man910 from DC on 6/20/2023 2:51:04 AM:
For future reference, if you take a detour at Billy Goat Trail. You can then get a bite to eat at Anglers Inn across from the trail and return to the C&O Canal Towpath Trail. However, if you are tired of the C&O canal, you can ride on MacArthur Blvd, which has a paved bike lane. About 3.5 miles down, you will come upon MacArthur Plaza where you can find several places to refuel. And less than half a mile from the plaza is a convenience store, Captins Market. And about 1.7 miles from there is Glen Echo Park, which contains an Irish pub and a bakery.
After about 7 miles riding on paved road, you will do a short climb. This is where you will need to take the crosswalk to get over to the paved Little Falls Stream Valley Trail in order to connect to the paved Capital Crescent Trail, which will take you directly into Thompson's Boat Center. If, for whatever reason, you wanted to get back onto the C&O Canal Towpath Trail, there are several opportunities for you to do so while riding the Capital Crescent Trail.