Reply to Appreciate you thoughts on our GAP/C&O plan

Howdy from Texas,

I'm in the early stages of planning for my wife and I's rookie trip down both trails. I'm a very experienced bike packer but it will be my wife's first tour so we're planning to credit card tour the entire trip from Pittsburg to DC. She is an experienced rider though.

We haven't set a start date but we'll likely start around mid to late September (possibly into October) and plan to do it in 7 days averaging roughly 40-60 miles per day. We're not too concerned about rain/mud as we've got the gear and experience to trudge through if necessary.

Day 1 - Pittsburgh to Perryopolis (47 miles)
Day 2 - Perryopolis to Confluence (40 miles) (shuttle to Fallingwater mid-ride)
Day 3 - Confluence to Cumberland (61 miles)
Day 4 - Cumberland to Little Orleans (43 miles)
Day 5 - Little Orleans to Williamsport (41 miles) (visit Fort Frederick and/or Antietam)
Day 6 - Williamsport to Brunswick (45 miles)
Day 7 - Brunswick to DC (55 miles)

I'd appreciate any thoughts from the more experienced trail riders on our initial plan, as well as any suggestions for interesting side trips, restraints, pubs, towns, hotels or B&B's, or just anything we should try not to miss while in the area.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Mid to late September is, in my opinion, the ideal time to make this trip. While early to mid-October is usually nice as well, there can be an occasional quite cool evening/morning along the way especially at the higher elevations on the GAP, say from Garret to the Continental Divide.

Your itinerary is fine. While your longest day is 61 miles from Confluence to Cumberland, the last 22 miles is a very easy downhill ride.

Most of your overnight towns have multiple options for overnight accommodations. I've stayed successfully at the following but I confess I have a fairly low bar for one night sleeps but I don't necessarily seek them out.

Perryopolis - The Inn at Lenora's (slightly uphill off the trail)
Cumberland - Fairfield Inn (directly on the trail)
Little Orleans - Town Hill Bed & Breakfast (Off trail with shuttle)
Williamsport - Red Roof Inn (Uphill off the trail, Elmwood Farm B&B (off trail with shuttle)
Brunswick - Travel Lodge (Uphill off)

You may want to consider the two paved parallel trails, the WMRT and the Capital Crescent Trail, if your tire of the natural surface of the C&O.


Some additional sites worth seeing or noting might include:


Pittburgh Steelers Training Facility leaving Pittsburgh
Various remnants of, and one operating, steel mill leaving Pittsburgh
The restored train stations along the way in West Newton, Meyersdale and Cumberland
The falls and rapids in Ohiopyle
The Eastern Continental Divide and the Big Savage Tunnel after Deal, PA
The Paw Paw Tunnel near Paw Paw WV
Bill's Place in Little Orleans (if open)
The college towns of Shepherdstown and Frostburg
Beans in the Belfry Cafe in Brunswick
The Great Falls near Potomac
Milepost 0 in DC (if you can find it)

I could go on and on since there are so many but I suggest that first time riders of the GAP/C&O take some time to read about the history of each of those trails to better appreciate all the towns, sites and features along the way.

If you have other or more specific questions, feel free to drop a note.

Thanks Rivnuts for your comments.

Interestingly, I already have the Inn @ Lenora's on my list of places to try to stay.

After doing some more research last night and this morning, should we be concerned that we may be getting to Little Orleans on a day that Bill's Place is closed (early in the week)? Assuming of course that we can get a room at TownHill.

Thanks

Lenora's place is about as close as any from the trail. Although its been a few years since I stayed there, I assume that Lenora and her husband still operate the Inn. Both she and her husband Bob are characters and very nice. Lenora was an accomplished chef so you may want to consider having dinner there as well as the normal breakfast at the B&B.

Bill's Place is just a simple restaurant. There is no lodging there. Finding Bill's Place open these days seems rather hit or miss. Since Bill died several years, operation of the place is seemingly sporadic. If it is not open, you really haven't missed a whole lot. Bill and his personality made the place a notable landmark along the trail but it is not what it once was. If open, you can still get a sandwich and a cold drink there on your way to Hancock. However, I'd plan to have something to eat or drink with me and not rely on it being open.

Town Hill is a few miles off the trail which is not an issue with the shuttle. It used to be known for its tomato pie when its previous owner, Dave, operated the inn. He had planned to transfer the operation to his daughter. Hopefully she still offers that unusual culinary item.

Thank you Rivnuts! Very helpful comments and suggestions. My daughter lives in DC and I am planning a similar ride also in September.
I want to ride the whole GAP trail but might consider skipping parts of the C&O (I've ridden on it before). Hard to tell if any paved roads are safe for riding. Wouldn't mind riding through Antietam Battlefield. Also Considering bailing near Brunswick and riding rte 690 to Purcellville and then onto the W&OD rail trail.
Any thoughts, warnings, or recommendations for paved roads along the C&O (besides the WMRT).

To clarify: when I say "skip", I mean get off the towpath and ride roads.

KE from Oakland:

There aren't any roads carrying motorized traffic on the C&O unless you get off of it such as to ride over to the Antietam Battlefield. Even the WMRT and the Capital Crescent Trail near DC, which are indeed paved, carry no motorized vehicle traffic. Similarly, there are only a few, lightly-travelled blocks outside Pittsburgh where a cyclist can encounter cars. The GAP and C&O is a very safe long distance trail.

I have taken Rt 690 north out of Purcellville and continuing on Rts, 711, 716, 719, 751, 9, 671 and 340 to Harpers Ferry on a return ride from DC to Pittsburgh via the WOD out of DC in 2019. As I recall Rt 340 was clearly the most heavily travelled and a little anxious but wasn't a long distance. The rest were 2-lane state/county roads with not a lot of traffic but some twists and turns. I have not ridden from Brunswick to Purcellville.

If only, Whites Ferry were still in operation as junping off the C&O and catching the WOD in Leesburg was very easy and straight forward albeit with a modicum of traffic on Bus Rt 15.

Not sure I answered your question. If not or have others, feel free to drop another note on this forum. Since September is my favorite time to make the full trip, perhaps we'll cross paths on the trail and, of course, beware of the walnuts!