GAP (Great Allegheny Passage)

[rmhurley]

I plan to visit Pittsburgh in July 2024 and thinking I might not get back east for a while; maybe I should take a few extra days and work in a quick bike tour.

The likely idea would be to explore the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) as far as I could that would create the greatest amount of fun in 5 or less days. Maybe that means taking a brisk paced 4-5 day tour all the way to DC. Or maybe it could mean a slower meander out and back for a few days. Or maybe most places aren't worth sticking around too long and it would just be fun to take advantage of the many carless miles and refueling locations for a while on lightweight gravely bike rental credit card-style and turn back around after only a day or two. Seems fair to reason it would be a fun ride up to the eastern continental divide and then sailing back down it to Pittsburgh.

I would be interested to hear about any experiences you have had riding for any stretch of the route from Pittsburgh to DC in July. Places that I ought to stop along the way to recharge or maybe camp? Comments on the trail conditions in general? Prevailing headwinds? Any detours worth mentioning?

Also, feel free to comment on the route linked below. This is what I got when I punched in point A (Pittsburgh) and Point B (Washington, DC). It looks like it keeps the route on the GAP as far as it goes and then picks up Canal Trail for the rest of the way to DC. Open to hearing about other ways through. thanks all. -rm

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/new

[mass_biker]

Sounds like a great plan. While I have not ridden the GAP myself, I have done a fair amount of riding/exploring the roads in and around Somerset County PA (a little north of the GAP itself) and stretches of the Eastern Continental Divide (west of the Allegheny Front, and then east/downhill from the Allegheny Front) near the towns of Shanksville, Friedens, Berlin, New Baltimore, New Paris etc. Hit me up with a PM if you want to learn more. I was very grateful for the insight I received on this forum from other posters who know the area well when I first started riding there, and continue to enjoy the opportunities to discover/share this amazing area.

MB

[rpettet]

We did both last summer. One way from Washington to Pittsburgh. PM if you want any info.

[Alan]

I did the GAP and C&O last year and it was a great trip. I highly recommend for all cyclists. I did it over 6 days and used trip planner, Noble Invention. They do a lot of trips on the trail and know all of the options. See link below:

https://www.nobleinventionbiketouring.com/

We stayed in B and Bs and some hotels. Noble will customize the trip for you and they have shuttles back to Pittsburgh from DC if needed. They can do camping trips as well. I would call Noble to discuss your plan. They have a lot of youtube videos on the trail as well.

Happy to discuss by phone if that helps.

A good step is to get the trail guide which is quite comprehensive.
https://gaptrail.org/before-you-go/trailguide/

I rode a gravel bike w 32mm tires and did ok. People were on everything from mountain bikes to road bikes but a lot of this is weather dependent. GAP is a very well maintained trail but C&O can get rougher. Miles are much slower than on the road.

It was a very fun week and well worth the effort. PM me for more details.

Alan

[TimD]

My wife and I rode Pittsburgh => Cumberland, MD in 2018. In this direction it is very slightly uphill (1%) most of the way. You don't notice it except when coasting - you don't roll very far. I pulled a BOB trailer with my Salsa Vaya, rolling on 32mm slicks.

The surface is crushed limestone and was pretty much perfect at the time. We started on Sep 30 and had no rain (one day we finished up just before a monster thunderstorm rolled through).

Getting out of Pittsburgh was a little tricky. There are some really isolated spots, with no mobile service (AT&T), so you should be prepared to address any mechanical issues which might arise.

We stayed in B&Bs and AirBNB/VRBO properties. Of the towns along the route, if half the businesses on the main street were open the town was doing well. We gained a deeper understanding of why people living in 'flyover country' might be unhappy with the way the US economic system works (or not), but that's another topic entirely.

Last, we took Amtrak back to Pittsburgh. At the time, the train arrived in Pittsburgh at 11 PM. If you choose this option you may have to ride through the city to wherever you are going in the dark.

We chose not to ride the C&O as we had heard the trail was _much_ rougher at the time. Not sure if that's still the case.

We had a great time.

[Rusa]

I m planning to ride from Pittsburgh to DC this July also.

I m planning to do it in 5 riding days, staying in hotels every night, no camping, about 60-75 miles per day.
I rode from DC to Cumberland about 10 years ago and it was a lot of fun. C&O canal is a very scenic route, I never rode the GAP.

I m wondering if I should add another day and do it in 6 days instead of 5. Hopefully it would not rain. I have read somewhere some people rode both trails in one day, some in two days, but most people take about 6 days to ride the whole thing, touring and camping. I m planning to ride 35 mm tires on a cyclocross bike, although I has 32 mm tires 10 years ago and it was fine.

If you are looking for a work out, you can ride 150 miles all the way to Cumberland, stay in hotel, then ride all the way to DC 180 miles, stay in hotel and ride back to Cumberland hotel, Pittsburgh, or you can do it only to Cumberland and back in 4-5 days.

[.RJ]

I did this about 10 years ago over a 4th of July weekend - a friend and rode from Pittsburgh back to DC in 4 days.

Its a great ride, and certainly worth doing once. I believe we camped at Ohiopyle state park the first night, and then just east of Cumberland the 2nd night. 3rd night somewhere on the C&O. Ohiopyle is a really cool spot and if you're on a leisurely pace then its a nice spot to hang out for an afternoon.

