C&O / GAP Forum

Hi everyone ,
How is it riding the C & 0 from Washington to Cumberland in mid October?
Wondering if the colors are starting to pop ?
Also weather wise this time of year ?
Thank you for any and all help.

Michael

I just finished riding and camping from DC to Pittsburgh today. Leaves are falling and the trail was covered with them along the way. Lots of yellow to go along with green leaves but the reds and oranges are generally yet to come. In my opinion, we are still a few days or one good frost from reaching peak colors along the trail.

The most colorful stretch on the trip was on the GAP between the Eastern Continental Divide and Deal, PA.

The weather was a mixed bag. The first three days were warm and comfortable for riding and camping. Friday night brought heavy rains extending into the early morning. That made the C&O a sloppy mess between Little Orleans and Cumberland with lots of puddles and mud. Not a fun day's ride.

The weather turned significantly cooler on Sunday and thereafter along the GAP, especially at night. It was well down into the 30's on Sunday night in Meyersdale on the GAP.

Traveling from Cumberland to DC on C&O Oct 16-18 if anyone is interested to join us.

Did not get the opportunity to visit this place. Limited operating hours. As of this posting, it is closed on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday.

It’s close to the Crosstrails Hostel in Sandy Hook/Knoxville.

Make sure you fill your water bottles before you get to Indian Flats. Water pump here is busted.

Maybe the State Park is .2 mile from the trail but it appears that the actual campground is 3.7 miles out of town. Not that convenient on a bike. Looking for confirmation of this and if there is any camping closer to town and the trail.

The GAP Trail itself passes through Ohiopyle State Park and the town of Ohiopyle. Ohiopyle State Park is quite large. The Kentuck Campground is also located within this state park and has showers, water and electricity if you choose. However, as you note, it is nearly 4 miles from the town of Ohiopyle via road with the majority uphill with grades up to 15%. The ride up to the Kentuck Campground is not for the faint of heart.

Earlier this year five primitive camp sites with picnic tables and composting toilets were developed for bicyclists directly on the trail itself at mile marker 72.6 near Ohiopyle obviating the need to ride up to Kentuck Campground albeit with no showers. You'll find the announcement of these sites at the gaptrail.org website.

Whichever you choose, you would need to make a reservation via the PA State Park Website.

Note there is also a campground virtually on the GAP Trail in Confluence PA some 10 miles south of Ohiopyle as well as one in Connellsville PA about 17 miles north of Ohiopyle. You may want to consider these as well.

I spent a week at the campground at the top of the hill this summer and traveled the trail in support of a youth group doing rock climbing a few miles downstream of the campground. The Hiker-Biker camp is truly right next to the trail and the campground proper is only a half mile away, by a gravel road that should have stairs built in. I made it up on my mountain bike but it took a lot of focused breathing and coming down requires impeccable brakes. I did come down on my recumbent but I won't ever do that again, I will walk my bike down. If you have 45 minutes, you can get a hot shower and a thrill ride back to camp. I think there is a foot path that is less steep but I didn't take it.

In my experience, the large campground at the top of the hill was extremely noisy. I wouldn’t recommend it. Granted, I was there on a weekend night. The party-crowd was out in full force and the State Park staff was oblivious to the situation and chose not to enforce posted “quiet hours”. I’d never camp there again. The new hiker-biker sites on the trail sound like a far better alternative.

Stopped here on 9/20/2023 and the food was great and so was the service and they also filled my water bottles.
A nice lunch break and many picnic tables or tables inside to sit and eat.
Highly recommend the stop.

Hey everyone, so this pending Gov't shutdown, how does it affect the C&O and GAP? Campsites, water stops? Thanks..

I’m certainly no expert on the ins and outs of a federal shutdown but I’ll offer some thoughts.

I understand that the national parks fall under federal discretionary spending and their employees are vulnerable to a shutdown. I would not expect any impact on unmanned hiker/biker sites or the non-potable water sources (I.e. pumps) therein along the C&O Towpath. However, the pay-to-stay campgrounds along the Towpath operated under the auspices of the C&O National Park Service might be affected. While there are generally no park attendants at these, the ability to make reservations could be affected. If you made your reservations before the shutdown, I would think you could still stay there.

There should be no impact on camping sites and water sources along the GAP other than at the pay-to-stay Outflow Campgound in Confluence, PA operated by National Park Service.

All the other sites are private, state or municipally owned and thus not affected by a federal shutdown.

I don’t know if Amtrak might be affected or not. I hope not since I have a reservation to take me and my.bike to DC on 10/4.

