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August or Sept to ride Pittsburgh to Cumberland

Gail from Florida on 06/27/2017 01:14 PM

Being a FL gal, I want to avoid the heat and rain during 1st venture with hubby on long distance biking. What would be the best time to go? late Aug? Sept? Thanks

Anonymous from Pittsburgh on 06/27/2017 02:05 PM

I like September as the nights in the mountains are cooler and there are normally less bugs. Contact Steel City Outdoor Adventures LLC. for trip support Steelcityoutdooradventures@gmail.com

Richard from DC on 06/27/2017 02:27 PM

The weather isn't that predictable. You are just going to have to accept whatever nature hands out. August typically doesn't get day-long rains, but there can be afternoon thunderstorms. This is supposed to be a busier than normal hurricane season, and those would pose a bigger threat to the ride. And we can get hurricanes from late August on.

John W. from Pittsburgh, PA on 06/27/2017 04:30 PM

September! Early September is great time to ride. Still summerlike but with cooler nights and much less traffic on the trail as the schools will have restarted. The days will be slightly shorter though, not a big deal though.

Harold Heckler from Erie on 06/27/2017 09:02 PM

Early September can be perfect, especially after Labor Day, where the crowds are down, and in some cases, so are the prices.

sergio from oc, CA on 06/30/2017 10:04 AM

We completed the trails the first week in June and experienced both cold rain and excessive heat, but mostly perfect conditions. Even though it was record highs in DC, the towpath is shaded and we didn't feel the heat there at all. The biggest problem with rain wasn't the wet or cold. It was that mud kept us at 5 miles an hour at times. Fortunately we only had 2 days of it and we also used the paved WMRT. We're in our 50's and had a close to perfect first trip!

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Transportation to Pittsburgh

JK on 06/28/2017 09:05 PM

Just biked the GAP/C&O. I rented a Dodge minivan one way from Enterprise @ Dulles Airport to downtown Pittsburgh within a mile of the GAP trailhead. $200 including gas. All rear seats fold into floor. Easily fit two bikes inside. Probably could have fit three. Was a great option. I picked it up last Wednesday night. Then we departed Thursday AM. No muss, no fuss.

Tampabiker on 06/29/2017 08:34 AM

We went through all the possibilities for transporting our bikes from Tampa to Pittsburgh. We finished our ride from Pitt to D.C. yesterday (6/28/17) and are staying an extra four days in DC. We decided to rent the bikes instead.

Tom from Get Out and Go provided us with a great rental package.

He picked us up from the Pittsburgh airport in a van with our rental bikes, drove us to the start and set up our bikes. After we finished he picked up the bikes at our Bed & Breakfast in D.C. He also transported out luggage that we have for the city. If you add up all of the costs it turned out to be a great deal for us. We were very pleased with the service. I highly recommend them.

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Video Blog of My GAP/C&O Ride

JK on 06/28/2017 04:45 PM

I just finished the GAP / C&O from Pittsburgh to DC yesterday. We completed this in 6 days (6/22-27), which was not easy. We pedaled a total of 354 miles, once you count all the detours to hotels, etc. I have video recaps of each day on my blog, including the Paw Paw tunnel detour. Great experience.
http://bikingforachromatopsia.blogspot.com
Enjoy!

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East or West

Jon C. from Coshocton, OH on 04/09/2017 10:13 PM

I read a multitude of questions from people riding from DC to Pittsburgh. IMHO, I would take the train to DC and ride TO Pittsburgh. Coming west, it's flat, then up 8 feet, flat then up 8 feet, repeat. The only real climb is to the Divide at Cumberland. Then it's downhill the whole way to Pittsburgh.

lenny on 04/10/2017 05:00 AM

Cumberland to the continental divide is over 1600 feet in elevation, over about 24 miles.