If you want to ride all the way to DC and take the train back, IIRC the train leaves from Union Station and you will need to ride across town to get there from the end of the C&O - and do think you need to book a ticket early with a bike rack spot. The last 50 miles or so on the C&O is very, very empty - no towns or services.

[peanutgallery]

I spend a week or 5 in Confluence every year. Mitch's, River's edge and the Dirty dog are awesome places to stop. The bike shop is pretty cool too. Don't overlook Connellsville. Great town in a supersleeper kinda way. Pure SW PA. George Washington and Frank Lloyd Wright graced the region

It's my favorite place on earth. I range pretty far on the GAP and what not. There's tons of places to stop and hang out...for days. The C and O will be less random and you have to know exactly where best places to stop are located. Just different

[raygunner]

I loved doing the C&O/Gap from Pittsburgh to DC.

I took the Amtrak from Chicago, overnight, and got off in Pittsburgh about 8am. I had breakfast at a local diner and then hit the road!

Can't wait to do it again.

[NHAero]

Originally Posted by raygunner

I loved doing the C&O/Gap from Pittsburgh to DC.

I took the Amtrak from Chicago, overnight, and got off in Pittsburgh about 8am. I had breakfast at a local diner and then hit the road!

Can't wait to do it again.

What are the highlights of these two trails? I'm in the mode where I am looking for new places to go without an airplane ride.

[mistermo]

Originally Posted by raygunner

I loved doing the C&O/Gap from Pittsburgh to DC.

I took the Amtrak from Chicago, overnight, and got off in Pittsburgh about 8am. I had breakfast at a local diner and then hit the road!

Can't wait to do it again.

I did this two years ago and dropped my car in Pittsburgh. My riding buddy had a ride arranged for us back from DC to Pittsburgh to pick up my car.

How did you get home from DC? Amtrak again? I'm tempted to ride from Pittsburgh to Cumberland again. Any idea how to get from Cumberland back to Pittsburgh without a car stashed on the Cumberland end?

To OP, it's a fun trip. Very flat. Nice little towns to stay in along the way. These PA coal towns are sadly decaying (at least those that haven't embraced tourism) and it's easy to see why they want America restored to former economic times. We stayed in B&Bs, inns and hotels. I rode a Riv Atlantis, 42mm slick tires, with panniers for clothes. Credit card touring. No food, no tent, no gear other than change of clothes.

[mistermo]

Originally Posted by Rusa

I'm planning to do it in 5 riding days, staying in hotels every night, no camping, about 60-75 miles per day.

I'm wondering if I should add another day and do it in 6 days instead of 5.

If you are looking for a work out, you can ride 150 miles all the way to Cumberland, stay in hotel, then ride all the way to DC 180 miles, stay in hotel and ride back to Cumberland hotel, Pittsburgh, or you can do it only to Cumberland and back in 4-5 days.

I did it in 5 days a couple years ago, going 60-75/day. We had good weather (October) and hotel reservations so I guess we lucked out. If you add a rain day, that'd throw your hotel reservations off, I'd think. I would def make reservations unless you plan to carry a tent as backup.

I wouldn't recommend the ultra distance, especially from Cumberland to DC. The trail becomes rougher, muddier and more rutted after Cumberland. A 180 mile ride on that section would absolutely suck. Since these trails aren't paved, anyone's pace will be significantly slower than the tarmac. While pretty, the section from Cumberland to DC wasn't as scenic (to me) as the easier section from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, which is also more smooth.

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by mistermo

I wouldn't recommend the ultra distance, especially from Cumberland to DC. The trail becomes rougher, muddier and more rutted after Cumberland. A 180 mile ride on that section would absolutely suck. .

Large portions of the C&O has largely been re-graded and covered in crushed stone similar to the GAP - i dont know how far west this has been done, but certainly the last ~75 miles of the C&O are smooth and fast rolling.

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by NHAero

What are the highlights of these two trails? I'm in the mode where I am looking for new places to go without an airplane ride.

Ohiopyle, Connellsville, Frostburg Williamsport, Harpers Ferry are all great small towns along the trail. Falling water is nearby Ohiopyle, too.

There are also long 40-50 mile stretches where you will be between towns and wont see any other people.

[reuben]

This is on my list. Partially for its own sake, partially as a shakedown of new-to-me bike, components, bags, packing, etc. And hopefully as a shakedown prior to the Badger Divide - Inverness to Glasgow.

Living sort of DC-ish, I plan to take the train to Pittsburgh and ride back down to DC, then Uber/whatever back to the train/Metro garage where I left my car.

From what I've read:

1) The GAP (Pittsburgh to Cumberland) is about a 1% uphill grade. Nothing hard, barely noticeable, largely enjoyable.

2) The C&O (Cumberland to DC) can be muddy at times, but by no means insurmountable. Maybe a tiny bit of hike-a-bike due to fallen trees, maintenance, etc. A bit boring compared to the GAP, but it is what you make it.

3) Almost any tire will do with the proper attitude. 20, 25, 32, 35, 40, 2.1, 2.3... most seem to settle around 35 or so. So not gnarly on either section.

I'm interested in camping (bikepacking) along the route. I don't know enough about this, but it seems as though it's easier on the GAP than the C&O. I'd rather not stealth (illegally) camp if possible.

There's an outside chance I could do this in the fall, but more likely next spring. Or maybe not next spring, as I may be in final preparations to hike in Scotland, so...