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This was my wife and I first time on this trail, we parked in the over flow parking lot I guess you don't have to pay to park in this lot where as the other lot it $2.50 hour. This is a 6 mile trail one way at the end is the Eastern Bay the Romancoke Pier, there is a restroom facility and soda machines at the end and places to sit and rest. Along the trail it is paved and one wooden bridge that you cross, there is also a golf course on this route. We rode to the end and then on our way back we rode down some of the side streets to see the homes, there were a few others riding bikes and some walking and jogging. over all a nice quick ride.
We did four miles yesterday and only saw four other bikers. Great flat path the shrubs and small trees along the path are beautiful but in some areas we had to go around because branches are growing over the path so if this isn’t maintained Mother Nature will take over and the path will be unusable and I would hate to see that happen! I don’t want to have to carry a machetes with me next time
For scenic views and a step back in time this trail is a must. It's muddy, especially right after rain. We avoid our e-bike on this trail due to the mud, but it's mainly flat. Paw paw tunnel is a must see, but it's nothing out there along the way. Harpers Ferry is gorgeous and historic. Bring your Bug Guard you'll need it. And your swim tube.
This trail is quiet as far as other people are concerned. During 75% of the 6-mile trail you are riding within 10-15 yards of route 8, so there is noise from traffic. I rode this trail on a weekday, so I only saw 2-3 other bikes on the trail and 10 people walking or jogging. The first two miles of the trail are shady as you are riding through woods. There is a 2-mile section in the middle of the trail where there is no shade as you are riding past open fields. At the southern end there are flush restrooms at the Romancoke fishing pier. The are no places along the trail to get food or beverages, but these are available about 4 miles prior to arriving at the northern trailhead. There are park benches about every mile, and one picnic table, but again you are only yards off of the highway. The asphalt is in very good condition and the trail is relatively flat.
I have ridden my fair share of rail trails and the GAP is the best rail trail I've ever experienced. I started in Cumberland and finished in Pittsburgh. I knew what I was getting myself into riding against the Eastern Continental Divide but I got the harder riding done right away. I spent three days on the trail staying overnight in Confluence, Smithton and ending in Pittsburgh taking Amtrak back to my car in Cumberland.
The GAP offers so much variety over its 149 miles from scenic river views, sweeping mountains, ruins of a mining past to human development from a rural to urban scale. Most of the trail is very tightly packed gravel which is in immaculate shape. For the first few miles out of Cumberland and the last twenty or so miles to Pittsburgh the trail is asphalt.
I went on my ride in mid-May right before peak riding season so while many businesses in the trail towns were open many still had limited hours. Riding during peak season will give you even more options to eat, stay and shop. Every town I visited were very bike friendly (I've never seen so many places to lock your bike), with plenty of signage to share the road and locals very happy to see tourism in their communities. Some of the smaller towns like Smithton and Boston are not heavily highlighted but still offer dining and places to stay overnight.
There are many bike fix-it stations located on the GAP. While I expected to see some in the trail towns I was surprised by the abundance of fix-it stations located outside of towns as well. There are bathrooms (a mix of businesses, port a pots and composting toilets) roughly every ten miles. Most trail towns had a store to buy refreshments and I did notice a few restaurants had no issue with filling up a water bottle for any who asked.
My least favorite part of the trail was the last twenty miles from Boston to Pittsburgh. The asphalt in this section is in pretty good shape but in comparison to over 100 miles of smooth gravel it is rough. McKeesport is a sudden shift to an urban environment with a fair amount of on road riding but it is well marked and I had no issues navigating and I felt safe. I had issues navigating in Pittsburgh as I felt the clear marking that helped me navigate McKeesport was non-existent. Also to note is the on-road detour to Point State Park. It is easy to follow if you have a map but it requires riding in a major city for a short distance.
I have ridden many trails, a few that are in the Rail Trail Hall of Fame. The GAP is by far the best and is truly the ride of a lifetime.
My 5 yo enjoyed this trail immensely! Frequently changing scenery. Mellow hills and turns. This is the perfect trail for new riders needing to build some skills. Shaded parking if you’re lucky. Clean restrooms at the Terrapin trailhead.
There is no bike access to West Virginia from Maryland on the bridge yet. I hate leaving my bike in Maryland and walking all the way to West Virginia. It stinks.
This trail is beautiful. The first 5 miles you are riding under a canopy of large trees on the well-shaded, pristine asphalt trail. I had only ridden a ½ mile when I came upon 5 deer just feet off the trail standing in the woods. The trail crosses several small creeks off the Chester River and the scenery is gorgeous. There are clean restrooms at the trailhead and another restroom about three miles east, just look for the large white-water tower. After you cross the Kent Narrows Drawbridge you are riding mostly on low wooden bridges over swampy areas the last 1 1/2 miles of the trail. The wooden planks are a little rough to ride on. There are several gas stations just off the trail where you could get a snack or something to drink. I tried to ride the dirt loop near the trailhead that takes you to the Chesapeake Bay but after a mile the dirt trail turned into sand and my tires were not made for this. This is a trail I will definitely ride about once a month. Maybe next time I’ll eat breakfast at home and instead stop mid-way through my ride to enjoy a seafood lunch at one of the restaurants near the narrows.
Basic walking “sidewalk” that’s only .8 mi, but a good start Parked at the Rodgers house. Bikes the .8 and back just to start my rambling in a new town If you follow the closed road behind Rodgers, and stay to the right,,you begin a road that goes behind lots of VA buildings to the left (fields between you and the bldgs, so it’s not like in a city , and the water to the right…very peaceful and quiet ride. Only goes maybe 3/4mi and ends at another closed (to cars)road that leads around the Perryville community park (one way, counter clockwise) and though there were families out, the road was basically deserted at 3p on a Sunday in May. It circles around the park and when u get to the opposite end of where you started, it’s the exit Technically a small winding road through the woods (fortunately onky came upon a couple of cars
Rode this entire trail from Hunt Valley to New Freedom PA a day after it rained hard all day. The rain held off and the trail drained nicely. The surface was not bad until about 5 miles before the PA border got narrow and a bit rough, thus the four star rating. And its a huge difference once you cross the border in PA to the Heritage trail as the surface is nicer and wider. We stayed in Hunt Valley at the Holiday Inn Express and it was only a 1/4 mile from the trail. Don't recommend that you ride to it as the road was very busy and narrow and no shoulder
Trail was in great condition and it is a beautiful ride.
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