the C & O towpath which is ideal for hiking with camping areas every 5 miles or so. This trail system between DC and Pittsburgh has been such an important part of my biking life over the years and it would be great to make it more convenient for hikers as well.

Hello Jim,
I hiked the entire length of the GAP, from the Point in Pittsburgh to Cumberland, in September 2017. It took me eight days and I loved the experience, but I wouldn't repeat it on foot. For what its worth, I've since returned with my bike and found the trail much more enjoyable. The people were wonderful -- the bikers were generally very courteous in announcing themselves coming up from behind, and many, many people stopped to talk. However, the trail is definitely built to accommodate bikes, not through hikers. Bikes will end up outnumbering you about 50 to 1 -- you will be the tortoise among the hares -- and all the facilities are generally biking distances apart, which is about three times as far as needed on foot.

I ended up walking mostly 20-24 mile days in order to reach accommodations, which pushed my physical limits pretty hard. My pack was pushing 40 lbs because of all the camping gear & food I needed to carry, which was certainly too heavy. Even with good planning, I ended up boondocking on the side of the trail one night between Confluence and Rockwood just because the distances between facilities just did not work.

My first day was Pittsburgh to the hostel in McKeesport. If you can't get in that hostel, there is really nowhere to spend the night between Pittsburgh and Boston, unless you want to stop short and stay in one of the hotels in Homestead.

The second day, I reached Cedar Creek campground, which was great accommodations. The third night was at the shelters in Connellsville, which turned out to be my favorite night of the entire trip. Day four was Ohiopyle, day five I got stuck between towns & just roughed it, day six was Meyersdale -- I can't recommend Morguen Toole highly enough!!! Day seven I made Frostburg and the final day was Cumberland. Many of these stops are pretty much mandatory -- you won't find anywhere to pitch a tent between Connellsville and Ohiopyle, for example.

So, yes, it can be done, and you won't be alone. During my eight days, I crossed paths with three other through-hikers at various points. But the trail is definitely built for bikes, and you'll need some creativity/flexibility during your walk to make it work. Do your research on available facilities before you leave and never pass up resources along the way. The distances between towns can be very far when you are on foot.

Tom and Brad, I very much appreciate your comments. Thanks.

looking for a places to stay in PGH, check out South SIde Travelers Rest. We are able to accommodate up to 30 bikers and are located 2 blocks from a trail head! Check out www.sstrpgh.com

Hi Paul, Sorry I never got around to thanking you and Mary Beth for the excellent stay at the South Side Traveler's Rest, last summer. It was the perfect place to start my Journey to Washington DC. Thanks for your advice and local knowledge. This was truly the best adventure I've ever done. I was planning a three day ride to DC but made it in four. I met so many great people along the way. The trail was smooth and very scenic. I didn't want the ride to end. My friends in Australia enjoyed the adventure through the cycling app Strava. I enjoy this forum and I plan to return for another ride. Thanks Kieran Dwyer

I'm literally brand new to this. I see a camping list for the GAP - but not for the C&O. Can anyone tell me where to find one?

Camping on the canal is easy. Get a canal map and the camp sites are all marked and there are several within any days ride distance. (You CANNOT CAMP ON THE SIDE OF THE CANAL!) They are all first come first served except for Marsden Tract and Antietam creek. Marsden requires a reservation,and Antietam Creek can be paid for when you show up, but I highly recommend paying in advance to reserve a site.

Good advice from Cenzo.

If you want to see a list of C&O campsites online:

1. Click the "Trip Planner" link in the menu at the top of this page.

2. For Starting Town, select Georgetown.

3. For Ending Town, select Cumberland.

4. Click the Camping icon (tent) so it becomes yellow.

5. Click "Refresh Trip Planner".

You'll see a list of campsites. For each item, you see its distance from the starting point (Georgetown). Of course you can change the Starting Town if you're not really starting at mile 0. Change the Ending Town to Pittsburgh if you want to see both C&O and GAP.

Click any item on the list to see it on a map.

Happy trails!

Actually, to make things easier, here is a link to the trip planner which will already have the settings that I described above:

https://bikecando.com/planner.aspx?scid=3&ecid=4&svcs=|4|

Just wanted to share the latest on my first trip down the Alleghany Passage this past weekend! Took the Amtrak up from DC to Pittsburgh on Thursday night, and the plan was to do the GAP in 3 days: Pitt -> Connellsville (60-miles), Connellsville -> Rockwood (45-miles), Rockwood -> Cumberland (45 miles). Although it was so late in the season & raining for much of the ride -- the trail held up extremely well and the ride was incredible.

The first leg from Pittsburgh was great, especially once out of McKeesport. (I stayed on the West Side of the river out of Pitt on the Three Rivers Trail before linking up with the GAP). There were a few towns here and there, and I stopped for lunch in West Newton. Made it to Connellsville just before dark and spent the night in their wooden Adirondack shelters! (a great time)

Second leg from Connellsville to Rockwood was for sure the most beautiful part of the ride. Especially riding through Ohiopyle State Park -- gorgeous. We could really feel the climb toward the later end of this ride -- and again made it in just before dark as rain was pouring down. Was slightly miserable but we survived. Plan was to spend the night at the Husky Haven Campground but since no one was staying in their guest house, we got to sleep in the basement which was heated & much appreciated. Warm showers, washer/dryer, bathrooms & heat was well worth it for $10 pp. Grabbed dinner & drinks at the only place in town @ the Rock City Cafe -- great pizza!

