Bikepacking the GAP & C&O Trails: 334 miles, 16 days, 3 bike repairs

There are people who ride their bikes over long distances because they love to ride and choosing to camp is simply an inexpensive way to sleep in between rides. There are others who love to camp, and feel that a good way to get between campsites is to ride their bike. It’s a spectrum, of course, but I’ll let you decide into which group you, and we, belong. Bikepacking from Pittsburgh to DC along the gently graded miles of GAP and C&O Canal Towpath bike trails, winding through southern Pennsylvania, up and over the Eastern Continental Divide, and down along the Potomac River to our nation’s capital, has long been on our bucket list and the experience has been a highlight of our year.

The only plans we made for this journey were the one-way Amtrak tickets from DC to Pittsburgh, our first night’s lodging at the Traveler's Rest Hostel just a few miles from the train station, and a place to park our rig. Fortunately, we have great friends within 7 miles of downtown DC who were pretty cool with our non-specific return date. We knew that we’d take longer than a week, and less than a month.

Getting away from the relative comfort of our “bigger” space in Hamlet, and spending a few nights in a sleeping bag is just part of our off-grid lifestyle. This time, we simply didn’t want it to end. That doesn’t mean that it’s been all warm breezes, fall foliage, and cider donuts in every small town along the way. This trail, like many others we’ve traversed, provides the opportunity to explore a whole range of experiences, from the sublime to the sub-par. And, it's been unseasonably hot and humid this October, which has us wondering why we even brought our cold weather gear.

We pace ourselves at around 20-30 miles a day with all of our camping gear and a few days worth of food in tow. Most of the people we run into are either doing a shorter section of the trail, or are trying to knock out the whole thing in 5-6 days. When we tell members of the latter group that we’re taking more than 2 weeks, they all seem to say, “you’re doing it right.” I’m not sure if we really could do it any other way, actually. At our pace, we were able to truly experience the history and beauty of the trail, and take plenty of time to meet fellow cyclists and enjoy lunch, coffee, and ice cream at the various villages we passed through.

How We Roll

Cycling enthusiasts love to debate the pros and cons of going light or going comfortable when it comes to biking or hiking gear.  Go light and you can go further each day, going heavier might slow you down but provide some creature comforts.  We’re definitely in the latter group. 

We pack our camping, clothing, and cooking gear in a bike cart that I pull with my mountain bike, and two rear paniers on Shari’s gravel bike.  We also carry a small backpack and hydration pack for extra layers, snacks, and other things we’d like to have at the ready.  It’s not an ultralight solution, but when you are out for 2+ weeks, the creature comforts override the desire for minimalism.  Without trying to squeeze the ride into a short vacation window away from work and family obligations, we can take our time.  We were probably the only riders out there carrying a laptop. Because we blend travel and work seamlessly, we are working and cycling a bit each day.

 

The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) at a Glance

• 150 Miles of converted railroad bed, from Cumberland, Maryland to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• 9 tunnels, 30 bridges and viaducts
• 2% maximum grade over a well-groomed gravel surface
• Highest elevation 2,375’ above sea level, the trail drops 1,754 feet in 24 miles to reach Cumberland (to the east) and drops 1,664 feet over 126 miles to reach Pittsburgh (to the west) -- here’s a hint, go east!
  
  

The Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal Towpath at a Glance

• 184.5 Miles of converted canal towpath, from Washington DC to Cumberland, Maryland.
• 11 aqueducts, each used to carry the canal over a creek or river; one fully restored aqueduct remains in Williamsport MD, near the C&O park office headquarters.
• 1.5% maximum grade along the path, with the exception of a few construction detours including the 1.5 mile Paw Paw bypass trail which is steep and strenuous
• Surface of the trail ranges from crushed limestone to narrow, rocky, grassy two-track (not as pristinely surfaced as the GAP trail) so it's ideal for mountain or gravel bikes.
• 30 free hiker-biker campgrounds right along the trail, most have water and a port-o-john toilet
  
  

Short Tales from Both Trails

Rails to Trails -- A New Type of Commerce

The GAP trail was once an important transportation artery from the developed cities in the east to the rugged interior of the Appalachian Mountains.  For nearly a century-and-a-half, it spewed coal dust and diesel fumes into the air while bringing commercial life into the heart of our young country.  Now an altogether different kind of life breathes along this path.  The tiny towns which used to fuel the railroad, now welcome riders with open arms.  In every town we see signs welcoming riders and guiding them to local businesses for lodging, meals, bike repair, or supplies.  Some villages greet us with shady rest stops supplied with free water bottles in a cooler and snacks on the table.  As outdoor enthusiasts, we haven’t always felt so welcome into the established communities off-the-beaten track, yet here a new kind of energy flows.  We definitely recommend seeing it / feeling it for yourself.

