C&O / GAP Forum

Not listed, but Captain Bender’s in Sharpsburg is a great little place to stop for lunch. Fantastic selection of micro brews too! Check it out the next time you’re cursing around the Antietam Battlefield. You won’t be disappointed.

Thanks for the tip - I have added this to to the Sharpsburg page.

I hoping you meant "crusing" not "cursing" around the Battlefield. :)

Excellent pasta dishes. Their Pizza is to die for. A welcome experience after a couple of day on the trail. Highly recommend.

Concur, excellent Italian cuisine.

Good deli also serves breakfast. Modest grocery selection; does sell beer, wine and liquor!

There is a side trail that comes out between the Park-in-Dine and Potomac Liquor store off the WMRT so you don’t have to come off at the Park-n-Ride lot about 100 feet east and brave traffic on Main Street. You can also exit the Railtrail at the hardware store to access Hardee’s across the street.

This is not listed but around mile post 91, between Opequon Junction and Cumberland Valley campsites, there is a private camp ground (listed as the Potomac Fish and Game Club) near the Falling Waters ford. There is a rest room and potable water there. Be courteous and ask first. I have never been refused. Sometimes there are BBQ’s on the weekends and you can buy a meal from them.

I'm writing to plead that you take the McMahon's Mill Campground OFF your website C & O Canal Towpath camping options.

First off, let me say that my family loves and appreciates your web page and the vast amount of information you provide. We print out the information and use it while we bike on the towpath. My family of 5 (13 year old daughter, 10 year old daughter, 2 year old son, husband, and myself) have been traveling from Virginia for 15 months now to bike the C & O. We come for the weekend, tow all our camping gear and food, spend the night on the towpath, and bike as far as we can each trip. It has taken us over a year, but this past weekend we officially finished biking the entire towpath!

We have never been disappointed with the information your website provides, which is why I'm writing to share our experience, in the hopes that you will please update your information for the sake of other biker-campers. Let me first explain that my family is not afraid to "rough it". Up until this trip, we have always camped at the hiker-biker campsites right along the towpath. Filtering our own water and using the provided outhouses. We do this with a teenage daughter, preteen daughter, and a toddler and we like it and have a wonderful time.

This past weekend, we wanted to stay at the Cumberland Valley H/B site, but the pump was broken. We needed more water, so we tried to filter water from the Potomac, but the access to the river at that site wasn't great, so we decided to keep biking. We reached the Opequon Junction H/B with the intentions of camping there, but there were already 3 tents set up and it is a rather small site, so our large tent wouldn't fit. We were exhausted and couldn't make it to Big Woods H/B, so we decided to do something we'd never done. We biked off the towpath up to a campsite, McMahon's Mill Campground.

It was scary from the moment we hit the property. The buildings were dilapidated, deserted, overgrow

also heard from biker in hancock how bad the place was he went on to williamsport

Cruised by just to check this place out. Yea, it’s a real dump. Sad that it has been neglected for so long. Looks like it was once a nice place to stay and enjoy.

This place is a real God send since there is no hostel like lodging in Cumberland. A short ride/walk from the trail terminus; be careful when you go under the bridge, narrow road and folks do not yield to cyclist or pedestrians kindly.

Still CLOSED!

There is an AC&T convenience store just up the road at the interstate interchange. Has deli, had the fried chicken dinner for lunch. Basic resupply for snacks and soda.

If you’re looking for a little south of the boarder for the taste buds, this is your stop. Good menu selection, friendly service and great value. TB got nothing on this place!

Good food! Clean, cpmfortable seating, generous portions. Excellent value. A must stop for dinner if staying at the Red Roof across the street.

I second the recommendation!

Concur. Very nice. A welcome change from the traditional grub found along the canal trail. Try the Spicy Orange Beef. Yum Yummmmm….

Great place to jump start your morning. Excellent selection of coffee, espresso, and cappuccinos. Also have large variety of freshly baked goods and breakfast items to go. Friendly staff, very hiker-biker friendly. Must stop and visit.