During previous shutdowns the C&O park was officially closed. Locations with gates had the gates up along with signage indicating the closure. There will not be police posted along the way keeping you from using the tow path though (or at least I've never seen that).

It was reported today that this summer’s construction work to reroute the GAP entrance into Point State Park will reopen on September 27. This work eliminates but parallels the narrow path from the Mon Wharf Parking Lot into Point State Park. With the opening of this new trail section, the temporary GAP route along downtown Pittsburgh streets will no longer be required.

Recent correspondence confirms that the path is still closed but still planned to be open on 27th.

I rode by there today and it was still closed but crews were working to finish installation of a railing as well as clean up the construction area. I would expect it to reopen on or before 9/27 as reported.

Bill: I’ve crossed paths with two gentlemen from Houston on the GAP within the last week. Neither happened to be you by chance was it? If so, I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself.

Not me, Riv! Trust me, if I meet anyone on the trail within 30 miles of Pittsburg, I will ask if it's you.

While construction of the GAP Trail reroute into/out of Point State Park appears complete for use, the GAP website revised the reopening date from today to mid-October. The detour through downtown street bike lanes to connect Point State Park and the GAP Trail at Smithfield Street remains in place.

In the last few days, I've been rerouting and rescheduling my trip between Pittsburgh and DC due to the forecasted weather. Doing so has reminded me of things to consider when planning such a trip.

1. While the Fall is a beautiful time to make the trip, you are vulnerable to the residual effects of seasonal hurricanes. Similar to two previous trips, my initial Fall itinerary has been affected by predictions of consecutive days of rain along the way stemming from storms coming up the Atlantic coast. The GAP, and especially the C&O Towpath, will become soft and even quite muddy in spots after multiple days of rain making the trip much less enjoyable if not agonizing. Having flexibility in your schedule and reservations to avoid this situation is well advised. This leads to a second observation.

2. If you are planning to use Amtrak between DC and Pgh and also planning to take your bike onboard, you'll have more flexibility to change your schedule, if desired, when transporting your bike from Pittsburgh to DC. Bike reservations on Amtrak are more available in this direction rather than from DC to Pgh. If you plan and get reservations for you and especially your bike, changing your reservation for weekend travel is nearly impossible as those reservations sell out early and are in strong demand during the biking season. Although still difficult to change, weekday reservations are more readily available albeit with daily differences in cost. Also, note you cannot simply change the direction of an existing Amtrak reservation. To change the direction of your train trip, you must cancel the original reservation, albeit with the stipulated cancellation charge, and then make a new reservation in the other direction which may not be available on the same date as the initial reservation.

3. Delaying a Fall trip to avoid the rain can also lead to notably lower day and night temperatures especially at the higher elevations, e.g. Meyersdale, PA. This may require additional cold weather clothing or camping gear.

Now... what to do, what to do.

Hello:

Our group had to postpone our trip in September and was wondering if anyone has experience riding in the month of November and if that is reasonable for weather, accommodations, daylight etc.

thanks for your comments!

I have done DC to Pittsburgh in November ending up in Pittsburgh the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

Weather can be unpredictable over 6 days riding. Most notably having to bike through fresh 1 inch of snow between Frostburg and Rockwood.

Restaurants and lodging options may be limited.

Yes the days are shorter, but if you start at dawn, you still have enough time to reach your next stop before dusk.

This website says that the campground is .9 from the trail but it appears to be more like 2.4 miles from Ohiopyle unless I'm missing another access from the trail.

While riding on the GAP trail today I noticed a pair of black rimmed eyeglasses laying on a post in Sutersville. If you are in the parking area at Sutersville, going west on the GAP Trail, you cross 1st St, there is a post and the glasses were laying on the post. I took a photo of them, but can't figure out how to post a photo here.

While riding on the GAP trail today I noticed a pair of black rimmed eyeglasses laying on a post in Sutersville. If you are in the parking area at Sutersville, going west on the GAP Trail, you cross 1st St, there is a post and the glasses were laying on the post. I took a photo of them, but can't figure out how to post a photo here.

It was reported today that this summer’s construction work to reroute the GAP entrance into Point State Park will reopen on September 27. This work eliminates but parallels the narrow path from the Mon Wharf Parking Lot into Point State Park. With the opening of this new trail section, the temporary GAP route along downtown Pittsburgh streets will no longer be required.

Paw Paw tunnel is open. My son rode thru it on Monday Sep. 4th

What is the status of the Paw Paw Tunnel?

I don't have current firsthand knowledge of the tunnel exit's status but the NPS C&O Canal website still reports it as being closed. That same web site has long stated that the tunnel exit should open by mid- to late-summer 2023. If true, it should be getting close to reopening.

