C&O / GAP Forum

I'm planning ahead to do the GAP + C&O next year in 6 days. In reviewing the elevation changes, I'm considering the following and wanted to get others' opinion on best stopping points for the GAP portion:
Day 1 - Pitt to Connellsville (62 miles) - no significant elevation change
Day 2 - Connellsville to Rockwood (44 miles) ~1,000 ft elevation up
Day 3 - Rockwood to Cumberland (44 miles) ~1,000 ft elevation down
Thanks!

I did Pitt to Manassas two weeks ago. Did the same sections you listed, had no problem.

That is the most common ride of the GAP. I have never done all of that but have done the Connellsville to Cumberland in two days last October. I remember arriving in Cumberland so early that afternoon from coasting down the mountain. The next day I turned around to go back for my ride up the mountain with touring/camping gear and it certainly was much longer but once over the divide I remember coasting to Meyersdale. I am going to be doing a Connellsville to Pittsburgh in two days and then back because part of that I have never been and plan to spend some time in the area around the rivers and possibly some kayaking near the point.

The GAP may require a bit more planning simply because there isn't a hiker/biker campsite every few miles. My daughter (9yr old) and I did the same first two stops you did, but found we averaged over 21mph (yeah, I know... speed limit 15) from the divide to Cumberland. With this extra "boost" we pushed on and camped at Lock 75.
I think you'll find the second half of day 3 just flies by.
We met a fellow along the trail who told us to be sure we visited the museum in the basement of the WM Railway depot. WELL worth it, and it was a good break for us as the temps were in the mid-90's. -Highly recommend.

Had a couple questions.
I plan to ride from Conellsville to Pitt spend a night and take the train back in the morning.
1. I've never taken the train, don't really know how all that works with a bike, also can you take your bike in Penn station or do you have to leave it outside?
2. Are the hotels in the city bike friendly?
Thank you for your help.

We rode the train from DC to Pitt. We bought tickets online and added the option of bringing the bike. There are only a limited number of bikes available on each train. In DC we took our bikes in a he station and checked in at the desk and they gave us luggage tags to put on the bikes. When boarding the train we took the bikes in line and then they boarded us separately. We took the bikes to a car that had hooks to secure the bikes. You need to take of the panniers and take then with you to your seat on the train.

We stayed at the Homewood Suites in Pittsburg after we came in on the train. It is just a few blocks from the train station and the area was well lit. You can take your bikes up to your hotel room.

Thank you so much, helps a lot!

I did the trip in reverse. Same good experience. I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express on the southside of the 10th Street bridge. Pretty handy the train station as well. No problem at all with the bike in the room. Came back to the same hotel when I finished my 5 day ride back from DC.

How was the ride from the Pittsburgh train station to that hotel. Is that all vehicle roads or are there any bike lanes or trails that can be done. What route did you take. I am going to be riding into Pittsburgh and then out the next day but sometime want to to Pitt to DC.

In the spring I road the train with my bike from DC to Cumberland after cycling the towpath and loved the train ride and had never ridden from one town to another and it was quite interesting and and a lot of it was a different view of the towpath.

Is there free parking in Brunswick, MD for C&O Trail riders? I see large lot near the RR. Is it free?

Yes!

Greeting. I was wonder what people tended to ride on the C&O. 28 mm or wider?

I've used both 32 and 35 on the C&O. Both worked well. I preferred 35. I wouldn't recommend any smaller.

I too like 35s. 32s would probably be fine UNLESS YOU RUN INTO RAIN. The C&O can get really muddy!!

The GAP on the other hand...I'd be fine with 28s or even 25s over there.

Keep in mind that the trail will generally get softer once we start hitting the freeze/thaw weather.

That's my 2 cents.

Favorite B&B on the GAP.
My wife and I stayed here in October 2016. We very much enjoyed the place. It was clean and spacious. The breakfast buffet was well stocked and made it easy to select the items that appealed to us.

Last, the owners took the time to visit and get to know us, taking an interest in our travels.

We'd highly recommend staying here.

