Pgh to DC

Via the Great Allegheny Passage / C&O Canal Towpath


Last week, from Weds through Sunday, a group of 20 of us rode from Pittsburgh to Washington, DC on the trail known as GAP / C&O. This route is the premier east coast trail corridor that begins in Coraopolis, PA and ends in Georgetown, Washington, DC.

We started at the McKeesport Trailhead at the McKees Point Marina on Water Street in McKeesport instead of in Coraopolis. We did this mostly because that eliminates an on-street detour that connects the Montour Trail with the main trail line and also because riding from Coraopolis to McKeesport would have been a full day's ride in itself, and it would have been hard because of the urban-ness to make a camp for the night in McKeesport.

Queuing up for the start of the ride

If starting from McKeesport and going straight to Georgetown, the total distance is ~320 mi / 515 km.

We did this as a supported ride. We had two full size (12 passenger) vans. In them were loaded all of our collective and personal camping gear along with food and provisions. The vans met us for a snack, then lunch (usually at about half way through our day's distance), and then leapfrogged to meet us at that evening's camp location.

Here's my take on three basic ways to do the trail: The supported way is a great way to do the trip for obvious reasons. We rode all the miles, but we didn't have to haul our gear. A van was usually within an hour away during most parts of the trail in case of emergency or equipment problems (except for remote portions of the canal, which had few access points for a long--about 45-50 mile--stretch). But this supported method is ultra-expensive if you hire someone to do it for you. I didn't see anyone else doing it like us. Instead, most people we encountered were riding it one of two other ways: either the "credit card" way, or, the full-pack "primitive" way.

On the trail

The credit card way means that you have a daypack plus maybe a light pannier on the bike with a few changes of clothes. You ride all day, then pop into a trail town and break out the credit card for a hotel or B&B. Then wake up and do it again. We saw lots of people doing this method, including several retired couples, one of whom told me that they were crossing off the trip from their "bucket list."

The primitive way means loading the bike up with all gear, tent, sleeping back, clothing, cookware. Then riding all day and pulling off on the side of the trail and setting up camp. I saw only one or two riders doing this method. It's harder and it's muckier to do it this way, and you are on your own, as they say; but it seems more fulfilling and satisfying, at least from an accomplishment perspective.

Along the second half of the trail spanning over 150 miles along the C&O Canal, there are hiker-biker campsites right off the trail, with one about every 7 or so miles. This would be a terrific way to do the ride, and I resolve to someday do it the primitive way.

Railroad relics and trail-specific art were plentiful

Summary of the trip: Day one: we rode ~60 miles from McKeesport to Ohiopyle Park mostly along the Youghiogheny River. The weather was perfect: sunny, no wind, no humidity. We made camp at Ohiopyle State Park Campground, which is directly off the trail, but up a steep, rocky billygoat trail that that rises a few hundred meters above the trail. It is a nice campground in scenic environs with a great shower facility about 50 meters from camp.

Day two: after breakfast and breaking camp, we rode ~60 miles to Frostburg, MD. The weather again was idyllic, and we made camp about 200 meters off the trail at the Trail Inn Campground, which is up a sizable, but ridable, hill. Around midnight, big thunderstorms rolled in, but we were all safely ensconced in our tents.

Water is a constant sight. Here is the Yough

Day three: we woke before light and were on the trail by 7am. The reason for this early start was because this was our "century day." To make our timeline and mile markers we had one day when we had to ride 100 miles. Out of Frostburg, the first 12-15 miles are down hill at about a -2% until you get to Cumberland MD. Everything was still wet from the overnight storms, but the first 40 or so miles were rain free. In Cumberland, the trail becomes the C&O Canal (Chesapeake and Ohio Canal), and we ride on the "towpath" next to the trail for about 185 miles into DC. It's an amazing piece of engineering from bygone days.

Once we got on the towpath, we got hammered by a massive storm front. We rode in rain for the next 35 or so miles. Much mud and gnashing of teeth ensued. My phone shorted out with all the water. I rode alone for most of the day.

Lots of bridges to ride across

Along the latter half of the century day I encountered the PawPaw Tunnel. 3,100 feet of cold, black, scariness. The interior wall and the rail opposite the wall that blocks your fall into the canal make for a very narrow and squirrelly path in this tunnel! On top of that it is as dark as dark is. So exercise caution so that the PawPaw tunnel doesn't become the BangBang tunnel!

