C&O / GAP Forum

I am thinking about doing this as an alternative to our regular Katy Trail and Ragbrai excursion and I am curious as the what the veterans think is the best time to do this trail during the year? I want to minimize soft trail/muddy trail conditions and extreme temperatures.

Thanks

You will probably get different answers on this but basically any time of the year it rains the C&O will be muddy and can get aggravating but doable. Last year in May I ran into a flooded section that was almost 3 ft onto the trail and we had to go around via roads. Later in the summer may be better if you have to travel far to get here. Attidue is everything. Just have fun with it no matter what the weather.

Early Spring you could encounter Flooding and soggy conditions on the Trail. April and even May are volatile months on the Trail as far as the Weather. In any region of the Country April is typically the Severe Weather period and the C&O Region is no different (Thunderstorms, possible Tornadoes, etc.) Later in the Summer it tends to get drier in this region.

Summers are humid and miserable, but it's really not any worse than RAGBRAI in the summer and you'll be under trees most of the way without the hills. I prefer late fall for the lower temperatures without all the rain you can expect in Spring.

The GAP is pretty hard-packed and easy riding while the C&O is a bit more 'rooty' and will slow you down a bit compared to the Katy Trail.

If you're self-supported and can get to Chicago you can save a bundle on transport taking the train overnight to Pittsburgh and then overnight back from Washington.

Anytime of year can be good if you get 7 days of dry weather. Anytime of year can be bad if you get 3 or more days of rain.

If I had to make a forecast it would be the first 3 weeks of September.

August and September will generally be the driest months. I've ridden the C&O in damp conditions. No problems.

Next summer, my scout troop is considering a 3-day ride on the trail from Williamsport to Ohiopyle (150 miles). Is this a reasonable distance> My thoughts are 50 miles in 6 - 7 hours of riding a day. Thanks!

50 miles/day sounds aggressive to me - I'd think about 30/day might be more reasonable for kids, especially if they have not been routinely training by biking a few times a week for at least a few months. On long rides, you cross a line where it stops being fun and becomes a grind; most kids would probably cross that line well before 50 miles. Also, consider having other parents/leaders meeting you at trailheads along the way, as "sag wagons" for the kids who run out of steam. Regardless of what you decide, I hope you and the boys have fun.

Hi Shawn. Ray has some good words of wisdom. What are the ages of the kids doing the ride? What is their bike riding experience levels? What type of bikes? How many people in total are doing the ride? Are you setting up and breaking down camp?

All of these things will come into play. I am assuming that you will ride as a group, therefore you will only ride as fast as your slowest rider. And one thing that I always think of is this; are you doing this to have fun? Do you want to have time to sight-see? Take all of these questions into consideration when you plan this ride.

As Ray said, I hope it all works out for you and your troop. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Depending on age, bikes and support fifty miles a day may or may not be too much.

I'm more intersted in your choice of of start and stop points. How did you come by them? I'd think heading east from Ohiopyle would be a bit more dramatic since you start with Pinkerton leading to the Salisbury Viaduct, the Continental Divide, then Big Savage Tunnel followed by the dramatic drop into Cumberland.

Do all a favor and teach trail manners to the scouts before the ride: consistently enforce them during the ride.

Anon. made a good point. Trail etiquette is lacking. You can tell experienced riders from what I call "day trippers".

I would consider doing 2 things. Either shorten the daily mileage, or do a lot of riding with them between now and then. My bet is that none of them know what it is to ride 50 miles for 1 day, let alone consecutive days. And I assume they'll be carrying supplies too. Do a lot of pre-trip rides to assure that the trip is a success and they come home with a lot of good memories.

Hello Awesome Riders, Me and my friends are planning to do the C&O trail next yr about spring or late summer/early fall.Planning to do a 60 mile trip everyday for 3 days, We start in Georgetown Stop by Harpers Ferry then in Hancock and Cumberland.Is this ok.Age braket is 20 yrs old to-50yrs old.And in Harpers ferry, is this the place where we have to carry our bikes by the over pass? Thank you all and happy riding, Be safe.Cheers.

