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The C&O Canal Towpath Trail and Great Allegheny Passage
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Leslie from Roberts Montana on 3/13/2024 1:00:35 PM:
I was interested in getting a report on the condition of the C&O towpath and the GAP from anyone that has ridden it recently. I am mostly wondering about the technical difficulty as I am still on the mend after a knee replacement
 
Rivnuts from Homestead, PA on 3/13/2024 5:37:12 PM:
The GAP rail trail and the C&O Towpath are some of the easiest of the longer distance bike routes. These trails are car-free and have no steep climbs now that the Paw Paw Tunnel has reopened. Aside from the first 19 miles leaving Pittsburgh and the 25+ miles of the Western Maryland Rail Trail (WMRT) that is parallel to the C&O Towpath around Hancock MD, the trails are typically smooth, crushed gravel. There are a few sections of the C&O towpath with some exposed rocks and roots but they are really issues. Hence these trails are not technical at all in my opinion. That said, the trails and especially the C&O Towpath between Cumberland and Little Orleans can become soft if not sloppy after steady rain fall.

If it gives you any peace of mind, I made the first of my ten trips between Pittsburgh and DC only eight weeks after my knee replacement and it was my butt and not my knee that caused the most discomfort. :-)
 
Rivnuts from Homestead, PA on 3/13/2024 5:40:41 PM:
Correction:

"There are a few sections of the C&O towpath with some exposed rocks and roots but they are NOT really issues."
 
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