Anybody know the distance,route to the White House from the DC end of the Towpath? Thanks.

Well, the 0 mile marker is pretty close to the mall, and the mall is pretty close to the White House so.........

Google says 1.3 miles. http://goo.gl/maps/r0UuY

thanks. I guess I could have looked at the pdf map but Im lazy. Just curious how easy it would be to ride over there vs. traffic.

Cumberland. Looking for a campground to say at one night and leave vehicle for a week while we ride. Anyone kn ow of one close?

You can leave your vehicle in the long term lot in Cumberland by registering it at the visitor center. There's a hiker/biker campsite about 5 miles east of Cumberland on the C+O Trail.

The local YMCA allows camping and use of their facility during business hours. There is a minimal cost for non-Y members, but free to members. It's about a mile from the nexus of trail universe...(convergence of GAP/C&O)

I've done several multi day (3-5) rides along the Passage/C&O. I understand fully that the Passage was a rail line and the C&O was a towpath. Hence the difference in trail surface and grading. I'd really like to see the NPS consider making the towpath more user friendly. I know that a lot of people might disagree but my thought is that by grading and installing cruser run/limestone the trail would be apt to draining more effciently and the problems with erosion and ruts might be corrected. I don't feel that this would take away from the historical aspect. I do think it might help perserve the trail. Not looking to start a firestorm just wondering what people think.

All I will say is when I rode it in the rain the trail got miserably muddy and I got tired of puddle jumping.It just wasn't a fun ride at that point. Rideable but not fun.

We have had this discussion with some folks in Cumberland who are associated with the trail town project and the TrailBook. The C&O is a national park and they, (the park), want to keep it the way it is, as much as possible. The trail town folks want to see it developed, as in a business model. Easier passage on the trail they claim will bring more people to it and therefore more people will learn about the national park...everyone wins. Personally I'm on the fence about this. When I am on the C&O I sure do wish it was smoother and dry but when I look back, (through rose colored glasses??), the mud puddles, rocks and roots are what make it the C&O! and not just another trail running by a river.

"The C&O is a national park and they, (the park), want to keep it the way it is, as much as possible."

I can understand not wanting vacation homes, condominiums, water parks, motor home parking lots, etc. springing up along the canal. But why would they object to maintaining the towpath to a higher standard. The cost perhaps?

What would Yosemite be without tremendous, mountainous trails: too difficult to hike for many? Want to hike Yosemite? Get in shape, strap on your pack and get ready to sweat!!Should trails be graded to be made more accessible? Escalators installed? Moving conveyors as in an airport? Historic relates to the preserving of the way it was, not catering to the needs of economic engines or those who find themselves out of their comfort zone. The trail is the way the trail was! Enjoyable, but perhaps not always fun.

Only my opinion. If they don't up grade the C&O (in some sections) they will lose some of it in the next 15 to 25 years. I have only ridden a total of about 100 miles of the towpath and while all the sections where ride-able some sections of the canal was so grown in with trees it did not look like anything existed except a path. What good will it be if that happens. Riding past a lock and a lock house that had been restored was so much nicer then one that was not. Up grading the towpath would mean that a lot more people or families could see the history of the towpath first hand. I don't want to see the history disappear.

Keep in mind that the passage is a lot newer than the C+O. In 50 years they may look the same, who knows.

I'm a thru hiker of the Appalachian Trail. And have hiked several other trails as well. I fully understand "strapping on a pack or straddling a bike and just accepting what the given trail has to offer. My thought was preservation and presentation. Proper maintenance would help preserve the C&O in a useable condition that wouldn't promote more damage. And proper upkeep would allow more usage by a wider group. As I stated I understand the historical significance and I imagine that the money isn't there for vast improvements. I have no problem with the strenuousness of riding the trail and seldom take the elevator or escalator if stairs are available.