Just finished day two of my ride from Cumberland to DC. The trail between Cumberland and Harpers Ferry is terrific. But… rain is forecast for tomorrow which could change this considerably. I'll give another report tomorrow after I am finished with riding the entire trail

JK, thanks for your blog and videos! I will be out on the cannal at the end of the month and your videos showed me that even if the weather is not so great we can still do this ride! Glad you had a wonderful trip.

I'm riding from Pittsburgh to DC this Wedneasday through Sunday. Can anybody share the trail conditions?

Thurs and Fri from Cumberland to Harper's Ferry was terrific. But with today's rain probably not so much. There were several sections of the trail between Harper's and DC that were barely passable. Lots of mud. Maybe someone on the trail tomorrow can give a better update.

Last weekend was my experience on the GAP/C&O, and I learned quite a bit. I'll share our story with some tips so that others may plan to be more prepared than us!

Three of us (my father, 60yo 240lb, not-so-fit but can just keep pedaling, me, pro xc mountain bike racer, and a buddy Stefano, 44yo, very competitive recreational rider) planned to do Pitt to DC in 3 days, staying in hostels/hotels on the way.

My setup: Trek Boone with worn out 34mm Hutchinson Bulldog tubeless cyclocross tires, 42 ring with 11-28 cassette, full fenders front and rear, Di2 drivetrain. I had a seatbag with 2xC02s and 2x tubes, and a tire lever.

Dad's setup: Trek Crockett with 32mm Specialized Roubaix pro tubeless tires, full fenders, 38t, 11-28 Di2 drivetrain, bell (!). Seatbag with 1x tube, C02, lever, frame mounted hand pump.

My backpack had: running shorts and shirt, very light wind shell jacket and pants, cheap thog sandals, spare socks, spare gloves, chargers for phone and garmin, chamois butter, deodorant, toothbrush, multi tool, chain lube. All in, my camel back, with phone and wallet, weighed 5.5lbs.

The first day (Pitt-DC), we stopped at Waffles INCaffienated for breakfast on our way out of town. It was excellent. Good coffee, too, and only about 1/4 mile off the trail.

We stayed the first night in Meyersdale, in Morgan Toole's hostel bedding, which was really great for the price. Food at the restaurant wasn't bad, though we might have been too tired to notice. It had rained on us for the last few hours of the ride that day; I was really happy to see the GAP hold up well to steady rainfall, as it remained perfectly rideable the whole time.

Day two was a short climb up to the divide, then 'bomb' down to Cumberland. We had breakfast at a small diner across from Morgan Toole (can't remember the name; it was 1 block away) and it was good, but not as great as waffles from day 1. Cumberland was an awesome place to stop for coffee and/or lunch, as there were many options within a few hundred yards of the trail. From there, the C&O started, and we quickly realized that those of us who had fenders were going to be much drier, cleaner, and happier than those who did not. We stopped longer than normal for lunch and pushed our luck bit with timing sunset, but safely got into the Red Roof Inn in Williamsport before it got dark. This Inn was a small climb away from the trail, which seemed eternal after so many miles of flatness. Red Roof was nice enough, especially considering its relatively low cost. We skipped early breakfast in Williamsport (not much open at 7:30a on Sunday) in favor of a ride to Sharpsburg for coffee/brunch. A stop by Shepardstown is well worth the short detour from the trail. It's a quaint little college town with plenty of coffee shop/quality lunch options. Once into DC, we took bike paths from C&O mile 0 over to Reagan Airport to rent a one way car back to Philly. We could've waited for the train the next day, but I had to be back at work Monday morning.

Things learned from the trip, in no particular order:

Bring a small bike bell. It's nice to have, and makes life 1000x easier when navigating the amusment park-like crowds as you approach DC.

Full fenders, front and rear, are a must. Next time I will have a large mud flap hanging from my front fender to give even more coverage for my feet and the bike's BB.

The gearing range of your bike is largely irrelevant unless you plan to venture off the trail far. In that case, be prepared for large hills.

A small headlight was a life saver for the one long unlighted tunnel (Paw Paw?), but otherwise wasn't really needed, as we were never out at night. A true boyscout-type might bring one just in case, but we were trying to stay light. One light for the three of use sufficed.

