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The C&O Canal Towpath Trail and Great Allegheny Passage

Thoughts on Itinerary


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Don from Newtown Square PA on 1/27/2022 10:05:18 PM:
My preference is to ride from DC to Pittsburgh, though more popular is the reverse direction. Yes, the 17 miles after Cumberland is a long haul uphill at 2%, but you get it over in one fell swoop and can enjoy a much longer descent. More importantly, the GAP is a much better trail surface, and I prefer to get the narrow single track, and sometimes muddy C&O out of the way and behind me. As to itinerary, I did Six Days, Georgetown to Harpers Ferry to Hancock to Cumberland to Rockwood to Connellsville to Pittsburgh. Advise to ride fewer miles on day you do Ohiopyle and enjoy the town. I did credit card accommodations with no problem.

 
John W. from Pittsburgh, PA on 1/28/2022 9:29:16 AM:
Good itinerary.

As I’ve aged, I’ve stretched my GAP/C&O trips from 5 days to 6 days so I can enjoy the scenery more…not to mention my body recovers better with less miles!

Each direction has its pros/cons….so it’s a wash even though I prefer to end in DC because I live in Pittsburgh.

I always try to take a dip in the river at Ohiopyle…for sure a nice stop.

John

 
ZP from Los Angeles on 1/28/2022 7:52:21 PM:
Thanks for posting this - I was ruminating on the very same itinerary for a trip in May. Glad to see I was on the right track! Enjoy your trip.

 
Bill in Houston from Houston on 1/31/2022 12:03:48 PM:
Nice idea. I get kind of beat down and more error-prone at the end of a trip. Better to do the tricky parts first.