The Ultimate Rail-Trail Bike Trip
After 30 years of planning and years of construction, along with the cooperative, heroic efforts of a committed battalion of volunteers, the final section of the Great Allegheny Passage was completed in late-December, 2006, and opened to public use during the summer of 2007. Various organizations continue to maintain and upgrade the trail with end users in mind. With its seamless connection to the Chesapeake and Ohio Historical Trail, cyclists can celebrate and enjoy an incredible 335-mile off-road, traffic-free adventure from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington, D.C. Without a doubt, the GAP/C & O Trail ranks as the crown jewel in our nation’s growing network of Rails-to-Trails. We have designed this tour with distances at about 40 miles per day, to provide a relaxed tour with plenty of time to take in the incredible history displayed along the trail. There are many opportunities for sights and side trips to relive history here in the middle of the original 13 colonies.
The Great Allegheny Passage
For the first 3 days we are following the Great Allegheny Passage on the former route of the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroads, which itself follows river passages through the Allegheny Mountains. It’s a gentle uphill along the Youghiogheny River to its confluence with the Casselman River. To get around Pennsylvania’s highest point – Mt. Davis – the Casselman River makes a sweeping arc to the north. The bridge – tunnel – bridge combination of the Pinkerton Tunnel, now open to bicycles after an extensive construction project, is a highlight of the GAP. Next comes the 100’ high Salisbury Trestle, that spans the Casselman Valley, as we continue our gentle climb to the Eastern Continental Divide. The Divide, separating waters flowing to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, marks the high point on the Allegheny Passage. Hiding 1-1/2 miles beyond the Divide is the Big Savage Tunnel, a 3300-foot, illuminated course cut through the heart of Big Savage Mountain. The views of the surrounding Allegheny Highlands are spectacular as we emerge from the tunnel and launch into a long downhill beyond the Mason-Dixon Line to Cumberland, MD. On the GAP, we’ll ride a hard-packed crushed limestone and gravel surface.
The C&O Canal Towpath
Cumberland marks the end of the Great Allegheny Passage and the beginning of the C&O Trail. The C&O, for most of its 184-mile length, follows the north bank of the Potomac River. Built between 1828 and 1850, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal operated sporadically until 1924. The canal lapsed into inactivity and proposals to convert the towpath into a highway were seriously considered. Led by the efforts of Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas to preserve this national treasure, the canal’s towpath achieved protection as a National Historical Park in 1971. Projects continue throughout this National Historical Park to reconstruct many of the 75 locks along the route, rebuild additional parts of the towpath, and provide historical education stops along the way. The C&O Trail is a softer surface, with muddy sections possible.
This tour is best-suited for the fatter tires of a hybrid, gravel or cross bike.