Pack some extra food with you, especially on C&O. I'm usually a stickler for nutrition planning in races, but my bra

Rick thank you for the very informative post. I'm sorry that the website cut off the end of your comment; here is the rest:

I'm usually a stickler for nutrition planning in races, but my brain was firmly switched into 'cruise' mode for this trip, so I just ate when we stopped at restaurants. This led to me being hangry on more than one occasion. Keep some snacks on board to prevent this.

The backpack method worked very well for us, but we only needed to be prepared for temps ~47-70F. I might consider a rack/pannier situation if I needed to bring more clothing. However, it was really nice to not have a 50lb bike when going up and down stairs or hopping ledges/curbs around town.

I hope this helped give a few people ideas on how to pack relatively light and get this trip done!

Thanks , I have a rack on the back of the bike planning to do Cumberland to Dc this Memorial day weekend... Do I still need the fenders if i have the rack with the bag that has the built in paineirs?

Just went back and read this - I hope your Memorial day trip went well. To answer for others who might be reading... I would try to get a fender under the rack. If you get full coverage around the back tire all the way to the bike's bottom bracket, it will keep a fair amount of mud/water off the drivetrain and bearings, as well as the rear brake (if you're using some time of rim brake). When purchasing fenders, just try for the widest that will fit in your frame, not the perfect size match for your tires. Wider is always better as long as it fits through the seat and chain stays.

bike bells are mandatory in Maryland!

Good evening,

Anyone have information about the current trail conditions from DC to Cumberland? I know it's a big stretch, but three of us are hitting the trail on Saturday and need some mental preparation. If you know, or know where we can find trail condition updates, or know who to call, please pass along.

Cheers,
Christophe Casamassima

Trail conditions between Cumberland and Hancock were excellent. A few muddy areas but nothing major.

Just arrived in Cumberland tonight (Fairfield Inn). Starting my ride in the morning. To Hancock tomorrow. Then to Harper's on Friday. Then to DC on Saturday.
My blog:
candocanalbiker . blogspot . com

Day 1 in the books. Excellent trail conditions. A few mud puddles but not bad. Loved being able to get on the WMRT for the last 10 miles into Hancock. I put a video compilation on my blog site:
candocanalbiker . blogspot . com

I'm going to do the GAP/C&O trail from Pittsburg to DC (taking amtrack from DC to Pittsburg), and would like to bring my gas canister MSR stove. It looks like I can't carry the canister on Amtrak. Suggestion of a place I can get a gas canister along the GAP trail?

There's an REI right after you cross the Hot Metal Bridge ...

I was told just a few weeks ago via phone that there was NO PROBLEM bringing a fuel cartridge on board. I specified canister and not liquid fuel (white gas.) So I'm going on that info. Yes there is an REI across the bridge so that would work also.

Another thought. We are planning indoor stays along the Passage and camping once we hit C&O. We can (and might) purchase our fuel at Cumberland Connection Bike Shop. That way we won't be carrying needless weight.

Cumberland bike shop sells the larger canisters. They will also accept a shipment and hold until your arrival. The camppground in Brunswick will also hold a package for you. I did this for my thru hike and it was nice to not carry the extra weight!

Jacque, Thanks for the info about Cumberland Connection holding packages for you. There are also storage containers out front of the shop that you could store some gear in. When we bike both the Passage and C&O we typically stay indoors the 3 nights along the Passage then gather our overnight gear once we hit Cumberland. Never had a problem with theft.

I'm a little confused reading the maps. Is the trailhead & parking at the Lucky Dog Cafe/Riversport, or is it really the RamCat put-in on the yough ?

2 different locations.

Does anyone know if the camping near the C&O at Whites Ferry (a) requires reservations, (b) ever fills up, (c) costs money? Thanks!

Hiker/Biker sites are free! Turtle Run (Mile 34.4) and Marble Quary (Mile 38.2) are on both sides of White's Ferry (Mile 35.5). No reservations as they are free and are first come, first serve. Just pick a spot and put up your tent.

Port-a-John, Water Pump, Picnic Table, and Grill. Bring a couple lights as it is really dark! I've never been to H/B site that filled up but I've only ever gone in summer so I would say you might have the site to yourself as trail traffic drops this time of year.

Weather permitting, I'll be starting Friday AM in Cumberland and staying in Hancock (Super 8) Friday night, then riding to Knoxville, MD (Knights Inn) Saturday, then to DC on Sunday. I'll try to post updates on trail conditions.

