GAP/C&O
great Allegheny passage/Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath
334 miles
Pittsburgh to Washington D.C.
by bike
October 2022
Pittsburgh
Washington, D.C.
Itinerary
October 9: Start in Pittsburgh at Point State Park , 8 miles
October 10: Mile Marker 141-89, Connellsville, 52 miles
October 11: Mile Marker 89-44, Rockwood, 45 miles (Tour Fallingwater)
October 12: Mile Marker 44-0, Finish GAP and start C&O in Cumberland. C&O Mile Marker 184.5-166.7, Old Town, 61.8 miles
October 13: Mile Marker 166.7-123, Hancock, 43.7 miles (rain)
October 14: Mile Marker 123-69.6, Antietam Creek, 53.4 miles
October 15: Mile Marker 69.6-22.8, Seneca, 46.8 miles
October 16: Mile Marker 22.8-0, Finish in Washington D.C. at Thompson Boat Center, 22.8 miles (Great Falls)
Honorary Mention
I would not have been able to bike this trail so easily without the road support of my dad! My dad drove up and brought my bike and stayed with me for a week, meeting me at road crossings and taking me to hotels every day after 50 miles of biking. Thanks dad!
Great Allegheny Passage (150 miles)
By far the better trail of the two. This section is maintained by volunteers and the crushed limestone made for easy riding. The communities along the way have been built up to support this very popular trail, complete with bnbs, restaurants, and bike shops.
Fall was the perfect time for this ride
Lots of tree color in Pennsylvania
It’s all downhill from here!
Big Savage Tunnel, built in 1911. 3294ft long
Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
We stopped to see Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater near Ohiopyle
C&O Towpath (184.5 miles)
A little history about the C&O Canal... It was originally built to connect the Ohio River (Pittsburgh) to the Chesapeake Bay (D.C.) in the mid 1800s, but it was never completed. The 184 mile canal runs from Cumberland, Maryland, to D.C. There are 74 locks along the narrow canal and at each lock there was a locktender’s house, where the locktender had to be available day or night (some of these houses have been renovated and are available to rent for the night). The canal boats were narrow and pulled by mules. Two mules would pull while two would rest aboard the boat. They offer canal boat rides at Great Falls and we watched as they went through a lock and were pulled by two mules-very cool! Lastly, I have known about the C&O for years due to hiking approximately two miles of it where the Appalachian Trail uses it in Maryland after Harpers Ferry, consequently one of the rare parts of the AT where you can bike on it.
Cumberland, Maryland. End of GAP, beginning of C&O Towpath
The C&O trail was not as well maintained as the GAP. It was more dirt/mud.
Locktender’s house by a lock
A dry canal at a lock. There were 74 locks along the 184 mile C&O
Along the Potomac River
You can see water in the canal to the left, but most of the time it was dry and just looked like a big ditch with trees growing in it now.
Great Falls, Potomac River
Canal Boat
In conclusion, I loved this trail and would absolutely bike it again. I was however one of maybe a couple who rode a mountain bike, most were on touring bikes and these days electric bikes, therefore, most passed me. On past bike trips I’ve had issues with neck and butt pain (on a road bike) but the pain was more manageable this time; I did experience major quad pain and soreness. I also developed a cold on the trip, which made it a little less enjoyable. Since I had road support we stayed in hotels every night but there were tons of campsites along the way, especially on the C&O. The GAP even had shelters you could stay in. I can imagine how busy those would be during prime summer time. I still think Fall was the perfect time to ride— cooler temps, pretty colors, and probably less people. I highly recommend this trail!