C&O Canal and Great Allegheny Trail Notes

I wasn’t able to find any recent trip reports of the C&O and GAP online before going, so here’s mine for future cyclists. I biked the trail, fully-loaded, between DC and McKeesport in August 2009.

The total distance between Mile 0 of the C&O in Georgetown, DC and Mile 130 in McKeesport, PA (the trail was not complete between mile 130 and mile 150 in Pittsburgh) is 315 miles. It can be done easily in 7 days with six days of riding and one rest day in Cumberland, MD. I saw several groups of cyclists pushing 80-100 mile days, but none of them was traveling fully-loaded and I bet they were hurting when they were done.

Trail Condition
The C&O towpath is in decent shape. The trail closest to DC is in excellent repair. The rest of the trail is in mixed condition, with rocks, roots, and potholes on many sections. 12 miles south/east of Hancock MD, the Western Maryland Rail Trail is a paved option that parallels the C&O for 22 miles. It makes a nice break from getting beaten up by the rocky trail.
The GAP has been in progress for close to ten years, and the trail is in great condition. We’ll see if PA can afford to maintain it in its current state. The trail is crushed gravel and is mostly free of roots and potholes.

Having seen several cyclists with skinny cyclo-cross tires suffer recurring flats, I’d really recommend at least a hybrid or mountain bike, if not a tourer for the full trail. The GAP is much newer and in better condition than the C&O so a roadbike might do for that portion of the trip. Bring a couple of spare tubes and a good pump. There isn’t much debris on the trail, so puncture flats are unlikely; it’s mostly blowouts and pinch-flats that one needs to be concerned with.

Since the trail is a converted tow-path and rail-trail, the grade is very low - less than 1% on the C&O and between 0.8% and 2% on the GAP. By looking at the elevation map from the GAP site, one might think the 25 miles between Cumberland and the Eastern Continental Divide is steep, but it’s really less than 2% all the way.

You can pick up maps for both the C&O and GAP in the information centers along the way, as well as in Georgetown & Cumberland. There are several books and guides for sale as well that will give you more details on the history of the area and things to see.

Camping/Accomodations

Camping along the C&O is a great way to travel as there are free primitive sites set up every 5-6 miles from milepost 30 to Cumberland. Each site has a pump (some have rust-flavored water, but it’s all safe), a chemical toilet, a picnic table, and ample room for tents. Most sites have access to the Potomac River and are great spots for swimming. I didn’t stay in any B&Bs but the maps & guides tell you which towns offer accomodations.

Camping on the GAP requires more planning as there are comparatively few campgrounds along the trail and no free ones until mile 99. I met several cyclists wild camping right on the trail and saw signs of stealth camping in the woods beside the trail. No one seemed to have any trouble wild camping - the cyclists had passed several nights with no problems, however, the GAP is bordered on both sides by private property with plenty of “no trespassing” signs. If you stuck close to the trail, you wouldn’t be trespassing, but you might get hassled. If you pulled way off into the woods, you would be trespassing, but the chances of being seen would be much less. I also feel compelled to mention that flagrant trespassing makes problems for future cyclists. YMMV.

There are several commercial campgrounds along the GAP, but the only one that I would recommend would be the Outflow campground at mile 60 in Confluence, PA. It’s run by the Army Corps of Engineers and costs only $8 for a hiker/biker tent site. There are clean showers and good water. There is also a cafe less than a block away with free wifi and good beer.  The rest of the commercial sites looked very crappy. The free sites are between mile 99 and mile 120. I stayed at Roundbottom at 99, which had bad water, but a lean-to shelter, plenty of room, and a lovely view of the Yaugh River rapids. However, we did run into a rabid raccoon the next morning. The nicest site I saw was at Cedar Creek at mile 110, a large park area with bathrooms.

Water

Finding water on the C&O canal is not a problem. At each primitive site, there is a hand pump that gives clean (if sometimes rusty) water. There are also towns and information centers with bathrooms and restaurants where you can fill up. The pump water doesn’t have to be treated, but, if you’re picky about taste, some drink powder will help cover the rusty flavor.

Finding water on the GAP is a bit more complicated, as there are fewer resources on the trail. I traveled with 3.5 liters in relatively cool weather and came close to empty a few times. I would recommend a 4-6 liter capacity as a safer margin, especially in hot weather. Capacity aside, I had no trouble filling up in each town or campground. Some towns have water fountains set up alongside the trail, others have info centers and restaurants within a short riding distance. Each campground had at least one pump. I met several cyclists who were filtering water flowing close to the path but I thought it was a bad idea because of a) runoff from farms uphill of the trail and b) runoff from the train tracks that parallel much of the trail. Filters and chemical treatment will kill off any organisms, but they don’t do anything for chemical contamination.

McKeesport, PA to Pittsburgh

As of 2009, the GAP is not complete. I had planned to bike the full trail to Pittsburgh and asked many people along the way for their advice on good roads to Pitt. Bar none, their advice was: don’t. Having seen the roads myself, I would concur. There are no good roads from the end of the trail to Pittsburgh. The roads are windy, narrow, hilly, and highly-trafficked. A loaded cylist moving slowly would be, at best, pissing off local traffic and, at worst, risking serious injury. I got a ride from a friend and had multiple offers from people I met to come get me if I couldn’t find a ride. My ethics were to cycle the whole trail, but common sense won out.

The current trail peters off at McKees Point Park in a crappy, industrial part of town. You’ll be sharing the road for the last mile or so, but the road is wide and doesn’t seem to have much traffic on it. When you see the steel mills on your right, you’ll think you made a mistake but just follow the blue cyclist signs to the rest of the trail. When you see a black and white lighthouse on your left, you’ll know you’ve arrived. There is a cafe across from the boat dock that welcomes cyclists. Go in and sign their wall and get a cold drink.  If you need a ride, ask nicely, and they can probably help you out.

I really enjoyed cycling both the C&O and GAP. I could have spent at least a month on the C&O enjoying the river and checking out the free camping. If you’ve got the time, it’s worth a few extra days. The GAP between Cumberland and Ohiopyle passes through some beautiful country. Confluence, PA offers rafting, canoeing, and fly-fishing below the damn and Ohiopyle has great rapids. On another trip, I would definitely like to take my time and enjoy the trail longer.

Tags: Add new tag, C&O Canal, Ciao America, GAP, Great Allegheny Passage