Allen from Shawnee, KS on 04/10/2017 07:57 PM

In my opinion and I have ridden it both ways, going from west to east is the easiest way to go. The uphill from Pittsburg to continental divide is barely noticeable. From continental divide to Cumberland is a nice 24 mile downhill with a lot of coasting and easy pedaling. Going from east to west from Cumberland to continental divide on a loaded touring bike (self contained, with camping and cooking gear) is a 4 hour 6 mph slog. The C&O is essentially flat both directions with small hills at locks and of course larger hills going into towns to eat and resupply.

stillriding from Pittsburgh on 04/11/2017 08:19 AM

Enjoyable both ways but I total agree with Allen. West to East.

John W. from Pittsburgh, PA on 04/11/2017 06:07 PM

I agree with Allen and Stillriding. Pitt to DC is much more enjoyable. The downhill from the Continental Divide to Cumberland is a joy to ride. From there you go down all of the plunges at the locks along the canal to DC. Not huge drops but you don't have to climb them either. The consensus is that the continental divide to Pittsburgh is "Downhill" and while technically true, it really isn't noticeable at all when you're riding. I hated the climb from Cumberland to the Divide and when I got to the top I was expecting a bit of downhill reward the rest of the way but it never seems to arrive. It just seems....pretty flat. I prefer the nice 18 mph ride to Cumberland. That elevation profile is deceiving! :-)

Charles from Pittsburgh on 06/27/2017 01:44 AM

I have a daughter in school in DC and if I was able to coordinate with a visit to see her I might be able to help you out.

I will say I debate the question often. I prefer to get the C&O over with and enjoy the nicer better kept GAP trail for the end of the ride when I'm tired. I have not gone from DC over mountain due to the Paw Paw being closed so I can't factor that into my opinion.

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Pitt to DC Trip Plan

JK from Herndon, VA on 05/28/2017 08:54 PM

Riding next month - here's our riding & lodging plan. Renting a one-way van from DC area to Pittsburgh.

Day 1 - One-way Van Rental DC area to Pittsburgh.
(afternoon ride) Pittsburgh to Boston, PA - 22 miles (lodging Trailside Treasures)

Day 2 - Boston to Ohiopyle, PA - 54 miles (lodging Yough Plaza)

Day 3 - Ohiopyle to Cumberland, MD - 74 miles (lodging Fairfield Inn)

Day 4 - Cumberland to Hancock, MD - 61 miles (lodging Super8)

Day 5 - Hancock to Harpers Ferry - 65 miles (lodging EconoLodge)

Day 6 - Harpers to DC - 59 miles

Hope this is useful to others.

Anne from Pittsburgh on 06/27/2017 01:30 AM

How many of you are going? I can't find a rental company that has trailer hitch racks on their vans. Are you getting a regular van or a utility van? mice if I ask what that will cost and how you are getting from the rental company to the trail?

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Trip Planning!

Josh from Santa Monica on 05/08/2017 08:21 PM

Hello All,

I’m in the early stages of planning a GAP & C&O tour and had a few questions. I was hoping you fine folks could help me with some answers.

We’re planning on leaving Pittsburgh on September 10th. How hot will the weather be in early September? Should expect rain that time of year?

Has anyone done a credit card tour with a six day itinerary? If so, could you share what towns you stopped in and what places you stayed?

I have a Trek 520 with 32mm tires. Will I need larger tires?

Any other tips would be greatly appreciated.

Getting excited already!

Thank you for you time.

Josh

John W. from Pittsburgh, PA on 05/08/2017 11:12 PM

September might be the best month to travel! Days will still be summery and warm but not the brutal heat of Mid-summer. Daylight will be a bit shorter but doing a six day schedule you will be making town comfortably before dinner time.
My bike was a Trek 7.3 D.C. With 32 mm tires. You be totally fine on the GAP and in pretty decent shape on the C&O, just a few puddles if it has rained. September should be too rainy but you really can't predict.

