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Paw Paw Tunnel
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bikerfromTexas on 8/4/2017 4:48:50 PM:
Has any one seen an update on the potential opening date for the Paw Paw Tunnel. My wife and I will be riding the GAP and C&O in late Sept, early Oct.
 
henry tam from Plano, tx on 9/7/2017 11:45:41 PM:
Just finished a thru ride last week. According to locals, Paw Paw tunnel may delay opening till next year. You have to push your bike up a steep hill . Please expect one hour minimum to cross over.
 
C M B from Ma on 10/3/2017 9:03:26 PM:
Heard rumors of people going thru on the weekends in September. Any confirmation?
 
Jim from Falls Church on 10/5/2017 10:58:20 AM:
I rode from Pittsburgh to DC over Labor Day weekend. You can travel all the way through the tunnel from the north. Once you emerge on the south (east) bound end, the trail was very effectively blocked. We were there on a Saturday, hoping to sneak through on a holiday weekend, but couldn't see a way to get our bikes over the barrier. Perhaps the situation has changed since.
 
Anonymous on 10/5/2017 3:15:56 PM:
We just passed through the area last week--coming from the west, you can enter the tunnel and ride/walk through, but there is a fence at the end, prior to the construction area. There is another fence on the eastern side of the construction blocking access to the tunnel. We spoke to the foreman and he mentioned that they have cameras set up and that people do hop the fence and pass through. Not sure they are doing it with fully loaded bicycles though. We took the detour and it took about an hour and 15 minutes to get our bicycles and 30lbs of gear over. I would suggest if you are planning on taking the detour, take your time, rest frequently on the way up and plan for at least an hour to walk over. View from the top is beautiful! If you are coming from DC to Pittsburgh, I would highly recommend backtracking to the tunnel entrance once you pass over the top. It's only a short ride back to the entrance!
 
Dave B from South Florida on 10/7/2017 8:43:02 AM:
We just completed a round-trip from DC to Pittsburgh to DC in 12 days, fully loaded camping. Going over the bypass DC to Pitt made us look for a road route for the return trip. We were advised very strongly NOT to take the roads. As it turned out, going from Pitt to DC the push over was much easier. I had 52lbs plus on my bike and did it in 31 minutes. I rested and relaxed during the bypass. My friend could have made it in 20 mins but waited for me.

It is a serious push but managable if you take your time, rest often and enjoy the adventure.

DC to Pitt push is very steep and I would pick a tree 10 yards up ahead, rest and do it again until I made it to the top. I didn't time that direction but probably an hour of heart pounding pushing. The trailhead sign even says it is a strenous hike for hikers!

All that said, don't be afraid and I don't recommend the shuttle service unless you have a physical issue. Just do it slowly, one chunk at a time and enjoy your adventure!
 
Steven Gaub from Lakewood on 10/7/2017 8:55:33 PM:
I am 75 and I was under a roof every night; I had cold weather and rain gear so my load was around 40 lb. I did the Historic Potomac as an add-on which added weight to my pack. I had 6 other people around me all 55 and over. It took all of us around 2 hours. Even the people with only daily necessaries were working hard on the trail. Doable but a bit of a task.
 
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