I packed my headlamp in my handlebar bag, but I didn't think I would need to use it. Even though it took me about 5 minutes of fumbling around in the shadowy twilight of the tunnel entrance to find it, having a light made all the difference in navigating through this inky abyss.

Emerging on the other side, it was still pouring. But I was alive. When you ride your bike through it alone, you will understand.

Several tunnels to ride through

After more solitary drudgery through puddles and mud pits, the rain ended at last....the final 25 miles were wet, but without wetness hitting you from above. We reformed into a group of about 4 riders for the sprint to the line. The long death march of a day ended in the nice town of Williamsport. We rode on the road the 3 or so miles from the trail up to the KOA campground on Snug Harbor Lane.

This KOA is more of a RV park than a campground for tents...lots of crying babies, barking dogs, and all such RV culture encumbrances. But after 100 miles, no one noticed.

Day four: We began later, around noon. We had several bike issues, such as flats, loose quick releases, missing bolts. Everyone tried to squirt off some of the caked on mud. Afterward, we all went to breakfast together in the KOA cafeteria/restaurant for all-you-can-eat pancakes and french toast! It was the best part of the KOA experience.

The exit of the PawPaw tunnel--happy to see the light
of day, even if it was the liquid sunshine variety

After the ride down back to the trail, with a short detour to the local bike shop to get a M5 socket head bolt for one of the bike's disk brakes, we were back on the trail. We rode a few miles, then had to exit the trail onto a 6 or so mile on-the-road detour. It was a nice detour, rolling hills, smooth pavement, little traffic.

When we rejoined the trail we were back on the mighty Potomac River, which by this point was becoming wider and deeper and more like a river than a creek, as had been the prior 50 or so miles. Today's jaunt was ~50 miles, a nice trek along the river, which was on our right and the canal on our left.

We passed through historical country this day. We traveled close to the Antietam battlefield, where 23,000 soldiers died in one day, and down the river until we were across from Harper's Ferry, where John Brown held his well-intended but futile siege to hasten the end to slavery. After Harper's Ferry, the land across the river from the trail became Virginia and was no longer West Virginia. This area is picturesque, with the river snugged up to rocky cliffs. The day was overcast, but no rain that I can remember in my four-straight-days-of-biking induced fog. We made camp at the Brunswick Campground, which was right off the trail and next to the river. It rained all through the night, which made for comfortable sleeping with the raindrops tapping against the tarp over our tents.

Some overpasses to ride under

Day Five: This was our final "big" day of riding, and at around 40 miles, it really wasn't all that big, at least compared to the earlier days. The weather was still overcast, but no rain. Also, the trail was becoming nicer: less ruts and potholes, and more of finely groomed crushed rock.

The downside was that we were getting into more civilization, so the trail was becoming more populated with hikers, bikers, stroller pushers, and dog walkers. But even so, the views were still nice and picturesque. We made camp at the Marsden Camp site, which sits about 11 miles out of Georgetown. It's a primitive site, so no shower. The nearest parking spot was about a half mile hike away, so we had to a schlep our community and personal gear from the vans to the campsite, which sat nestled about 150 meters off from the canal towpath.

One of over 70 locks on the C&O canal

It was raining cats and dogs when we made camp, but we were smart enough to cover up as much wood as we could so we could make a fire after the rain. After setting up, and starting dinner (hamburgers and hotdogs--totally hit the spot), we built a raging campfire. There's nothing like a campfire to warm the bones and take away all the rain induced misery.

That night I wanted to sleep outside of a tent (but under a tarp because it was still on again, off again raining). I hit the bag around 11pm. Around 3am, I hear plastic ripping and tearing. I thought to myself, it can't be wake up yet. I had my headlamp around my neck, and I flipped it on, and a few feet away was a big ole fat raccoon: he had insinuated himself into our trashbag that was two feet from my head. I shooed him away, and went back to sleep and as soon as I fell asleep, he was back! This time Ian got out of his sack and chased him far away. We hung the trash and our food bag off the ground, got the fire going again, and drifted off again.

A typical, and beautiful, lock house on the canal

Day Six: This was the final day, and the ride was only about 10 or 11 miles into DC. I took it easy. Because it was early in the morning on a Monday, the trail was mostly empty save the occasional jogger. The sun was coming up and no rain on the horizon. The closer we got to DC, the nicer the trail became, and the more urbanized. Soon it began to look like a city, with buildings right up against the canal. We reached Mile Zero at the Thompson Boat House at the mouth of Rock Creek. Some in our group had never seen DC before, so they went on a short trip down to the National Mall, which was about a mile or so from the mile zero marker. I lived in DC for one summer while in college, so I stayed back and got all my gear ready for the drive home.