My 5 day trip was Ohiopyle, Cumberland, Hancock, Harpers Ferry, DC. If stretching it to 6, get rid of Ohiopyle (which was 78 miles on first day) and replace with Connellsville and Rockwood, then into Cumberland.

Don't forget the Western Maryland Rail Trail on each side of Hancock. 22 miles of paved asphalt that runs parallel to the C&O. Good luck!

John W. from Pittsburgh, PA on 05/08/2017 11:14 PM

Ugh, spellcheck....Trek 7.3 fx! :-)

Josh from Santa Monica on 05/09/2017 03:51 PM

John!

Thanks for the great tips!

Anonymous from Pittsburgh on 06/27/2017 01:07 AM

Try calling Steel City Outdoor Adventures for trip support

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lenny on 06/24/2017 05:13 AM

Has anyone been on the Towpath since Cindy started pushing rain north. We here in southwestern Pa. have been flooded since Thursday night. Just wondering how bad western Maryland got it. Starting ride Wed, June 28 from Pgh.

Tampabiker on 06/25/2017 10:05 AM

We were on the Towpath yesterday 6/24. It was a muddy mess and one tree had fallen across the path where we had to lift the bikes over it.

But this was the first time my wife and I have ridden our bikes off the pavement and we are real novices and made it with no problem.

If you are trying to break a speed record it will be difficult. Some of the puddles were 3 to 4 inches deep.

Lenny on 06/25/2017 11:03 AM

Done this ride many times. Just was curious as to how much rain the towpsth got. I have riden it in over 100 miles of mud. It may dry a little by Friday. Thanks.

Tampabiker on 06/25/2017 05:03 PM

The rain was the remnants of tropical storm Cindy. The heavy rains were coming in bands diagonal to the Towpath. Some places got three inches but a city a few miles away didn't get much.

There was a light drizzle the whole day and we were sitting on the bench at the visitor center when we felt a few bigger drops. The weather App (Dark Sky) said heavy rains in 3 minutes lasting 40 minutes. So we ran into the little sandwich shop and ate lunch. The rain and wind picked up and a huge storm blew through so hard the rain was going sideways. We checked the weather radar and there was no rain just a few miles from us.

Summarizing, it is difficult to answer your question because it really depends on exactly where you were that got the big 3 inch rain whereas a few miles away got 0.1 inch.

lenny on 06/26/2017 05:09 AM

Thanks that suffices, just wanted a general report. You can only be in one place. Up hear it did the same thing.

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D.C. to Pittsburgh June 19th

Jim from Hudson Ohio on 06/18/2017 12:11 PM

Starting my trip tomorrow. Riding the Capitol / Amtrak to D.C. Hoping to be in Pittsburgh on Friday. Anyone else? Any advice? Carrying as little as possible with AirBnB and B&B stops along the way. Thunderstorms and a day of rain to start the trip kinda sucks but whatever. Train gets into D.C. Around 1pm - Harper's Ferry stop day one.

lenny on 06/19/2017 05:11 AM

Looks like rain off and on all week.

Mark from Pittsburgh on 06/22/2017 01:17 AM

I am actually starting from Ohiopyle PA to D.C Friday and hoping to be in D.C by Tuesday. How is the C&O conditions and paw paw tunnel closure? Is it a mud pit?

Anonymous on 06/23/2017 03:56 PM

Trip was awesome - not muddy but wet and I was covered in grime. I rode a 29er with 2.5" tires and it tracked well. Some guys on cyclocross bikes were complaining which i found odd. C&O is the best. Not as "polished" as the GAP and love it.

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Luggage Transfer

PedalPusher52 from Sioux Falls, SD on 05/18/2017 08:48 AM

We have a group of 11 doing the trail from Pittsburgh to DC early October. What is the best\inexpensive way to transfer luggage from Inn to Inn. No one in our group is interested in going self-contained.

Rick Hancock on 05/18/2017 03:31 PM

I've done 5 thru rides on the Passage and 2 C&O thru rides give me a call and I can help you out 757 619-5522. I live in Va. I've done self contained and credit card rides.

