Reply to Rest/Skip day

Hi, a group of us will be riding the entire 350 mile trail in mid October next year. We would like to schedule a rest/skip day to enjoy our surrounds. What locations have the most to offer along the route?
Thanks for the feedback.

That's a new and intriguing question. Which direction you plan to make the trip and the weather during the trip would likely impact your choice. That said, here are some thoughts:

1. Cumberland, MD is the largest town directly on the trail and offers multiple lodging and food options. The town itself is not particularly overwhelming but you might find a fall excursion trip up the hill on the Western Maryland Railroad to Frostburg, MD to be nice.
2. Ohiopyle, PA is a colorful stopover in the fall and a side trip to Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater home is a rather unique architectural entity.
3. Harpers Ferry, WV offers an opportunity to visit one of the well known sites from the Civil War. It's a small, quaint little historic town.
4. Great Falls, MD has an impressive set of waterfalls in the Potomac River and a working canal lock to see how the canal was traversed in its day. However there is no lodging at the falls themselves.
5. While not logistically consistent with a layover/rest day, the two terminus cities of Pittsburgh and Washington, DC offer all sorts of diverse sightseeing options which you should take advantage of it you have not visited one or both cities.

These are just some of my thoughts. Depending on what your interests are, there may be several others. I'm sure other contributors to this forum will have other suggestions as well.

Thanks for the suggestions! We will be riding from Pittsburgh to DC. Much appreciated. so many things to do..wish we could do them all!

Given you are going to travel from Pittsburgh to DC and assuming you are planning a 6 or 7 day trip, a layover in Cunberland would be my recommendation. It will accommodate larger groups, is about midway and s right on the trail. There are several food, lodging, laundry and bike shop options on or near the trail making it a good layover/rest option for your itinerary.

Spend a little time prior to your trip to read about the histories of the GAP and C&O trails to enjoy the trip and sites as much as possible n your short times there.

Best wishes for a great trip.

I appreciate you taking the time to help us with this decision. Cumberland has a lot of things to do and see.

Given you are going to travel from Pittsburgh to DC and assuming you are planning a 6 or 7 day trip, a layover in Cunberland would be my recommendation. It will accommodate larger groups, is about midway and s right on the trail. There are several food, lodging, laundry and bike shop options on or near the trail making it a good layover/rest option for your itinerary.

Spend a little time prior to your trip to read about the histories of the GAP and C&O trails to enjoy the trip and sites as much as possible n your short times there.

Best wishes for a great trip.

Don't forget Antietam, Civil war battlefield between Harpers Ferry and Williamsport.

Other suggestions might spring up reading the C&O -Gap Trailguide. It is 10 dollars well spent.

I have a place that can be used for one year if you put a new 100 amp b ox in. That's all I'm asking. You just put the utilities in your name. I have the cutest little place to use for your fishing, hiking, biking stone's throw from the Yough and short walk to the German Club. Rostraver Township. Get in touch with me. Put Yough River in subject line and I will be watching.

I would suggest either Ohiopyle or Shepherdstown for a zero day.

A stay in Ohiopyle will allow you plenty of time to visit and enjoy Fallingwater or Kentuck Knob or both. Not sure how late into the season the rafting goes, but that is another option of things to do while there.

I would recommend Shepherdstown because it is close enough to Antietam that you could definitely visit that, but I found that Shepherdstown is a much more interesting town than Sharpsburg and offers a lot of options in regards to dining. If you didn’t want to ride back to Antietam, I believe the bike shop in town offers a shuttle.

I would suggest either Ohiopyle or Shepherdstown for a zero day.

A stay in Ohiopyle will allow you plenty of time to visit and enjoy Fallingwater or Kentuck Knob or both. Not sure how late into the season the rafting goes, but that is another option of things to do while there.

I would recommend Shepherdstown because it is close enough to Antietam that you could definitely visit that, but I found that Shepherdstown is a much more interesting town than Sharpsburg and offers a lot of options in regards to dining. If you didn’t want to ride back to Antietam, I believe the bike shop in town offers a shuttle.

Thanks, we have settled on Shepherdstown.