C&O / GAP Forum

Please give me easiest directions from the point to the GAP TRAIL.

From Point State Park travel appx. 7 blocks on Blvd. of The Allied. Turn right onto Grant St. Turn left onto 3 Rivers Heritage/Allegheny Passage Trail at the foot of the hill. From there it is clearly marked.

Thanks, we are hoping to start tomorrow.

It's a bit confusing when you turn onto Grant. There are actually 2 streets side by side. You want the 2nd or left of the 2. Just pay attention and you should be able to figure it out. We went the wrong way first time.

Thanks, we found the start without any problems.

Your welcome. Hope you have a good ride...we did. Also it's really nice when someone actually thanks you for taking the time to reply to a request.

Looking for shuttle back from DC to Frostburg MD. 200 miles. My daughter and myself and two bikes.

check the bike shop in Cumberland. They run one.

Another cheaper option: take the Amtrak Capital Limited from DC to Cumberland and then when you get to Cumberland, call Uber and see if someone would take you the few remaining miles to Frostburg. There is also a daily scenic tourist train that runsfrom Cumberland to Frostburg (but it is pricey - about $50/pp + your bike).

Has any one seen an update on the potential opening date for the Paw Paw Tunnel. My wife and I will be riding the GAP and C&O in late Sept, early Oct.

Just finished a thru ride last week. According to locals, Paw Paw tunnel may delay opening till next year. You have to push your bike up a steep hill . Please expect one hour minimum to cross over.

Heard rumors of people going thru on the weekends in September. Any confirmation?

I rode from Pittsburgh to DC over Labor Day weekend. You can travel all the way through the tunnel from the north. Once you emerge on the south (east) bound end, the trail was very effectively blocked. We were there on a Saturday, hoping to sneak through on a holiday weekend, but couldn't see a way to get our bikes over the barrier. Perhaps the situation has changed since.

We just passed through the area last week--coming from the west, you can enter the tunnel and ride/walk through, but there is a fence at the end, prior to the construction area. There is another fence on the eastern side of the construction blocking access to the tunnel. We spoke to the foreman and he mentioned that they have cameras set up and that people do hop the fence and pass through. Not sure they are doing it with fully loaded bicycles though. We took the detour and it took about an hour and 15 minutes to get our bicycles and 30lbs of gear over. I would suggest if you are planning on taking the detour, take your time, rest frequently on the way up and plan for at least an hour to walk over. View from the top is beautiful! If you are coming from DC to Pittsburgh, I would highly recommend backtracking to the tunnel entrance once you pass over the top. It's only a short ride back to the entrance!

We just completed a round-trip from DC to Pittsburgh to DC in 12 days, fully loaded camping. Going over the bypass DC to Pitt made us look for a road route for the return trip. We were advised very strongly NOT to take the roads. As it turned out, going from Pitt to DC the push over was much easier. I had 52lbs plus on my bike and did it in 31 minutes. I rested and relaxed during the bypass. My friend could have made it in 20 mins but waited for me.

It is a serious push but managable if you take your time, rest often and enjoy the adventure.

DC to Pitt push is very steep and I would pick a tree 10 yards up ahead, rest and do it again until I made it to the top. I didn't time that direction but probably an hour of heart pounding pushing. The trailhead sign even says it is a strenous hike for hikers!

All that said, don't be afraid and I don't recommend the shuttle service unless you have a physical issue. Just do it slowly, one chunk at a time and enjoy your adventure!

I am 75 and I was under a roof every night; I had cold weather and rain gear so my load was around 40 lb. I did the Historic Potomac as an add-on which added weight to my pack. I had 6 other people around me all 55 and over. It took all of us around 2 hours. Even the people with only daily necessaries were working hard on the trail. Doable but a bit of a task.

My daughter and I are biking from Pittsburgh to DC. Our last stop is White's Ferry. Any hotel/B&B recommendations would be appreciated!

Across the river Leesburg is a few miles away. 1 of the motels use to offer a free shuttle. Can't recall which one.

