Reply to Camping and Food Beta for GAP

This is exciting but sudden! I recently [June 6-12] biked the Erie Canalway Trail End-to-end. The GAP had my attention and I figured I could easily jump on and do the 150 mile as I have all the gear figured out and ready at a moment. So... I just booked rail passage for my bike and myself on the only day [and last rack] I could find in the near future. So... next Wednesday I will be on the trail Pittsburgh to Cumberland.

I'm looking for info about camping along the trail. I'm open to suggestions in campgrounds, State Parks or trail-side. I'm cool with somewhat renegade camping wherever it is semi-acceptable -- that's how I did the ECT.

Also looking for understanding about food. Are there convenient stores or places to purchase food, water, etc. along the trail? On my recent tour I carried some food, but was able to eat well in towns along the Canalway. Hoping for the same.

Thanks in advance. Any other info any posters here care to share to make the tour safe and enjoyable, please sound off as I will have limited time to fully research maps, etc.
-bubba

PS - info about parking in PGH would be helpful. Deals available or special places. Hoping I don't have to pay $30/day to park!

i camped in connelsville,at the adirondack shelters. a;so there is campgrounds in ohiopyle state park.

i rode cumberland to pittsburgh camping only one night.

WNYBubba! Welcome to the C&O/GAP forums. I’ve seen many of your posts on the Erie Canal version of this site. Welcome to the Dark Side! ; - )

The GAP has four free camping sites: Dravos Landing (Mile 122), Cedar Creek Park (Mile 110), Roundbottom (Mile 100), and Connellsville (Mile 88). Connellsville has a grocery store and restaurants within walking distance. The other three are a bit more remote and you need to either eat before you arrive or bring food to camp. I’m not sure about Dravos but the others have some Adirondack shelters if you can snag one.

Here’s a great map of the GAP:
https://gaptrail.org/system/resources/W1siZiIsIjIwMTkvMDYvMjUvMTUvNTQvNTIvNDUyL2dhcF9tYXBfd2ViLnBkZiJdXQ/gap_map_web.pdf no

There are other campgrounds but they are pay sites. In Meyersdale, the Festival Park is really Nice for $15 and has showers, real bathroom, and a Sheetz and a diner within walking distance. You can even pitch your tent on the Covered band shelter if you want.

The state park campground at Ohiopyle has a brutal hill to get up like a 1/3rd Mile Steep grade so I leave that up the person themselves if they’re comfortable taking that on. That’s the only one people have said to avoid but I’ve never camped there.

Food situation is like the Erie Canal. Towns typically have Restaurants and c-stores to get provisions. The GAP water fountains were all on during my just completed trip so that is a good thing. You will eat well with some planning. With Covid going on, you may want to phone ahead and make sure they’re open.

Scroll down in this forum as many threads address the parking in downtown Pittsburgh options.. I’m sure others will chime in shortly.

The beginning/end of the trail in Pittsburgh is the medallion in the ground the very tip of Point State Park.

You will absolutely love the downhill from the continental divide to Cumberland! Great scenery and eaaaaasy peddling.

I really enjoyed your recaps of your recent Erie Canal trip. So we’ll done!

Welcome aboard...

John W.

@John W. Thanks for the info and warm welcome! This should be a fun run... especially now knowing about the downhill into Cumberland. [I'm a snowboarder so I know the "dark side" pretty well! LOL]

Interesting that the free campsites are clustered together. Be nice if they were 50 miles apart. I should have time to research and find places as I again plan to ride about 50 miles a day with no stress [except for the heat that long-range forecasts say high 80's].

Also so great that food is pretty easy to come by along the trail. I enjoyed ECT and being able to stop for lunch and run into small towns for dinner take-out in the evening. That worked nicely, so hoping for the same.

So you just did the PGH -> Cumberland GAP? Very cool. Are you planning on riding the Canal Trail?
-bubba

WNYBubba,

Not this summer, I don’t think there will be any more week long summer trips for me this year. Strictly down to the odd after work trip or weekend days out. I do want to get back up and see the paved parts from the Tonawandas to Lockport. Maybe ride Niagara again if the border ever opens back up.

Good luck on your GAP planning. Have you picked nightly camping spots yet?

John

WNYBUbba,

First Ave Parking structure is convenient for your parking. There are other city parking locations in downtown as well. See link

http://www.pittsburghparking.com/first-avenue-garage-and-station

Enjoy the ride.

Ed

Yes, all looks good. I'm going to park at the Homestead Mall area and leave my vehicle ["trailhead" park/sleep] Tuesday and take off on Wed AM. Take Three River Trail into PGH, pick up GAP and ride back past Homestead and onto Cedar Creek campground in Smithton for nite. Outflow Campgrond in Confluence the next, Trail Inn Campground in Frostburg on Friday nite and then into Cumberland on Saturday. If all goes well, I've got most of the day in Cumberland before the 7:30 PM train to PGH. It gives me nearly a day in case of any issues on the trail, so I'm happy with little stress getting things to play out correctly.

Once back in PGH I'll lock up my bike somewhere and grab an Uber to Homestead and pick up my vehicle and drive back into PGH to grab my bike and head home [maybe grab a nite sleep on the road after I leave town]. I have a van equipped with cot so I'm nicely self contained. I'm not sure what the trail to Homestead is like, but maybe I can ride at night with a lights. Surely it looks to be through urban areas.

Your advise and experience and offering suggestions to any of the above welcome and appreciated. [Or anyone else reading this!]
-bubba

wnybubba:

I live in Homestead. If you park at the so-called Waterfront Shopping area in Homestead as you indicated, I recommend you park in one of the hotel parking lots, Costco store parking lot, Giant Eagle grocery lot or the Lowes lot. These should be the safest places to leave your van for a week in that shopping area.

Note the GAP trail or so-called Steel Valley Trail portion thereof passes right through that shopping area and since it is only 8 miles to downtown and Point State Park where the GAP Trail literally begins, you could ride into to the Point and back to Homestead on Tuesday after you arrive and then start out directly from Homestead
onward on the GAP Trail. From Homestead, Cedar Creek Park is less than 30 miles so you could consider going beyond to stay in Connellsville which is 50 miles from Homestead and has trailside camping albeit with now showers. (The nearby KOA in Adelaide also has tent camping which has showers and a pool albeit for a fee.)

Note that there is a rather long uphill ride from the GAP Trail up into the town at Frostburg where the Trail Inn Campground is located. Since it is a very easy 16-mile downhill ride on the Trail from Frostburg to Cumberland you might want to consider riding on down to Cumberland and camp at the YMCA there which also provides access to there air-conditioned facility and showers, Just make sure they are open with the pandemic.

The trail is posted as usable from dawn to dusk but the trail into and out of Homestead is paved and would otherwise be rideable at night with a decent light.

If you'd like some company or guidance in or about Homestead Pittsburgh and beyond, just drop me a note at:

Rivnuts@yahoo.com

If you have other specific questions about the GAP, don't hesitate to contact me.

I parked near the Amtrak station GreyHound bldg. For 6 days it was $67.00

wnybubba:

How was your GAP experience? Hope it went well!

John