PedalPusher52 from Sioux Falls, SD on 05/24/2017 09:35 AM

thanks - what is the best time to contact you?

Rick Hancock on 05/24/2017 03:30 PM

I'm HOME AFTER 6PM MOST NIGHTS. GLAD TO SHARE INFO.

Charles from Pittsburgh on 06/23/2017 02:32 AM

Drop me a note indicating the dates of the trip and number of nights you will need the transfers for and if you know the towns you plan on overnighting at.

Steelcityoutdooradventures@gmail.com

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Tour Companies

Tampabiker from Tampa on 05/29/2017 12:47 AM

I am trying to decide if I need one of the tour companies help set up the bike trip from Pittsburgh to Washington. They all charge about the same, about $250 per day for two people which just includes the itinerary and lodging (no bike rental, luggage transfer, etc). We are looking at a leisurely 8 day trip giving us plenty of time for sight seeing so it would cost about $2,000. A typical b&b along the trail seems to be about $125 per day which is $1,000. I am not sure what service I am getting for the extra $1,000 over me just booking the rooms myself. What am I missing here? Is there a good reason to go through a tour company?

leeny on 05/29/2017 06:17 AM

Everything you need to plan your trip can be found on this sight. Ive done five complete Pgh. to DC rides and found everything I needed here.

sergio from oc, ca on 05/29/2017 10:28 AM

I had the same reaction and saw no value in having someone else just book lodging and give me a map. This and other websites are free and have so much information on what to see and where you can stay. The guide book was about $15 and the latest edition is updated and even more thorough than earlier versions. Start with the guidebook and you’ll be able to choose your own itinerary. Even if you have them do it for you, you’d want to check it all out to make sure it is what you really want. It was easy to make online, easily refundable reservations for almost every night that I’ve changed over the course of planning and can even change while on the trail. We leave in a week and I feel more confident having made the arrangements myself.

Rick Hancock on 05/30/2017 07:19 AM

It isn't difficult at all to put together a trip. Plus for me that is part of the fun. Need to give yourself a bit of slack in case of really bad weather. I'd make all of the reservations myself and save the bucks. Plan early some sites sell out fast depending on the time of the year. I've done 5 Passage thru rides and 2 Passage/C&O thru's.

Tampa from Tampa on 06/03/2017 11:18 PM

We booked all of our rooms in a combination of Air BnB's, Motels, and B&Bs for an 8-day, 7-night trip. Total cost for lodging is $625. I'll post after the ride (6/21 to 6/28).

Gary from Lake Frederick on 06/05/2017 08:21 AM

Question from a "lurker" - Hello friends of the C&O.. A quick question for you. I have been "lurking" on this site for a few years, and I am about to retire. I am considering starting a charter service to provide shuttles between DC and Pittsburg and various spots on the C&O/GAP. Is there any interest out there for such a service? I can currently handle at 2-3 bikes, Passangers, and some gear.

Rick Hancock on 06/06/2017 03:21 PM

Be aware that with the roll-on bike service many people will be using that option. From Dc to Pittsburg I paid $61. $41 for passenger and $20 for bike. The rate would adjust according to where you board train. Also, in my opinion you should provide the option to carry up to 6 bikes. While there are plenty of solo and couples riding there are even more who travel in groups of 4-6. There is a need for shuttle services no doubt.

Jim F from PGH on 06/06/2017 05:00 PM

Gary- After just having done the trip one way I really see the need for shuttle service. My daughter and son in law paid big bucks to have their bikes shipped. Arranging the hotel etc is fine but not that hard. Getting the bikes in the right place at the right time is the logistical problem for most people. I'd say go for it.

Gary R Blevins from Lake Frederick on 06/07/2017 09:43 AM

Thanks for the feedback. I am aware of the Roll on/Roll off service from Amtrack, but I have not yet used it. If I make the plunge I will be buying a truck that will be able to handle 4-5 folks.