White's Ferry is sort of the middle of nowhere on the Maryland side at least for hotels. There are a number around Leesburg, Virginia. You can take the ferry across the river for a few dollars, and Leesburg is just a couple of miles away. Unfortunately, the road there is dangerous. Once you get off the ferry, you have about a mile to Highway 15. There are several, small, blind hills on that road. I ride it but always worry about someone coming up behind me at high speed. But since bikes are the last things off the ferry, usually you can make it to 15 without anyone coming up from behind. Highway 15 is more of a problem. Cars whiz by at 60 mph. There is a wide shoulder and rumble strips to let cars know if they stray onto the shoulder. All the same, I don't enjoy the two-mile ride on Highway 15 into town. It's pretty safe once you get into Leesburg though. Streets in the old part of town are narrow but have sidewalks. Many of the newer areas have walking paths. There may be AirB&Bs to be found on the Maryland side. Otherwise, there isn't a hotel within ten or fifteen miles. White's Ferry is in the county agricultural preserve, meaning commercial buildings aren't allowed. You really have to go on into DC to get a hotel. It's about 30 miles on the towpath and an easy three hours.

Best Western in Leesburg sent a van to pick us up and take us back for free. Very helpful staff. Another hotel was going to charge us so call if you stay somewhere else. Lots of restaurants in the main hotel area.

Comfort Suites in Leesburg, VA has a "bike and stay package." They pick you and your bike(s) up for free from the shuttle and take you to your room. They have a hose outside to wash your bikes and let you keep your bikes in your room. Once there, if you don't want to ride your bike anymore, they will also provide a free ride to a restaurant or anywhere else in town and come pick you up when you want to return. They also provide food for you to take with you on the remainder of your trip. (Except we forgot to pick up our free food for the ride home!) Phone: (703) 669-1650

Tampa Biker, Thanks, I couldn't remember the name of the motel that offered a shuttle. I'm not sure why Richard stated there were no lodging choices within 10-15 miles of White's Ferry. Leesburg is only a couple of miles and yes biking on the road is a pain in the butt.

I just crossed Whites Ferry on September 8 during my excursion from Pittsburgh to DC.

The cost to cross the ferry on a bicycle is $2.

The total mileage from where you turn off the C&O trail to get to the ferry to where you turn on to the W&OD trail on the other side of Downtown Leesburg is 5.0 miles.

The distance from the ferry to 15 is 1.2 miles. Traffic on that road is not as bad as others have stated. Unless you have your music turned up too loud you can easily hear approaching traffic.

Make no mistake- 15 is a busy road, at least until the 15 bypass. The good thing is that during that part there is a 10 ft wide paved shoulder with a rumble strip between the traffic and you.

At the bypass where 15 becomes business 15, the paved shoulder becomes much narrower, but the speed limit drops to 35mph to 25mph at the edge of downtown. There is a sidewalk if the shoulder seems too sketchy.
Once in old downtown Leesburg, there isn’t anyone going 25mph. I felt safe riding down the center of the traffic lane downtown.

If you opt for the W&OD trail at Leesburg, it will be a completely different biking experience. The W&OD is a paved rails-to-trails that runs beneath a big power line, is rather treeless and boring, crosses roads, and passes through a number of built up areas. I'm not a fan although tastes differ. The C&O on the other hand just starts to get interesting between White's Ferry and Georgetown. The towpath is still dirt, and hence possibly muddy, until you get to Violette's lock at the 23 mile mark. But before you get there, you pass Edwards Ferry, which used to be another ferry across the river and which was the site of a lock allowing boats from the river to enter the canal, particularly canal boats from the Goose Creek Canal across the river in Virginia. During the Civil War, Confederate guerilla units were crossing the river from White's Ferry to Pennyfield Lock (mile 20) and Union cavalry patrolled the towpath. At Violette's, you look across the river at Trump National Golf Course. The river is partially damned there and a lake is formed by the backed up water. Here you also pass Seneca quarry which provided the red sandstone you see on building in DC like the Smithsonian castle and the broken viaduct over Seneca Creek. The last lock keeper here was John Riley. His family lived in the lockkeeper's house you see until his young daughter drowned in the canal and the family moved away from the water. Eventually you'll get to Great Falls. The walking path to the Falls is still closed, I think, buy you can still see parts of it from the towpath. Traffic on the towpath picks up from here to Georgetown but it isn't too bad. In sum, the towpath has a lot more history to it, river views, and trees than the W&OD Trail does. While the towpath north of White's Ferry is not in good condition, the surface from Violette's Lock to Georgetown is macadam (rocks and gravel mixed with clay) and stays pretty dry. But if you are tired of the towpath experience and just want to get the ride over with, the W&OD is an alternative.

Thanks everyone for the input. Booked at Comfort Suites and they pick up from the ferry!

