Reply to Detours for the GAP & C&O trails between May 20 to 28th, 2024

I appreciate a reliable source indicating what detours will be along the GAP & C&O trails between May 20 to 28th, 2024.
Thanks for everyone's help.

At present there are no scheduled detours on the GAP during this touring season. There may be some ongoing trail resurfacing work between Smithton and Connellsville but no detour is required. You can monitor trail conditions for the GAP online at the gaptrail.org website.

As for the C&O, there are no significant detours at this time requiring lengthy on-road detours. You can monitor the trail conditions o along the C&O at the NPS.gov website. Note the “detours” currently shown there are not new or significant.

A couple of notes of caution include that the referenced websites for the GAP and C&O are not maintained in immediate real time. There can be lags in their information. Also, spring brings weather and storms that can result in detours of varying degrees. The GAP is not subject to flooding outside downtown Pittsburgh but can sustain fallen trees due to high winds. Short of major damage from tornadoes, isolated downed trees are usually cleared quickly. You may have to lift your bike over a fallen tree however if it has not been cleared. The C&O is vulnerable to flood damage in various locations where it passes near river level and can require detours of varying lengths on road. Thus, you should refer to the referenced websites above if major weather events have occurred. That said, the best and most timely trail condition information comes from fellow travelers you encounter having come from the opposite direction.