Reply to Side Trip to Antietam Battlefield - Request for Info/Recommendations

Although I've ridden several trips from Pgh to DC, I've not visited the Antietam Battlefield. Hence, I'm adding an extra day to my itinerary this month to make a side trip to Antietam and back to Shepherdstown to visit my favorite bakery. What might be the best way to visit the Battlefield on a bike? Any suggestions as to the best route to/from the Battlefield, difficulty, cost, safety, etc. would be appreciated. It looks like an uphill ride for a couple of mile or so to get there via Mondel and Dunker Church Roads. Also any suggestions or comments about points of interest in the Battlefield itself and in Sharpsburg in route back to the Towpath via Harpers Ferry Road would be appreciated.

In the meantime, I'm going to brush up on the Civil War history there to learn about the battles to better appreciate what I see there.

Thanks in advance for you thoughts and recommendations.

Although I haven’t taken the route from the C&O to the battlefield, I found this website that may help you out:
https://civilwarcycling.com/battlefields/antietam/routes/

There is a section that gives some directions.

Enjoy your trip!

Thanks a lot for that link. That is exactly the kind of info I was looking for.

BTW: I’ve met a number of folks on the GAP Trail leaving Pittsburgh this season to think that Cleveland is perhaps an unexpected hotbed of cycling tourists. I guess that’s not surprising with its proximity to not only the GAP but also the OTET, Erie Canal Towpath and flatlands and trails west of Cleveland..

Our Antietam layover day was a highlight of our GAP-C&O tour two years or so ago. We started the day with a ride up the towpath to Mondell, and then rode the steep hill up to the Cornfield (Monel/Dunker Church roads), which is where the day's battle began. I expect that the maps linked above have some great insights on battlefield highlights, of which there are many. Our day generally followed the flow of the battle and we made our way down to Burnside Bridge. We found that Miller's Sawmill Road was a good way to return to Shepherdstown; it has less traffic and dumps you onto the paved road paralleling the towpath for your return to the base of the bridge to cross the river back into town. The battlefield is very interesting and you might enjoy staying for more than one day.

Huberww:

Thanks for that info.

Rivnuts

Hopefully I'm not too late with this info, and if so, someone else may find it helpful in the future.
Assuming that you're coming from PGH to DC--I'd exit the towpath at mile 80.1.
- Take the little wooden bridge onto Taylor's Landing Road.
- Continue straight onto Bowie. After you cross a tiny stream, continue RIGHT on Bowie. Don't panic, the hill is short.
- Turn LEFT onto Mondel at the top of the hill. Mondel also goes right and into Sharpsburg.
- In about a mile you will cross Route 65 into the battlefield. If you've done your homework, it's pretty easy to navigate and feel your way around. Nice views from the top of the "Lookout tower".
-Make sure that you continue past the tower and cross Route 34 to see Burnside Bridge and "the other half" of the battlefield.

How you choose to get back to the towpath will depend on how you answer the following question: "Do you like ice cream?". If so, take Harpers Ferry Road into Sharpsburg and stop at NUTTERS. I believe that they are only open from 2-8, and closed on Mondays.

Options to get back, and I believe you'd like to end up in Shepherdstown.
- Millers Sawmill is a nice ride back DOWN to the towpath. Some coming the other direction might find it a little challenging. You will then have a couple miles on Canal Road or the towpath back upriver. Steep hill on Canal Road to Route 34.
- Route 34 is "bikeable", but it wouldn't be my first, second, or third choice. Narrow shoulder and cars going 50+ mph.
- If you go into Sharpsburg and stop at Nutters, you can cross Route 34, go a couple blocks to W Chapline St, and connect onto Snyders Landing Road for your return. This will put you on the towpath about 4 miles upriver from Shepherdstown.

Hopefully you find this helpful and not too confusing. Any questions, I'll try to respond and be as helpful as I can.

CORRECTION..........I've only biked and run the area a couple hundred times......brain fart.

You would exit the towpath at Mile 81.1 !!!!!

Although you could technically exit around 80.1 and take the little dirt path straight onto Bowie.

Sorry Folks for the mixup.

DG:

Your timing was perfect. I'm leaving Pgh for DC next week. Your insight and experience in this area is much appreciated. I think I'll follow your recommendation on where to exit the Towpath in route to the Battlefield. With that I can finalize my route around/through the Battlefield. The return to the Towpath via Snyders Landing Road or Millers Sawmill Road will likely be a gametime decision.

What is absolutely firm at this time is to stop at Nutters! Burkholder's Baked Goods may be a second stop also.

Thanks so much.

Rivnuts

Enjoy your trip. It'll be interesting to hear how it goes this time. They have finally started "improvements" on the Western MD Rail Trail. You'll likely find sections closed. It appears that they are cutting the roots along the trail that have burrowed underneath before they begin to repave. The project won't be finished till next summer.
Also, you should find sections of the towpath resurfaced. The couple mile stretch along Big Pool no longer has roots that may eject you from the saddle. Let us know when you finish, or as you progress, your thoughts this time. And, enjoy you ice cream!
Travel safely,
DG

DG from Hagerstown:

Ok, so I made it up to the Antietam Battlefield on my loaded bike albeit not taking the best route. I took Taylor’s Landing Road to Rt 65. And yes I did walk up portions up those hills. (I should have stayed on Bowie Road to Mondell Road but I felt adventurous. How stupid of me.)

I basically rode the tour route of the notable battle sites and landmarks including DOWN to Burnside Bridge. And yes, what goes down must come up. But I was heartened knowing that Nutters was soon to be found. But my hopes were squashed when the sign on the door said CLOSED! So I made up for it by riding to Shepherdstown via Rt 34 to my favorite bakery after lunching at the Blue Moon Cafe there.

As for the WMRT surface, it was notably better even though they have just simply milled the paved surface to remove the raised areas where the roots had grown beneath. Though they have yet to place new asphalt in those areas yet, it was a much more comfortable ride before and after the closed sections. More on that later as well as the Towpath closure in that area. It appeared as though they have/are grinding down along each side of the WMRT to cut those roots so they don’t grow back…at least for a while.

Rivnuts

Glad to hear that you found your way thru Antietam. You really did not make a bad choice by going up Taylor's Landing Road. Bowie and Mondell Roads have a series of "challenging" hills.....not long, not excessively steep......but challenging.
Sorry to hear that Nutters was closed when you went by. They are only open 2-8pm (I believe), and they are CASH ONLY. However, if you had $5 on you, your belly would've been satisfied for the rest of the day.
You made the right call to get to Shepherdstown. Route 34 is the most direct route and bikeable. It can just be a little busy at times.
I've been on it a half dozen times this summer, but on my road bike so I can get thru there quickly. Snyder's Landing Road is best if you wanna head "upriver". Miller's Sawmill is best if you're heading to DC.
If you were biking between Weverton (58) and DC (0) last Friday, there's a 100% chance that we crossed paths. After asking 5 or 6 guys if they liked their ice cream from Nutter's, and getting a blank stare like I had my head screwed on backwards, I stopped asking.
Glad to hear that you discovered the paw paws, and I too am old enough to know who "Mikey" is. Ain't LIFE grand???

I was between Cumberland and Hancock last Friday.