Hi everyone! Does anyone know if overnight parking is allowed at the Dawson Trailhead? If so, do i need to contact local police or anyone? Also, is it safe to leave a car overnight there? Thanks for any help!!

You can leave car at our house, contact me.

Thank you! How can I get in touch with you?

What is your email?

dstizz73@yahoo.com
thanks

I rode the GAP and C&O over 3 days. Pretty aggressive, 106 miles on Day 1, 104 on Day 2 and 124 on Day 3. Here are some notes/suggestions (sorry for the lengthy post). 3 days is alot of riding and since the weather conditions were wet/muddy - Day 2 and Day 3 were alot longer that planned. If I did the ride again, might do it in 4 days. I knew going in 3 days was aggressive, but challenging. Any questions, please let me know.

Day 1 Pittsburgh to Rockwood.

Accommodations: Stayed at the Springhill Suites Southside - 2950 South Water St. On the GAP trail. Allowed you to take your bikes to our room. Breakfast @ 6:30 am. In Rockwood. Rockwood Trail House located on the GAP trail. When you check in, you just find your room number and let yourself into the house. Nice B&B - bring earplugs. There are trains running thru the night. Spend the extra money to have Debi make breakfast!!

Food: Stopped in West Newton for snacks. Rite Aid and other places right off the trail. Lunch in Connellsville - Bikes Unlimited suggested Keedys. Warm subs and waitress filled bottles/bladders. Food in Rockwood is limited - Rock City Cafe closes the kitchen @ 7 pm. We ordered from the Rockwood Mill Shoppes - a pizza/sub/salad place.

General advice: nice riding, you do have a false flat - so don't be surprised why your speed drops.

Day 2 Rockwood to Hancock

Accommodations: Super 8 - Limestone Rd. Biker friendly. They have a hose outside to clean your bike and provide towels to dry your bike. Rooms have refrigerator and microwaves.

Food: Cumberland stopped at European Desserts for sandwiches and of course dessert. Hancock - Subway in town. Ordered extra sub for the next day (highly recommend). The towns off the C&O are actually off the trail. There isn't anything on the trail like the towns on the GAP. Need to make sure you have plenty of food with you.

General advice: Stop on the Salisbury Viaduct - nice views. Once you hit the Eastern Continental Divide - it is all down hill. Shortly after the Big Savage Tunnel, you will cross the Mason Dixon Line - photo op. Bring headlight and taillight - due to the many tunnels. At lock 56, be sure to take the PAVED Western Maryland Rail Trail to Hancock, MD

Day 3 Hancock to DC (a really long day)

Accommodations: Key Bridge Marriott. I don't think you can find a more convenient hotel. A short ride across the Key Bridge from Georgetown.

Food: Stop by Barrons right of the trail to get some snacks near Snyders Landing. For lunch, we stopped in Shepherdstown at the Blue Moon Cafe. Good food and very biker friendly. We picked up 2 sandwiches for the rest of the ride. Good bike shop in town - Pedal & Paddle.

General Advice: Heading out from Hancock,take the PAVED Western Maryland Rail Trail down to Ernstville Rd - take the right and get back on the C&O towpath. Stopped to enjoy lunch @ Catoctin Aqueduct. Nice view of the Catoctin Creek.

All in all, I found the ride challenging but not impossible. I commute to work about 17 miles round trip and ride 50 - 70 on Saturdays. As well as I mtn bike ride, so the C&O with mud wasn't overwhelming. As I posted earlier, your speeds will drop. I ride an avg speed of 17 on the road, but on this ride avg 11.

Best of luck to those who are planning their trips.

Thanks for sharing the details of your ride. I did the ride last year with a friend and am planning another trip in the Spring. My friend and I have been deliberating on 3 or 4 days. I think the way you laid things out helped us get to a 4-day decision. Thanks. Nice work out there!

My wife and I want to ride on the Cumberland trail. We usually ride 15 to 40 miles round trip back to our car and then drive to a hotel. We would like to ride on four or five sections of the trail and do the best sections.

Do you mean the C&O Tow Path?

Getting ready to ride the trail starting in Cumberland 9/18 to D.C. Has anyone been on the trail recently to give an update on the conditions?