I'll try to ask inbound riders toward Pittsburgh what they encountered if they passed through that area. I'll be riding through there in mid-September and am hoping that the tunnel exit is indeed open by then. I've made enough treks up and down the tunnel bypass trail.

Thanks - I'm planning on passing through northbound on 9/20 or 9/21. Will check back with the forum closer to my ride.

In speaking with inbound travelers yesterday, the Paw Paw tunnel exit was still closed as of the middle of last week.

Oh well Paw Paw still closed as of last Friday the 18th.

Still not as bad as the detour I took to bypass the Greer tunnel closure on the Montour trail.

Open guess if the Paw Paw tunnel will be open on Sept 1 on my return trip home.

Update...Hallelujah!!! I looked at the NPS.gov web site today 8-25 and NPS claims that the PawPaw tunnel scaling project is complete and is OPEN to through traffic!!!

I will believe it when I pass through going back to Alexandria on September 1.

Humorously, the Tunnel Bypass Trail itself is now closed! That’s bad news for those masochists out there that were looking forward to trekking up and over the tunnel on a hot, rainy day with a fully loaded touring bike. :-) But don’t count me among them!

Seriously. Great news after a very long wait.

Great news! I'm starting in Pittsburg on the 9th so should be hitting it on the 12th or 13th.

Yes I much prefer taking 20 minutes to walk through the paw paw tunnel rather than the 45 minutes over hill over dale of the tunnel bypass. Hopefully this is the last time the paw paw detour is ever mentioned.

Hello everyone ,
Question does anyone know if there is water at Swains Lock at mile 16.6 ?
Thank you for your time.

Yes. There is potable city water up by the lock house and parking lot.

Thank you

A great bike shop right on the trail. The visitor center was closed the day I rolled through town, and they let me fill up my water bottles, charge my phone, and hang out and talk about bikes and travel for awhile. Overall just friendly and helpful folks. They also have a large selection of trail merchandise.

I also had a very good experience there. I broke a rear derailleur near Little Orleans, converted my bike into a single speed and limped to Cumberland on my way to Pittsburgh. The staff there was very helpful in finding a suitable, used derailleur for my old bike along with a new chain.

With their support I was able to ride up the continental divide and beyond with a functioning set of gears. Kudos to them.

Hi Everyone,
Back with a new question.
Would it be possible to hammock camp the C&O and GAP trails??
Starting around September 12th from Washington D.C.going all the way to Pittsburg .
I plan on camping the whole way with one or 2 hotel stays and as usual thanks for your time and help.

There are opportunities to rig your hammock in many of the camp sites along the GAP and C&O especially if you are flexible where you stay and how you rig it. Along the GAP most of the campsites have first-come first-serve Adirondack shelters or pavilions in which you can rig your hammock even if well-spaced trees are not present. This is not the case at the C&O hiker/biker (H/B) websites.

Well-spaced trees are not universally present in all the C&O hiker/biker (H/B) campsites within, say, 30 yards of the picnic tables and fire rings. However, the wooded areas typically surrounding the mown campsite areas would often offer places to rig your hammock. You may need to be flexible about which H/B campsite you stay at in order to use your hammock. The good news is that the sites are fairly close together to provide real-time options about where you stop as long as you plan to have enough daylight to do so.

I'm leaving on 9/12 for DC from Pittsburgh. Perhaps we'll cross paths along the way.

Thank you and hope to meet you.
Going to be staying at the Fairfield Inn downtown Pittsburg then on to Washington D.C.on Amtrak.

Hey Rivnuts - I'm leaving PGH on September 11. Look for a yellow monkey on my handlebar bag, my navigator.

Safe travels.

Gypsea:

I'll keep my eyes open for that monkey! How many days are you planning to make the ride?

Planning 1st time solo bike-packing trip Georgetown to Cumberland, camping the first 2 nights. I aim to bike 50 - 70 miles per day. Won't know exactly which Hiker-Biker campsite I'll use - depends on how far I get each day. What are the chances of encountering campsites that are full? (I assume it depends on the time of afternoon / evening I arrive). Thanks!

“Full” is difficult to define in the H/B camping sites since there are no defined or controlled number of campsites in them. It’s more a matter of how close to other tents you are comfortable with or how close to the picnic table and fire ring you want to be.

All that said, it’s rare that there are more than 3 or 4 campers at a single site other than those closest to DC. If you are riding 50-70 miles each day, you shouldn’t be stopping at those.

Thanks so much for that answer!
What are the options for charging electrical devices (cell phone, etc.)?

There are no electrical services/receptacles in the C&O hiker/biker camp sites. You’ll need to seek out businesses or commercial/municipal locations in the trail side towns to charge any devices.