JK, I would appreciate any trail updates. I plan to start a ride from Whites Ferry on 10/11 be great to know about all the mud puddles before I hit them.

Will do....but with Hurricane Matthew making its way up the coast, I suspect it will cause a lot of rain starting this weekend into next week. For this reason, I am starting my trek on Thursday morning from Cumberland.

A group of friends and I will be riding the GAP/C&O Oct 12-16 (2016). With all the rain lately, I'm curious about the condition of the trails? Can someone share?

Hello-
I'm riding the C&O / GAP trails next week and I was curious if anybody knew the current trail conditions for the C&O specifically. Last year when I rode the C&O it was pretty muddy. I'm hoping for dryer conditions this year.

There has been minor flooding this week along the river, but the canal has not breached. Heavy rain advisories have been posted for the entire region through tomorrow afternoon. I wouldn't count on dry.

Ah well that's a bummer but such is life. Thanks for the information.

I have friends riding the past few days. They moved on to the GAP today. Said riding yesterday on the C&O was pretty muddy. Hopefully the rain will move out and you'll be ok. Best wishes.

We rode the 25 miles from Hancock to Williamsport on 9/30. It was easily passable but a lot of puddle dodging. We averaged about 8mph. Heavy rain this morning (10/1) so we decided to stop.

Planning to ride the C&O from Cumberland to DC the last weekend of September. How are the current trail conditions? Any detours or bypasses? THANKS

Sounds awesome. Hope you enjoy. Trail conditions vary section to section especially the towpath. Hope the rain didnt damper your spirits.

So, odd question for you folks who have used this website for your trip planning.
How many other bike trails used this web designer for their sites?

-bikecando.com
-bikekatytrail.com
-bikecowboytrail.com
All appear to be from exact same designer. I REALLY like this format and would research more trails.

I believe the webmaster/owner of all 3 sites is a person named Ray. I agree - they are quite useful.

Planning to take Amtrak to Pittsburg from Union Station DC. Parking at Great Falls (permit) and riding to end of trail then Rock Creek to National Mall then to end of Mall. From there what is the best option street wise to take? Bike friendly streets, easy no brainer route? Thanks

we will be riding on the c&o canal during the last week of October. Seems that mornings would be on the cool side. I am a new-ish rider. does anyone have suggestions for how to dress? THanks!

Lots of layers that you can shed during the day. You'll have cool mornings/evenings but days should still be mild and reasonably warm. Gloves for sure. Rain is the big X factor. Expect some amount of rain but also the trail could be wet and muddy from rain that occurred a couple of days ago. The C&O doesn't dry out that well. You will likely contend with puddles and mud. I like to keep all of my spare clothes in gallon zip lock bags inside my panniers to keep them dry. I'm a bit envious, it should be amazing to see all of the autumn leaves in full color!

Thank you for your reply, John. I don't know if it will be too late for the fall colors or not. But, I am excited about the trip. I was wondering about mud and rain. I guess we will figure it out as we go!

fenders ...

2X on the fenders, a must if it rains!

thanks for fender advice! I am still keeping fingers crossed for great weather.
Stupid question about the layering..... long sleeve synthetic lightweight shirt over synthetic short sleeve one? I love cotton but learned the hard way that it is not the best for long rides!

October will have changeable weather conditions. The 2nd half of October may be much more cooler than the first half of the month. Higher elevations may even see Snow.

I use wool cycling jerseys, the classic type. They are far superior to synthetics while touring. In hot/humid weather sweat in the wool evaporates and keeps you cool. In wet weather wool keeps you warm if it is wet. It does not begin to smell for maybe 3 days of wear, although I often wash mine every night in hot weather. Available in short and long sleeve versions. Google them for source but I by mine from Portland Cyclewear.

Thanks for the suggestion about wool jerseys. It is interesting that you wear in warmer weather! Will start googling and see what I come across.

Just finished Pittsburgh to DC on Sept. 27, 6 days, sunshine 5 days, rain during last night, last day sunny again but the C&O coming into DC was full of puddles, hard to avoid, I was a mess...install fenders. Everyday was better than the last, you're going to have a blast.