Hi Riddler, I will give you the same answer that I give to everyone with this type of question. 60 miles per day on the C&O is do-able but you will be pushing it. The C&O is a rough trail in spots and if you hit any rain or even a day or two after a rain you are going to ride through mud and mud puddles. If you plan on stopping and enjoying the scenery or the towns you'll be riding through, you will be pushed for time. The good news about late summer is the longer days. There are other factors to consider if you are camping, etc.

If you are asking about getting to Harpers Ferry, you can take your bikes up a spiral staircase, cross a bridge and you'll be in Harper's Ferry. (I may not have understood your question.)

Harper's Ferry is on the other side of the river. So, yes, you'll have to cross the walkway on the railroad bridge to get there. Don't worry, there's a fence between the trains and you.

I agree with JJB. The C&O is muddy in spots even days after it rains, has lots of tree roots and rocks to look out for and, bar the locks, is totally flat. You'll pedal a lot but hardly ever coast at all. You are constantly looking out for something to trip you up, send you tumbling to the ground. I didn't enjoy the actual riding here as much as the crushed limestone and smoother GAP from Cumberland to Pittsburgh. Unless your credit card camping (hotels), you'll be carrying a lot of extra weight with you and this really affects your daily mileage. I once did the same three nightly stops you mentioned and felt like I didn't enjoy it because I was pushing so hard just to get to town. And because you're in the saddle all day, you're not stopping to enjoy the sites as much. It's not that three days is unrealistic, it's completely doable, but I would recommend making it a four day trip. Also, bring a bright light for night riding in case you get caught out late. It's extremely dark.

I rode from Cumberland to DC stopping at Hancock and Harpers ferry. According to my tracker it was 61, 67 and 66 miles, though that includes a bit of a ride to my stops at Harpers Ferry and Washington. I rained all three days but as long as you keep going sixty miles is all right even in worst times. The real downer is seeing the mile markers slowly sliding by giving you enough time to calculate how much farther you need to go.

By contrast I rode the bone-dry GAP in two 75+ mile days. But that was with fantastic weather and the nice downhill coast into Cumberland. At 150 miles you can break it into a very nice three day ride, too.

Hello all! We are planning a complete bike trip from pittsburgh to DC. I was wondering if someone could give me insight to the incline from Pittsburgh to let's say the divide. I know it's on a rail trail with a 1% grade. Just want to know what to expect! Thanks!

I don't remember the grades, but the trail doesn't start climbing noticeably until Connellsville. It's not steep but you notice you're climbing. Connellsville to Confluence felt like the steepest part to me, though I guess that's only because it was the start of the climb and after Confluence you hit all the big sightseeing spots. http://i.imgur.com/rmtMxC5.jpg

We recently rode from Pittsburg to Paw Paw. My wife is 64, and I'm 59. We ride often and generally distances of 35-45 miles at a time. Although your personal fitness and endurance play a part I didn't feel that any portion of the trail was that difficult. The incline west to east is always "there" but apart from the final climb from Meyersdale to the Divide (maybe 8-9 miles?) The route isn't difficult at all. We were not carrying camping gear just clothing and toilet items as this was a credit card ride. We have also done the trail self contained and still it wasn't difficult.

As n example: 1st day was 36 miles to West Newton, started at appx. 2pm and was there by 6pm. The next day was 44=45 miles to Ohiopyle. We started around 10am were there by 5pm including lunch in connelsville which was almost 1 hour. We also took plenty of breaks, stopped to read trail history signs, talked to anyone we met, just enjoyed the day. On Sun. our big day we rode 75 miles from Ohiopyle to Cumberland. We started early about 7am and were in Cumberland by 5 or 6pm stopping for lunch at Rockwood and a visit to the Meyersdale Visitor Center. Once again we stopped often for a snack, water, or to talk with other trail users and people who lived near the trail. Our normal pace is 8-13 MPH pretty much the bulk of the day. My wife isn't quite as strong as I am but she pedals steady. Overall, I don't think that any of the route could really be called tough just a slight uphill grind in some spots and more level than not in others. Hope this helps.