After trekking the Paw Paw detour and setting up camp, this was a welcome stop the next morning to refill water bottles, buy some cold water and gatorades, and replenish food. Very friendly and HELPFUL staff. 10/10

What can I expect for traffic and weather on the GAP and C&O trails over Labor Day weekend?

As you know, there is no car/motorized vehicle traffic on these trails other than a few blocks exiting Pittsburgh and leavin McKeesport. There will be a fair amount of walkers and cyclists near Pittsburg and DC but not to the extent of presenting any danger or delay in your progress.

It’s too early to make a believable forecast of the weather for that weekend. But, for what it’s worth, the current long range forecast for Pittsburgh for Friday 9/1 is for partly cloudy skies with a daily high of 77 and a nighttime low of 58F. You can check those daily forecasts as you get closure to that time.

Looking for suggestions to park my vehicle near the finish of the GAP. we are riding the east to west route and want some input for parking (6 days)

The question of parking in Pittsburgh while riding is a much-travelled question on this forum. Upon searching this forum, you'll find several posts responding to this question.

If proximity to the actual terminus of the GAP Trail in Point State Park in Pittsburgh, you'll find numerous indoor parking garages by Googling "Pittsburgh Parking Garages" or Parkopedia.com. However, these won't be cheap as daily rates are typically $20 a day or more.

There are some less expensive outdoor lots across the rivers from the terminus such as Highmark Stadium that have lower rates and are rideable from downtown via bridge sidewalks.

Free parking is not readily available downtown or is less safe from theft or damage. A couple of free parking options along the trail or its alternate including the South Side Riverfront Park about 3 miles from the terminus or at the Waterfront Shopping Center in Homestead about 10 miles from the terminus. Both have ample parking area and a fair amount of daytime pedestrian traffic for some level of security. Given you'll be gone several days, I believe the Waterfront Shopping Center would be better as it has a number of major stores therein with lighting in their parking areas,

Other Pittsburgh locals may have some other thoughts.

If you stay at a hotel at the beginning and at the end of your trip, they might let you park there for free.

Downtown Pittsburg
Grant Street Transportation. Center
55 11th Street
That's where I am parking give it a try

From the Gap Trail website:

“Crews deployed by Somerset County will resurface about 24 miles of the Great Allegheny Passage from Meyersdale (mile marker 31.9) and extending westward to approximately mile marker 56, starting August 28. The GAP will remain open during this project, which is expected to last about four weeks. Please be cautious and watch for construction vehicles and contractors. Note that parking lots from Meyersdale to Fort Hill may be used as staging areas for equipment and fresh limestone, and may offer fewer spots than are normally available.”

Thanks for that update

Are there retailers on/near the trail that sells C&O/GAP merch?

Thanks!

Great question. As you probably have found, there are on-line stores that offer the traditional or similar GAP and C&O Trail jerseys. Those are at:

gaptrailstore.org
aerotechdesigns.com
rtmerc.com
floravelo.com

Of course these are not brink and mortar retail stores along the GAP/C&O Trail.

By "retailers" I presume you mean walk-in stores. That said, there are many candidates none of which I've gone into specifically looking for those jerseys and thus don't have any confirmed locations. Candidates would include sport stores, bike shops and visitor centers along the way. I can think of the following in that sense and their locations are as follows:

REI - Pittsburgh's South Side
Dick's Sporting Goods - Homestead, PA
Visitor Center - West Newton, PA
West Newton Bicycle Shop - West Newton, PA
Bikes Unlimited - Connellsville, PA
Visitor Center, Meyersdale, PA
Wheelzup at Canal Place - Cumberland, MD
C&O Bicycle - Hancock MD

I'll check out the ones between Pgh and West Newton over the next several days and let you know if I find them. I can check out the others when I pass them when I ride all the way to DC in September.

I saw the traditional GAP Trail jerseys on sale at the Golden Triangle bike rental station along the trail today. You can Google it’s exact location in doentown Pgh.

GAP Trail jerseys were for sale in the West Newton visitor center in the restored train station immediately adjacent the trail. They had various sizes and different years/graphics for sale.

They told me that these jerseys were also available at the bike shop in Confluence, PA as well as Golden Triangle Bikes in Pittsburgh.

GAP Trail jerseys, T shirts and other merch were for sale in the West Newton visitor center in the restored train station immediately adjacent the trail. They had various sizes of jerseys and different years/graphics for sale. They people working there said they were the sponsor of GAPTrail.org and the various associated merchandise.

They told me that these jerseys were also available at the bike shop in Confluence, PA as well as Golden Triangle Bikes in Pittsburgh.