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Current conditions and water availability


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ST on 6/25/2020 10:20:43 PM:
Hi all - looking for recent reports of towpath condition and especially water availability. I realize that NPS publishes info on both of these items but I’m interested in up-to-date, real-world experiences.

I’m planning a solo trip from Cumberland to DC on Monday and am aiming to travel light. If there is really poor water availability or trail conditions I will consider postponing.

Thanks!
 
Bracken from Raleigh on 6/27/2020 4:37:22 AM:
Hi ST,
I just completed the trail from DC to Pitt last week (June 12-20). There was no water between Cumberland and Hancock. You would need to refill bottles in Hancock because your next source wouldn’t be until somewhere just before Harpers Ferry when pump handles start showing up. From Harpers Ferry to DC almost all the pumps are working.

I wasn’t sure about water availability on my trip and carried 4 liters on the bike. It worked well for camping/ cooking/ drinking, and wasn’t too cumbersome.
Hope this helps!
Bracken
 
Bracken from Raleigh on 6/27/2020 4:37:23 AM:
Hi ST,
I just completed the trail from DC to Pitt last week (June 12-20). There was no water between Cumberland and Hancock. You would need to refill bottles in Hancock because your next source wouldn’t be until somewhere just before Harpers Ferry when pump handles start showing up. From Harpers Ferry to DC almost all the pumps are working.

I wasn’t sure about water availability on my trip and carried 4 liters on the bike. It worked well for camping/ cooking/ drinking, and wasn’t too cumbersome.
Hope this helps!
Bracken
 
Anonymous on 6/27/2020 12:23:25 PM:
We did the entire 184.5 miles in one day yesterday from Cumberland to DC. It had rained on Thursday afternoon, so there were standing puddles in the beginning of the towpath, and again for about 10 miles going into Riley's Lock. The puddle-dodging made it hard to establish a rhythm and definitely slowed us down. I would anticipate the puddles would be dry by today, and definitely by Monday, barring any additional rain. Most water pumps were open. We each started out with 2 liters of Gatorade in our Camelbacks. We filled up our Camelbacks twice at the pumps. We never came even close to running out of fluids at any time. We also washed the mud off our bikes at the pump. Bring your bug spray because the bugs started coming out in the afternoon, and glasses if you plan on doing any nighttime riding. Swarms of gnats flew into our face as rode the last 4 miles. They kept flying into my mouth, so I had to breathe through the nose instead.

 
John W. from Pittsburgh,PA on 6/28/2020 5:55:21 AM:
Same here. I got on the C&O at Whites Ferry and Indian Flats and Calico Rocks did not have handles. Bald Eagle Island did. Also Huckleberry Hill did not, Antietem Creek (pay campsite) had a handle but it wouldn’t pump (like the handle needs fixed). Killiansburg Cave was also missing a handle. Horseshoe Bend and Big Woods did have handles. I stayed at North Mountain and it’s handle is missing.

In short, do not rely on Pump water being available. There seems to be more handles missing than ones with them.

If your traveling the C&O, bring extra bottled water from town.
 
John W. from Pittsburgh,PA on 6/28/2020 5:59:15 AM:
Trail surface conditions are excellent! Whites Ferry to Sheperdstown has the lovely new surface and wow what an improvement. More of this please! GAP like smooth and zero puddles.

Sheperdstown to Williamsport is the “old” surface but other than a few Random mud spots it too has been pretty dry (no water puddles).
 
ST on 6/28/2020 6:30:43 AM:
Thanks, guys, very helpful! I’m sure there will be puddles in spots given the thunderstorms in DC this weekend but sounds like conditions should be decent with reasonable water availability. I will definitely bring some extra but grateful to not need the whole day’s worth. Very excited for this trip!
 
Anonymous on 7/6/2020 10:30:08 AM:
ST, how did your ride go?
 
ST on 7/9/2020 10:04:48 PM:
Ride was excellent. Started at about 3:20am and was slowed down considerably by muddy spots in the first 10 miles or so but pretty smooth sailing after that. I found the NPS site updates on water availability to be mostly accurate. Weather was pretty good considering the season and I made it to Georgetown in about 16 hours, plus another hour to ride home. Great way to get out during all that is going on right now!
 
Anonymous on 7/9/2020 10:41:40 PM:
Awesome! Congrats!
 
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