Thanks guys for the feedback! Puts my mind at ease knowing I'll be able to handle the pace we have set! I can't wait to ride it!

I think the big factor here is how much gear you're carrying. On my trips, I've always camped on the trail. I usually lug about 40lbs of gear (too much I know). As such, even on a slight grade I can really tell the difference between going uphill and going downhill. I'm lucky to maintain 8 mph going uphill.

Hello, everyone,
My husband and I would like to ride the GAP and C&O next spring. What would you say is the best time of spring to (hopefully) avoid rain and mud?
Thanks for your help.
Noreen

Speaking in generalities I'd say the later in spring the better. I hiked the trail the end of March, beginning of April in 2011 and it rained almost every day. I don't know if that is typical or not. I'd say check weather dot com for monthly averages.

I did it in the middle of May and the weather was perfect. I had a couple of hotter days and a couple of cooler days but NO BUGS and the trail was dry.

It can vary. We have wet Springs and normal springs. The best is to wait until late Spring.
Weather in general is more volatile in March and April. You can have a lot of Thunderstorms and Severe weather in April. There can be significant Flooding in early Spring especially if we have a harsh Winter. I would wait until late May, even going into June.

My wife and I just completed a ride from Pittsburg (Point State Park) to Paw Paw. WE stayed at the Wrenwood B&B and were treated very well by Carol. We arrived early in the afternoon and were greeted by Scott who let us rinse our bikes before storing them in a locked garage. Carol arrived shortly afterward and greeted us like family. Pumpkin Cookies and tea were available as was a hot shower. The B&B is in an older home but was very clean and well kept. Carlo is an artist and had quite a few pieces on display. Another biking couple arrived and Carol offered to include the 4 of us in her dinner plans (breakfast is included in the cost)for a small additional fee. I'm not sure how often she would offer supper but it was very good. Our room was very clean and comfortable. There are I think 3 rooms with a 4th waiting to be furnished? WE needed to contact the shuttle service with final plans and I couldn't get cell service Scott let us use the house phone to place a call. I can't say enough about how well we were treated in this small out of the way location. I would like to point out that the road access from the C&O is at/near MP 156.2 and not MP 151. At the Rt. 51 bridge just before Paw Paw Campground if heading east bound go up the hill to the right (if you go under the bridge you've gone too far)and follow the road toward town. There is a paved trail almost completed that will take you to Paw Paw and you don't need to ride on the road/bridge which I didn't feel was that dangerous or busy. I also noticed on the side of the bridge a faded sign for the old Red Rooster which you'll pass as you ride into town. Great Stay.

Am riding Pitts to DC starting the 21st of Oct. Been following the weather and it looks to be cold and wet. Leaving dry and warm weather here in Ca and wondering what the conditions of the trails are and how are the colors ?

We did the trail in May and it rained rather hard one day. It was terrible to say the least. Pot hole of water and slowed up down considerably. The next day the trail improved considerably but if it is going to rain be prepared.

It has been unseasonably cool lately (most all of Sept). Here in October it has been 70s during the day, 50s at night. By the time you arrive Oct. 21 the peak color in Pennsylvania will probably be a little past prime (but still pretty), however WV and MD should be just fine. If you wish, ask again a couple of days before you leave and I'll give you an update.

I'm always inquiring of guests who stay with us what the conditions on the trail are like. Remind me about conditions and I'll relay what other riders are saying.

Thank you everyone and Carol I will touch in next week. Also Paw Paw will be my lunch stop if all goes as planed. Any food or local interests I should check out? Thank you in advance :)

Just came off the trail yesterday. Pittsburg to Paw Paw. Passage is in excellent condition and the C&O between Cumberland and Paw Paw is rough and muddy in spots but not too bad. You will get muddy and with the approaching storms the trail may be in worse shape. Of course your ride is another week away so the trail may dry up. There will still be rutted areas along the route. As far as stopping for lunch in Paw Paw...the Liberty Gas Station is IT. There is a road side sign for Big & Tings Best Wings in Town...don't bother riding up the hill. Please see my review of Wrenwood B&B in another post. My wife and I greatly enjoyed our stay.

