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We just finished the GAP trail & C&O towpath 9/20 from Pittsburgh to DC. We took 8 days and our days ranged between 32 miles to 63 miles. Highly recommend this trail. Well maintained, accessible and clean port a John’s, always had plenty of toilet paper and were frequent enough to remove any anxiety about not being able to relieve yourself in privacy. Potable water was available along the trail which we still used a filter just to be safe. Beautiful trail, friendly riders and towns to visit. We rented a full sized SUV in DC and dropped it off at the Budget on Stanwix St just two blocks from fountain starting point. Worked perfectly to get going on our ride without delay.
This is probably the most I could handle on a bike ride. We rode the GAP and C&O back to back like many do in 8 days. It was great fun but the C&O is noticeably rougher, fewer port-a-Johns and very scarce potable water sources. On our 7th day from Williamsport to Brunswick we ran out of water midway and rode the remaining 25 miles without water. Fortunately the shade offered by the beautiful canopy of trees made it bearable. We made sure to load up on extra water on our final day. The mix of loose sand that caught us by surprise & the larger stones on the trail made for a more challenging ride than expected. On the one rainy day we had from Cumberland to Little Orleans, some of the puddles we encountered offered a new sense of “oh dear” as we didn’t know how deep the hole we were riding thru when there was no room to go around the puddle.
I just completed the entire GAP. It was well worth it. The trail was in good shape and there was not too much traffic. I’d like to do it again.
Very relaxing and easy to walk, stroll a buggy or ride a bike.
Biked from Hancock to Little Orleans and return on August 30, 2025. Distance: 34.5 miles. Stopped for lunch at Bill's Place in Little Orleans and got good food and friendly service. The paved portion of the trail is in excellent condition -- thanks to the Maryland Park Service for recently repaving the trail. The only negative is the 3-mile detour on the C & O Canal towpath around the abandoned Indigo tunnel. The towpath detour is unpaved and has a rougher surface than the trail. The nearly one-mile long tunnel was closed in 2010 to protect a handful of bats allegedly living inside. The tunnel is an engineering marvel that should be seen and experienced by humans. Opening it to trail users would help the economically depressed Western Maryland area. For example, the equally-long Blue Ridge Tunnel in Afton, Virginia, draws about 50,000 visitors annually since it was reopened in 2020.
there are some really old bridges that go over the C&O. the highlight is the paw paw tunnel. better to walk through it. once you hit little orleans, i suggest going on the western maryland trail. it is fully paved and nice.
hancock is a great town
The trail is in good shape. They have completed an extra few miles at the end that are fully paved. There are many benches to sit and multiple entry points. There is a brief ride on streets. The bathroom works and there a a few port o potties. I liked it
I try to bike here every year and look forward to the added 2 miles or so connecting Red Cut to Saxton. Riders should note it's not the smoothest trail, the section north of Tatesville is 4 miles of slight uphill southbound that taxes in the summer heat, and if you like human interaction you will be disappointed. Also, when passing though Hopewell, remember this, I HOPE I can find the trail, WELL, I guess I'll just ride until I find it. The southern end is indeed down a nondescript gravel road off Rt 915 leading to Coopers Sawmill Rec area and a private seasonal camp. The northern end continues from Broad St, and in any event the town is so tiny you won't get completely lost. So enjoy the solitude this hidden trail can provide, and if you like busy paved trails, then Pittsburgh has much to offer you.
Riding on this was a bucket list trail. Had hoped to ride further on it but had time restraints. Great trail. The rest stop in Meyersdale is wonderful. Plan someday to return and ride more of it.
Rode from Hendricks to Elkins and back mid-June on a saturday. Somewhat disappointed and would not do this trail again. Construction zone for corridor H is a mess with tough gravel and no signage. An average rider on a hybrid might find this section very unpleasant. The paved section from Hendricks to Parsons has enough little ridges from roots that it's annoying. Otherwise, the scenery is just not that great, you ride close so highways, and sections of the trail are not maintained as other rail trails are. This one seems to be a rustic trail compared to others so maybe that's the way it is intended.
I just finished a two-day solo tour (Cumberland to Williamsport, Williamsport to DC) and had an incredible experience despite the rain and the tough going over a few stretches. I hear a lot of criticism about the C & O, particularly when compared to the GAP (which I have also done). I appreciate the contrast and hope that the C&O retains its historic character as a more rugged towpath (not a rail trail). That said, the conditions on the east side of Paw Paw and from White’s Ferry to DC were challenging (again, I like the changing surfaces). Highlights: wilderness character, Paw Paw Tunnel, sycamores between Harper’s Ferry and Antietam, Great Falls, Monocacy, Point of Rocks station and the towns.
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