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The C&O Canal Towpath Trail and Great Allegheny Passage

Bike trail Maryland area


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James from Frederick on 4/25/2019 1:56:40 PM:
I was wondering if the trail was all paved or is some parts of the trail gravel or something else?

 
Rivnuts from Homestead. PA on 4/25/2019 7:21:19 PM:
Literally speaking there is virtually no paving on the GAP Trail and C&O Canal Towpath Trail in Maryland between the Mason Dixon Line and Washington, DC. There is perhaps a couple of miles of pavement approaching Cumberland from the north.

That said there are two sections of trails that parallel the Towpath itself that are paved. These are the Western Maryland Rail Trail and the Capital Crescent Trail. The former is about 22 miles long (approximately 11 miles on either side of Hancock, MD) and the latter is about the last 3 miles into DC.

There is a, maybe, a couple of miles of paving near Big Pool where the original Towpath was washed out and a causeway constructed as a permanent repair.

All the remainder is crushed stone or compacted earth with roots and small gravel/rocks in route.




 
Rivnuts from Homestead. PA on 4/26/2019 7:20:49 AM:
Correction: That causeway is between Williamsport and Sharpsburg beginning around Cedar Grove as you head south.

 
Cenzo from Hatfield PA on 4/26/2019 6:41:10 PM:
I believe all of the big slackwater section is concrete due to a washout some decades ago. I believe that section is about 3 miles. Other than that if you are on the towpath, you are either on dirt or compacted cinders.