Was on C&O Sept 5 through 7. Mile 176 through 170 was a mosh pit in places that I had to walk bike through. Used old credit card to scrape mud out of front fender.
Paw Paw detour took 45 minutes. Steep but not that much of a killer.
Otherwise mud puddle jumping most of the way.
Got tired of puddle jumping and took Whites Ferry to cross the Potomac. Rode the 5 miles to the W&OD trail from Leesburg to DC

Biked GAP and C&O in early Sept. The C&O was muddy and spent most of our time dodging mud/ The trail takes a long time to clear up after a substantial rain. Conditions didn't really improve until we approached Great Falls. Definitely carry wire brush and chain lube.

Lisa, we are starting from Pittsburgh at the end of September and going through tomDC somI will be very interested to know how you find the C &O . It isn't our first time so I know what It can be like but an up date is always welcome. Hope you have fun.

Anybody think the C&O will dry out by next weekend (9/23)? Looking to do a very fast run from Pittsburgh -> D.C. I've dealt with the post-Cumberland mud pit before and was hoping to get away with using my cross bike instead of larger-clearance mountain bike...

Rode from south from Hancock today - decent conditions...

I biked from Cumberland to DC from 9/15-9/22. Entire towpath bone dry.

Over the Labor Day weekend, I rode from Pittsburgh to DC over 3 days. Yes, I agree this was aggressive, but only had a limited vacation. Here are my suggestions/advice.

Bike - Crossbike or adventure bike. I rode a Diamondback Haanjo Comp Carbon

Tires - 34c tires at a minimum with tread. I rode Kenda Flintridge Pro 35c tubeless and carried extra tubes just in case of an issue with tubeless setup. (I had no flats over the 3 days)

Water - Camelback bladder and 3 water bottles - you can never have too much water.

Pedals - Clipless mtn bike shoes/pedals. I rode TIME pedals

Lights - front and back. Lights you can actually use to see as well as if you are out riding later than planned. Some of the tunnels are pretty dark.

Rack and bags - I rode with Topeak rear rack and Ortlieb Back Roller Classics

Food - carried plenty of bike food. On the GAP, there are plenty of places in the towns and pretty close to the trail. On C&O - most towns were off the trail. So my advice is buy food and carry it with you vs waiting to find a place off the trail. Better to have food when you want it vs not having it.

I will post more info about each day and suggestions.

Where is the best place to park a vehicle and load a bicycle after completing the trail near mile marker 0 in DC?

The towpath ends under the elevated Whitehurst Freeway in Georgetown. There is plenty of street parking. It has parking meters. But since it's a deadend, you can double park while you load bikes onto a car. There is also street parking for miles in all directions. If you are asking where you can leave a car for an extended period, there are parking lots although they are rather expensive.

If your biking the complete route park/leave your vehicle at Great Falls. With a pass you can park that multiple days. Your only 14 miles from the end of the trail. Contact me for more info.

The official mile 0 is located behind Thompson Boat Center. Here is a video on how to find the marker.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kzs51zRsSY

There is a small parking lot for the Boat House. Check out their website

http://boatingindc.com/boathouses/thompson-boat-center/

Also, there is a parking garage for The Washington Harbour as well.

https://www.thewashingtonharbour.com/visiting-parking

Any recommendation for inexpensive waterproof shoes? I am not used to riding in the rain and I cannot carry several pairs of shoes on the trip. Not clip-on. How about shoe covers?

I have found the plastic bags that my morning paper come in make excellent disposable, rain covers over my regular shoes. Don't take any space to carry.

I use bike sandals (cut for clips, but don't need to use them), much like mountain bike shoes. Also easy to walk in. Smartwool socks for rain or cold, and barefoot in warm. Socks are way easier to pack and change (and wash too). Sandals were $50 on sale.

From the GAP to Benner's Meadow Run at Ohiopyle, is it an arduous 6 mile climb uphill to the campsite?

Terrain isn't the issue. Narrow, blind curve roads and country drivers are the issue. Be smart, be safe.

Looking for a bike shop to repack my bike into a box for flight home. Looking at October DC-Pitt. Any recommendations? Thanks!

bike heaven is a shop/museum/curiosity place of all things bicycle. Just north of carnegie science center in Pittsburgh on the 3 rivers heritage trail about 2 mi from the Point. (412)734-4034 These folks will do it or will know who will.

If anyone finds a Skaggen watch between miles 100 & 124, please post. Reward!

Find out what you need to improve in yourself to become more effective!

I would rather be riding through the rainy, muddy C&O than sitting here in Tampa watching the weathermen on the news talking about a Cat 3 hurricane coming right for my house to Tampa.

Hope all goes well for you and everyone else down in that way!