Campfires warm away the wet evening chill

Pointers / Tips for those considering this trip:


Bike: This trip should not be done on a pure road bike. You need a minimum of 28mm touring tires. I have a touring bike with wider tires and touring tires/fenders. You also need to have fenders. These are the brand that I have on mine: Velo Orange. See my prior post for the fenders installation.

Some fender-less people looked at my fenders with a slightly sarcastic glance, until it started to rain, that is. Then fenders on a bike were not funny anymore. If you don't have a touring bike, a mountain bike will work fine. If using clipless pedals, then use mtb pedals. Road pedals and shoes are incompatible with the rigor of the trail, especially if it rains.

My trusty steed next to a lock--take note of the fenders

Conditioning: Although the trail is mostly level (~ +1% until you hit the Eastern Continental Divide then ~ -1% from the Divide to Washington), it still requires a basic level of fitness. I recommend at a minimum 250 miles of pre-trip mileage. It will make the trip much more enjoyable, and enjoyment is the main reason for doing the trip. Bear in mind that your rear end is gonna be sore because the trail is not smooth--there are bumps and holes and ruts. A good well-broken-in saddle is essential.

Gear: You should invest in a large saddle bag or a moderately sized handlebar bag. Here is the handlebar bag that I have, and it worked great. You'll need to have at least two tubes and pump, a rain jacket, a bike lock (for when you stop and leave your bike to go to take a stretch). You should have an odometer (I used an Edge 705), a cell phone (service is spotty, but most areas will have a signal), and a flashlight for the tunnels (there are about three or four tunnels including the infamous PawPaw). I used a headlight, which is the best for any after sunset work. Here is my Lenser: I highly recommend it.

You can expect to have some bike problem that needs to be fixed. For example, my headset loosened and the bolts in one of my water bottle cages also loosened. So it is a good idea to have a multi tool, like this one. All of your other gear will depend on whether you do the trail supported, credit card, or primitive. One note: there are lots of bike shops along the trail. Almost every town has at least one, and we found that about 9 out of 10 people on the trail are helpful and willing to assist.

Mileage: The mileage that we did worked fine. I was tired yet not fully blown out. For a seasoned cyclist, you could go to about 75 miles per day without too much agony.

Season: We did it in May, which was a nice time to do it. The weather is mild, not hot or cold. But it was wet because of springtime rain. In the spring, not too many people are on the trail because it is still off season. Also with the warmer May weather, there were many interactions with wildlife, including some snakes crossing the trail. The mosquitoes were also prevalent, especially along the remote portions of the Canal where it abuts the Potomac. So repellent is a good idea if riding after mid May. In short, when to ride it depends on your weather preference; as with any outdoor activity, each of the three seasons would have its own pluses and minuses. I imagine that cross country skiing would be terrific on the trail in winter, although you should research to make sure the trail is open during the winter months.

Coming into Georgetown

Book: The most important resource to help in planning and preparing for this trip is Shaw and Weil's book: Linking Up: Planning Your Traffic-Free Bike Trip Between Pittsburgh and Washington. We got it for about $8 on Amazon, and it's worth about three times that much. Any info on this post that conflicts with S&W's book, you should rely on what they say. They are the authority.

Here's a few other books about the trail and history of the area. These may not help necessarily in preparing for for trip logistics as will Shaw and Weil's book, but they will enhance the trip by giving an environmental and cultural background of this fascinating trail and its historical context: The C&O Canal Companion, and Discovering the C&O Canal: and Adjacent Potomac River, and An Uncommon Passage: Traveling through History on the Great Allegheny Passage Trail.

The marina at the end of the line

Pictures: My entire gallery of shots from the trip is posted here. The images start in Pgh and progress to DC as you go down the page. It's nice to pack a camera and keep it handy, such as in your back pocket. There is a lot of wildlife to see, from Blue Heron, to turtles, to the occasional marauding raccoon. This camera here is like the camera that I used, and it worked great, even in the rainy muck. At 10mph, things go by fast, so you have to be quick on the draw if you want to take pictures, or better yet, just stop and breathe in the sights from this majestic trail.

The end

Happy Trails!