I just completed a ride from Pittsburgh to DC along the GAP and C & O towpath. I'm not sure why you would want to change the surface. There are plenty of sidewalks and roads for riding if you require a smooth surface. The Towpath is a unique and interesting destination. Changing the surface to make it easier for a few folks to ride would be disappointing. IMHO

How was the C&O? Did the closure affect you or did you get clear before it hit?

Let me play devil's advocate here.
Wouldn't upgrading the surface of the C+O be like paving roads in the more famous national parks? That's what allows people to drive in and enjoy all there is to enjoy. Personally, it was fine from a hiker's point of view. Maybe more of us ought to walk it, as the mules did :)

B1, I didn't ask for a sidewalk or smooth road. If you'd taken the time to read and understand my post you'd realize that my concerns/thoughts were based solely on preservation and continued use of this popular trail. I've logged close to 6000 miles of Rails To Trails, single track/fire roads, and very little road miles. I've seen trails in the Smokey Mt National Park that through continued use/misuse were rutted as deep as 3'. I'm not talking about "making the trail easy for a few people" I'm talking about the future of the C&O. There are several stretches between Cumberland and Little Orleans that were pretty rough with 4"-6" ruts and large patches of mud that over time will just get worse.

We rode a lot on the C & O in the rain--Little Orleans to Cumberland. Maybe partly due to our tires, but I never felt that I was going to slip, even going through water. The undersurface was sound.

By comparison, I was very unhappy with the GAP between Ohiopyle and Connellsville. There were patches of loose gravel that were very dangerous. I nearly lost control several times. Maybe they were planning on using a machine to press the gravel into place better--but it was scary as it was.

Hi Naismith, I enjoy reading comments and everyone has different views and I respect that. But after reading your last comment I had to LOL, for that I am sorry. Calling the GAP dangerous and scary and the C&O sound was just too funny to me. Both trails for the most part are level and on a solid base. Now I would agree that the dangerous and scary part would come into play if you would go too far left or right and go over the hillside into the river or canal. Well keep riding and keep that sunny side up. These are all just our opinion and we mean well.

I dont think anybody is wanting a total facelift of the TOWPATH, just simply filling in the ruts with a few shovels of gravel would suffice in my opinion. Dont change it, just help it a little bit for people who get tired of riding in mud pulddles all day when it rains.

To be fair, I was not comparing the entire surface of each trail. I specifically found that there were several sections of large loose gravel on the stretch between Ohiopyle and Connellsville that was scary, because it was very slippery and I felt myself starting to lose control several times. I'm a bicycle commuter, so I deal with a lot of different terrain, and I was riding fairly wide Kenda Kross tires that should have dealt with the gravel as well as anything, but it was still slippery.

I realize that we were there late in the season, and this gravel looked new--it could be that machinery was going to come along later to pulverize, grind, or smooth it into place before next summer's season.

But one can be hurt by taking a tumble on a loaded bike, even if it doesn't mean falling over a cliff.

Not to dismiss how you saw the trail, Im just wondering if you just happened to be there a day when they were working on a section of it because I honestly cant remember having any problems thru that area this year.Bet its fine now.

The C&O Canal Trail is prone to extensive flooding throughout the entire system. Any attempt to make it into a rail trail with limestone, etc, would be a waste of money because it would wash out in just one season.
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In today's budget conscious Congress good luck getting funding to make annual repairs. In fact, most of those Tea Baggers would probably like to pull all funding for all parks and recreation.
Let's just keep the historical integrity of the C&O and be happy with the funding we do get. I once asked the Park Service to expand Parking at Little Orleans and the response was that though they would love to expand parking, there is no funding to accomplish it.
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As I mentioned earlier the C&O is prone to extensive Flooding so any investment could wash out in one season. We're darn lucky we were able to get the improvements (after many years) at Big Slackater and you can thank TARP money for that.
Your idea is a good one, but not practical for a 184 mile trail system that borders the Potomac River.