Rick Hancock on 06/07/2017 03:33 PM

Gary, the roll on service was very user friendly. We parked at Great Falls and rode to mile 0 then appx 3 miles along National Mall. total of 17 miles. I've used shuttles services for several years and have had good success with them. As I mentioned there are just as many solo people as those who travel with 3 or more. 1 thing I haven't seen yet it the capacity to carry bikes with Fat Tires...I love to bring mine. If you provide a good service people will use and reuse it.

Charles from Pittsburgh on 06/23/2017 02:15 AM

Gary I have been hauling people and gear between Pittsburgh and DC for a while now and I can say there is only a small percentage of people that are willing to pay what you need to cover your Livery Insurance - last year I didn't cover it. Which is why the companies are charging $250/day for support services.

Train is $44 -$50 cumberland to Pittsburgh.
Round trip driving is about 1 tank of gas when your loaded with bikes = $65 in gas plus wear and tear on vehicle plus the liability. DC is 10 hours round trip and rush hour sucks.

I think there would be more money in a Hostel in Pittsburgh and in DC. In fact I'm considering putting one in Pittsburgh.

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Ohiopyle to Washington DC

Mark from Pittsburgh on 06/22/2017 01:13 AM

I will be leaving this Friday June 23 with 4 other people to bike from Ohiopyle to Washington DC on the GAP and C&O. Should we be concerned with recent rain for the C&O? I heard it gets muddy, is there an alternate route to D.C just in case? Will the Paw Paw tunnel closure be very difficult detour? I also think it might rain the 23 and 24 when we leave.

John W. from Pittsburgh, PA on 06/22/2017 10:29 PM

If the weather is nice and sunny but it rained a couple of days ago, expect puddles and mud on the C&O. I always ride the C&O with the expectation of getting wet and muddy. Once you except this fact and just plow through the puddles, you will enjoy the trip that much more. Trying to avoid it is hard because it's so long and there are so many puddles if it's wet. The C&O takes a long time to drain as it's, for the most part, covered by tree canopy so the sun doesn't dry it out. Most hotels have hoses to wash your bikes down. The GAP drains much better (it's crushed limestone rail-trail). You'll get a little gritty but nothing like the C&O when it's wet. Just make sure your valuables and camp clothes are wrapped in plastic to stay dry. Look at it as an adventure! :-)

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Hiker/Biker Campsites

Zach from Pittsburgh on 06/22/2017 01:42 AM

I will be camping all 5 days this Friday to Tuesday, using the hiker/biker campsites. How is the crime in Maryland part of trail? Stuff get stolen? Homeless people? Also wondering how bad are Ticks?

John W. from Pittsburgh, PA on 06/22/2017 10:20 PM

Worry not on the C&O, I've never seen any homeless or crime. The hiker/biker sites (with a couple of exceptions that have car parking) are really remote and you have to walk or bike to get to them. I've always felt safe on the trail. I have no idea about ticks. You are in a woodsy, wet Canal area so take precaution as if you were on a hike in the woods. But I've never gotten any.

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Mickelson Trail Video

Stillriding from Pittsburgh on 06/21/2017 05:10 PM

I made two videos of the GAP and now I have completed the Mickelson Trail in South Dakota in case anyone wants to watch it here is the link. https://youtu.be/k86tdY_sMR8 for YouTube. Thanks

Ray (webmaster) on 06/22/2017 10:07 AM

Great video! It can be hard waiting out the rain, but you know the blue skies will eventually come.

I hope you don't mind, I added this to the forum for the Mickelson Trail website that I recently launched:

Mickelson Trail Discussion Forum

Stillriding from Pittsburgh on 06/22/2017 01:12 PM

I don't mind at all! I am so glad you like the video. I will check out the forum, I did not know that there was one. Thanks :)

Kate willmore from St. Cloud on 06/22/2017 07:06 PM

Great video!

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