Day 3 was a slow but steady climb to the Continental Divide. We first went 12 miles to breakfast in Meyersdale, where it was practically all-you-can-eat for $9 at the Donges Drive-In & Motel. Made it to the divide pretty quickly after that & then all smooth sailing down into Cumberland. The tunnels on this leg were something, with one being completely pitch black and the other sharing a track with the train. And even though it was in the 40s/raining for most of the ride, it was all worthwhile. Trail held up strong and the fall foliage was beautiful, peaking quite late into the season.

Hope this gives anyone out there reading this the courage to jump the GAP whenever they want! It's incredible.

-Alex

Nice reading. I loved the part about the Husky Haven Campground. Sounds like it was truly a haven. I'll have to try Donges Drive-Inn and Motel.

Hi there. I am planning on going in May. Question: I read your info on the legs of your journey (great info - thank you for sharing!) I was wondering what 40 or 60 miles feels like on the trail? I have done 45 miles on a road bike in just a few hours, and I have done 15 on a mountain bike on trails in a few hours. I noticed you pulled into your stops just before dark. How long do these legs take? I assume slower than a road bike but faster than a mountain bike trail?

did the trains wake you up in Rockwood? we thought they were headed into our room. agree on how wonderful the GAP is.

Kym, assume about 2 mph slower than your road speed.

Haha - yes, woke up a few times to the horns in Rockwood. And yes -- the only reason we approached towns nearing dark was due to late starts from early morning rains. I'm a pretty avid biker, and on the first leg from Pitt -> Connellsville, I averaged 12.7mph over 70 miles, which was including lugging all of my camping & gear. Probably could have bumped that up a bit but I average around 15-17 on the road, without gear.

The second & third legs were with friends who joined me via Amtrak in Connellvsille, who don't bike regularly and were on their backyard hybrids. We averaged 10.1 for the 45 miles to Rockwood, and 12.1 for the 45 miles after to Cumberland. We definitely took Days 2&3 with leisure!

Will be doing the Gap and C&O in late September 2019. So excited! When you say "steady climb" can you elaborate? I live and will train in Florida and want to make sure I'm ready. I'm 61 so will begin training January 1.

Thanks so much.

From Cumberland to the Continental Divide is about a 1-2 % grade climb. It’s about 24 miles long to the top but it’s not really that bad at all. Then the remaining 125 miles to Pittsburgh will be slightly downhill though hardly noticeable. This is an old railway so there are no huge inclines/declines. It’s all really subtle. Pikes Peak it is not! :-)

It is not that steep of a climb. If you rode it for just a mile you wouldn’t even notice it. But, after a while you will feel it, maybe like riding into a 5 mph wind. You cannot coast at all. If you have only ridden on paved roads, you will feel the effects of not riding on pavement more than the incline.

You mentioned that you will start training in January. The amount of training you need depends on two things. 1) what your abilities are today and 2) how fast and long you want to ride each day.

If you are contemplating the ride I assume you already do some riding now. If you can ride twenty miles on two consecutive days right now then you won’t need any additional training for a six or seven day ride for the GAP and C&O.

My wife and I were 59 when we rode it. I also live in Florida and I am a casual (20 mile) rider and my wife and I had no issues riding the trails in seven days while we had plenty of time to swim in the rapids, talk to local townspeople, tour Harpers Ferry, tour the fort in Fredricksberg, etc.

In case you're wondering if you can still use the trail... yes you can.

From National Parks Service:
"During the federal government shutdown, C&O Canal will remain open. However, there will be no visitor services, and hazardous or dangerous conditions may exist.Emergency information may be shared on Facebook and Twitter accounts; call 911 for emergencies."

Welcome to the updated and upgraded BikeCandO.com!

If you've been here before, you may notice that the website looks different. All the same data, trip planning tools, and forum discussions are still here. But now you'll also find:

1. A new look and feel. This is the first "facelift" since the site was launched over ten years ago.

2. Better maps and mapping tools, more fully taking advantage of the features of Google Maps.

3. Improved fit and viewability on all sizes of screens. In other words, it should look good on your cell phone or tablet, as well as desktop or laptop.

4. More customized experience, with the website remembering the selections you've made on the trip planning tools, through the use of cookies

5. More features in the trip planning tools

I developed this new format on the Erie Canal site that I also run, bikeErieCanal.com. It was then expanded to the Cowboy Trail site, bikeCowboyTrail.com, with fixes and improvements along the way. Now BikeCandO.com is finally ready for the upgrade!

Any feedback is welcome; please send comments to contact@bikecando.com

Happy trails!

thanks for the website. so, far the first change i've noticed is having the replies right after the post. i like that. also following the erie canal site. hoping to spend some time this spring on that trail. again, thanks for your efforts.

Nice work Ray!

I really appreciate the new look and enhancements.

Commenting is lot easier now also. Happy to see you added the Erie Canal site. A very helpful resource!

John