Bicycle Tour: GAP and C&O Canal
The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) and Chesapeake & Ohio Canal (C&O) is probably one of the best bicycle tours. It offers 340 miles of limestone trail away from cars, but never drifts to far from small towns where supplies can be purchased.
Starting in downtown Pittsburgh, PA the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) goes around the "point", across the Monongahela River via the "Three Rivers Heritage Trail". Once on the other side of the Monongahela River the trail follows the river upstream. This was the hardest part for me to navigate when riding the GAP to Cumberland, MD, and once you are across the Monongahela River following the trail is very easy. I was lucky, and found a few cyclists who showed me the initial start of the trail.
In McKeesport, PA you start to follow the Youghiogheny River. It was during this stretch that the afternoon weather started to take a turn for the worse. It started to rain and thunderstorm, and pressing on, I continued until I could find a lean-to shelter for the evening.
I ended up sleeping in Connellsville, PA the first night, and they have very nice accommodations in a park beside the grocery store. For this trip I packed pretty light for food and water since they were both easy to find or purchase along the way.
The next day was a beautiful, and I made really excellent time until arriving in Ohiopyle, PA. Ohiopyle was very scenic and beautiful recreational area, and would love to go back with a kayak and play in the river for a day. From Ohiopyle to the Eastern Continental Divide the trail started to climb more aggressively uphill.
The climb up to the pass was not so obvious until just before the pass, in Meyersdale, but it was a tough climb to summit the Eastern Continental Divide. After exiting the "Big Savage Tunnel", the relief of descending into Cumberland, MD was fantastic. The views were very nice, with rock outcroppings along the river.
Once in Cumberland, MD the GAP terminates in the Downtown area. It is here that the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal (C&O) starts your journey towards Washington, D.C. Cumberland, MD is also a great place to take in a meal and drink of your choice.
The trail from Cumberland to Washington is very easy to follow. It is also completely off of the road, which is fantastic since you only need to deal with cars when going to buy food or supplies. There are ample water stations, or wells, that you can pump water from. The water looks funny since it is iodized. Yours truly did not have a problem drinking this funny looking and smelling water, but if this puts you off, then there are plenty of towns along the way to purchase water from.
Once in Washington D.C., I admit that I was lost again. In Georgetown there is a great option and opportunity to get onto the bike paths that can transit you around the city. I was not familiar with the bike path system when I arrived, so I ended up missing the turn off. If you want to enter this system, keep your eyes open for a bridge overhead and sign indicating the "local trail system".
Overall, the trip was fun and safe. I left on a Friday afternoon, and arrived in Washington, D.C. Monday Afternoon. I was going to Washington, D.C. for a two week vacation with friends and family, so this was a great opportunity to throw in a quick bike tour. I was actually going to tour backwards, but the final weekend of my vacation was extremely rainy, and it would have been a terrible experience. I certainly look forward to riding the GAP and C&O in the future. I might cut off the part in downtown Pittsburgh, and look forward to knowing my way around D.C. better this time! Happy trails
Starting in downtown Pittsburgh, PA the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) goes around the "point", across the Monongahela River via the "Three Rivers Heritage Trail". Once on the other side of the Monongahela River the trail follows the river upstream. This was the hardest part for me to navigate when riding the GAP to Cumberland, MD, and once you are across the Monongahela River following the trail is very easy. I was lucky, and found a few cyclists who showed me the initial start of the trail.
In McKeesport, PA you start to follow the Youghiogheny River. It was during this stretch that the afternoon weather started to take a turn for the worse. It started to rain and thunderstorm, and pressing on, I continued until I could find a lean-to shelter for the evening.
I ended up sleeping in Connellsville, PA the first night, and they have very nice accommodations in a park beside the grocery store. For this trip I packed pretty light for food and water since they were both easy to find or purchase along the way.
The next day was a beautiful, and I made really excellent time until arriving in Ohiopyle, PA. Ohiopyle was very scenic and beautiful recreational area, and would love to go back with a kayak and play in the river for a day. From Ohiopyle to the Eastern Continental Divide the trail started to climb more aggressively uphill.
The climb up to the pass was not so obvious until just before the pass, in Meyersdale, but it was a tough climb to summit the Eastern Continental Divide. After exiting the "Big Savage Tunnel", the relief of descending into Cumberland, MD was fantastic. The views were very nice, with rock outcroppings along the river.
Once in Cumberland, MD the GAP terminates in the Downtown area. It is here that the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal (C&O) starts your journey towards Washington, D.C. Cumberland, MD is also a great place to take in a meal and drink of your choice.
The trail from Cumberland to Washington is very easy to follow. It is also completely off of the road, which is fantastic since you only need to deal with cars when going to buy food or supplies. There are ample water stations, or wells, that you can pump water from. The water looks funny since it is iodized. Yours truly did not have a problem drinking this funny looking and smelling water, but if this puts you off, then there are plenty of towns along the way to purchase water from.
Once in Washington D.C., I admit that I was lost again. In Georgetown there is a great option and opportunity to get onto the bike paths that can transit you around the city. I was not familiar with the bike path system when I arrived, so I ended up missing the turn off. If you want to enter this system, keep your eyes open for a bridge overhead and sign indicating the "local trail system".
Overall, the trip was fun and safe. I left on a Friday afternoon, and arrived in Washington, D.C. Monday Afternoon. I was going to Washington, D.C. for a two week vacation with friends and family, so this was a great opportunity to throw in a quick bike tour. I was actually going to tour backwards, but the final weekend of my vacation was extremely rainy, and it would have been a terrible experience. I certainly look forward to riding the GAP and C&O in the future. I might cut off the part in downtown Pittsburgh, and look forward to knowing my way around D.C. better this time! Happy trails
Comments
Post a Comment