If anyone feels there should be improvements and see the need to clean up debris and fill in mud holes, etc., please feel free to volunteer and help out. Volunteers do most of the heavy lifting on the C&O and they work very hard at it. If any of you are volunteers, thank you!
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Please consider volunteering your time to assist in trail maintenance.

I am riding from Cumberland, MD to DC and would like to use a rental car for return trip. Has anyone rode their bike using the Mount Vernon trail to the car rental location at Reagan Int Airport? I would like to know if the rental location is safely or conveniently accessed by bicycle from the the Mt Vernon trail. Thanks for any info.

I would like to know this also. If you have any info could you shoot me an e-mail?

Jeff, I just did this on my trip this month, although I rented a car and returned to Pittsburgh. Most rental car agencies only do one way rentals to major airport locations, but since I live near the Pittsburgh airport, this was convenient for me. I used Dollar, they had a location that was a few blocks off site of Reagan International. I stayed at a hotel in Arlington which was an easy 7 mile ride entirely on the Custis/Mt Vernon Trails until I got near the Dollar location. Then it was just about 3 blocks on roads, pretty easy and safe.

I think your only option to return to Cumberland is Hertz. I checked into this because of the govt shutdown, in case I could not continue past Cumberland, and Hertz was the only option I found that had a location in Cumberland AND did one way rentals. I think their Arlington location is on airport premises. I don't imagine it would be a problem at all to bike there, since the Mt Vernon Trail literally goes right to the airport entrance.

Hello all, I am preparing to take my first trip on the C&O/GAP trails. I am leaving on May 3, 2014 from Georgetown to Pittsburg, Pa. My question is, when I get to Pittsburg is it logical to think that I can rent a truck or a van that will carry a couple riders and the rigs? Would this be a resource that is somewhat close to the end of the trail? Any help is appreciated.

My husband and I did the opposite direction and rented a one way Budget car to the local office just a few blocks away from the end at Point State Park. Look up rental cars on Stanwix st. in Pittsburgh, and you will find the location. There appeared to be other car rental places available in that general area, but that one was the closest.
We actually arrived in torrential rain, and we were happy to find that the location is in a parking garage, so it made it easy to unload and get set up.

Thanks Angie, I appreciate your input. Gonna check that place out.

We have a reservation to pick up an SUV at the Stanwix St. Budget when we are at the end, so thanks for confirming that might work--and to look for it in the parking garage.

Glad it was helpful. You may know that Budget is owned by/related to Avis, but if not, it will help to know that they don't have a Budget car sign outside, but rather the Avis sign. (We circled the block a few times and were confused, ...had to ask someone on the street.)

Yes, this was incredibly helpful and saved us oodles of time, in the rain. They were good about letting us bring the bikes into the office and down the elevator to our SUV.

How steep is the trail from Cumberland to Frostburg? My 10 year old son and I are doing an out and back there soon and just wondering if it is steep.
thank you

There is an elevation change from 627 to 2070 feet over the 16 miles. The grade is supposed to be never more than 1.5%, but that may be an average. And after Frostburg, there is another 8 miles before the Continental Divide.

This is part of why on our recent trip we never met another person doing the GAP from east to west. Everyone we met was going the other way.

And it is not that they were wimpy to ride that stretch up, but rather that they loved the 18 mph riding downhill into Cumberland:)

This is why we had so many conversations about the WMR train. When they found out we were riding westward, they cautioned us about how challenging that stretch would be, and we explained we were taking the train, and then they warned us it was not taking bikes in October, which isn't true.

Isn't this a restaurant? My nephew and I ate there last July when we cycled from McKeesport to Cumberland. By the way GREAT food, GREAT service, and REASONABLY priced.

I was when we had breakfast there in 2010. I'll second your opinion of it.

My wife and I LOVED Valley Dairy...great ice cream on those hot summer days!

Another plus is that there isn't loud background music and there is great sound absorption, so it is a great place for a quiet conversation, even with someone who wears hearing aids.