My wife and I are considring doing both trails in Sept or Oct. I had an idea if someone else is doing it at the same time, we could arrange a mutual shuttle. For instance, we could meet you in Washington, DC and you could drive our car to Pitsburgh, or vice versa.

The logistics and legalities are probably a bit much for some folks, but I'm game to consider it. I'm planning the same time frame from Pitt to D.C. Are you starting in D.C. and just want to have your car shuttled up to Pitt?

hi, just saw your comment, and thought i'd chime in. not sure when you were thinking, but I'm part of a tiny crew that is planning on doing the ride the 2nd weekend of oct. we're going west-bound but we've got people from dc and from pittsburgh on the ride so we'll be planning some one way logistics on both ends.

if you're thinking the same weekend, and want to chat, let me know!

Well, I just got on a plane and am headed to Nicaragua for 8 days of diving! When I get back, I thought I'd take a couple of days to recoup, and then drive to Pittsburgh to ride them both to D.C. My plan at present is to leave my bike in D.C., fly back to Pitt to get the car, drive back to D.C. and get the bike, and then drive home to near Chicago. I'm guessing I'll be starting the first week in October, riding alone, but if it works out that it works with anyone else's plans, I'm game.

That's a lot of driving and flying.

You can take Amtrak from Chicago to Pittsburgh overnight (6:30 PM - 5 AM), then take it from DC to Chicago overnight again (4 PM - 9 AM). I did this trip last year in mid-October during the shutdown. Bike and box for each leg of your trip make your total transportation cost about $230 before you consider food.

Yeah, Greg, it is. But I don't want to arrive on an overnight train and ride dead-tired or waste a day. I'd have to do that twice. And Amtrak doesn't have roll-on on those routes, so I'd have to break down the bike. And I retired from an airline so I can fly from D.C. up to Pitt for free. I love trains, but Amtrak just doesn't make it easy enough. For the original poster....I'm riding from Pitt down to D.C. and will arrive in D.C. on the 11th if that works with your schedule in any way. Looking forward to the ride!

Either way Pittsburgh to Washington's a great way to go and October is the perfect time of year. I'm still considering a trip at the end of the month but time is getting short.

Where is the parking at Whitsett?

Thank you, jim

Overnight C&O parkers, in case you hadn't seen this from the National Parks Service:
Before parking a vehicle overnight in any Canal Parking area, visitors must register their vehicle through the new online registration system. Print your reciept and place on your dashboard. If unable to print, please visit the nearest visitor center.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/13MDCIFnc_lnp3CXPTzDiikf3kAD2wEMtgBVoaC7-yaQ/viewform

Thanks for this information as I was unaware it was available.

I'm planning on making a 3 day trip from Pittsburgh to Georgetown beginning 8-27 and would like to buddy up with someone during all of portions of the trip. If you're interested, please reply.

planning a similar trip, although later this fall, sorry couldn't help out there. but was wondering how you broke down the mileage on your 3 day, and how'd it go (was it too much?). trying to decide between 3 and 4 days for our ride.

I'm planning a ride from Cumberland to Pittsburg in the near future. I was hoping to use Amtrak for the return but it doesn't appear that any of the trains can accommodate checked luggage. Does anyone have any suggestions for public trans or a shuttle with a bike? I'd like to avoid renting a car.

Various bike shops and outfitters in the area run shuttle services. You should be able to find names thru a Google search, or check with bike ships listed on this website.

Amtrak is far for user friendly. We park/leave our car in Cumberland and I take the train back to Cumberland, pick up he car, drive back and pick up our bikes and gear. I know it's involved and there are other ways, however it still may be an option.

I'm looking at the same thing...I'm looking at hiring Grouseland Tours for a shuttle..they charge 250 for up to four people plus bikes...the train schedule makes it I would have to stay an extra day in PT, so the money for the train + extra hotel and meals pretty much washes out...would love to split it with someone else who was planning to return the same date I am in September...

Look into renting a van. I rented a van in DC and returned it in Pittsburgh. Slid two bikes right in the back ane we were off.