Is That a Light Up Ahead?

Tunnel vision can be a side effect of the ride.  Not only cycling through the spooky darkness of an actual tunnel like Big Savage, but within the nearly 50 years since this was a working train line, the trees have grown to within feet of where you pedal.  Sometimes, the tunnel of green, orange, red, and yellow leaves lent a hypnotic vibe to the day’s ride.  Occasionally, we burst out onto a bridge or viaduct and the panoramic view is a welcome distraction.  

Rainy Welcome

Rain is inevitable, and it held off for the first two weeks of our ride.  So, when it came, it did so with a vengeance!  Even with our rain gear, within a half an hour, we were soaked to the bone.  Our choices were to set up camp and get dry, or see if we could find a night’s lodging in the closest town along the C&O Canal Towpath.  Shepardstown, WV looked promising and was only 10 miles away so we pressed on dreaming of a hot bowl of soup at a local diner.  Finding downtown was easy, finding a place to shed our wet layers and dry out not so simple.  How do we walk into a restaurant and ask for both a table for two...and a towel?  The sign for the welcome center caught our eye when the public library was closed; “Let’s see just how welcoming they really are!” Shari says.  True to form, they allowed us to drip into their public bathrooms shivering and dirty.  Just follow the wet, muddy footprints. 

The Push from Hell

People along the C&O trail talked, moaned, and complained about the bypass trail up and over the closed Paw Paw tunnel.  Yes, it was a bit of a push up steep single track, but felt infinitely easier than the push up to Ohiopyle State Park from the GAP trail.  This mile trail rises at such a steep grade over a rutted gravel path that riding your bike is not possible, nor even allowed.  Pushing a fully loaded bike and bike cart is even more humbling.  After 100 steps, rest, 100 steps more, “Another rest!” we cry.  So, inch by inch and word by bloody curse word, we summitted to our campsite which was literally at the top of the mountain.  Did we celebrate?  A little, but going down in the morning was also going to be a tricky walk, albeit a downhill one.  So, rest, food, sleep, repeat.

The Best FREE Campsites

While there are many beautiful public and private campgrounds, we had a couple of favorites for different reasons. For a complete list of the campgrounds we stayed in (as well as a few others that we passed along the way), check out our reviews on The Dyrt.

After a 30+ mile push on our first day on GAP Trail, the Dravo's Landing hiker-biker campground was a welcomed oasis. Clean grassy sites, each with a picnic table and fire ring, with easy access to the Youghiogheny River for a dip. A few of the sites even have well-built lean-tos which are great for those damp nights. The pit toilets were kept clean and well-stocked, there was tasty potable water, and the volunteers who maintain the site provide free firewood...all for the price of FREE! The only drawback is the constant train which runs by on the other side of the river 24/7. Bring your ear plugs!

Next up, the unassuming Sorrel Ridge Campground at mile 154 along the C&O Canal Towpath takes the win. Coming as it did just after our energetic and invigorating push over the Paw Paw tunnel, with easy access to the water for a quick swim, it was a welcomed oasis. It wasn’t just the lovely grassy camping area, but the bird life and sunrise the next morning that stole our hearts. And, there were NO trains screeching by between 2 and 7 times per night -- a major plus! We were tempted to take a zero mileage day there instead of pushing on to our next stop.

If you are planning a similar trip, you can try The Dyrt PRO for free for 30 days. In addition to all the great campground info, the offline maps feature is a great resource for these trails as you won't have much cell service in many areas you are cycling.

History Comes Alive

Along the C&O Canal Towpath and accompanying Potomac River, the interpretation signs for the history of the Civil War are a constant companion.  So many places found the armies of the Confederacy and Union crossing between Virginia and Maryland during this terrible conflict.  Stories of battles, of young men slain during the conflict, of families torn apart over an ideological gulf.  With the lens of current events overlaid with these markers of the past, it is a sad reminder that much of what divides us then, divides us now.  We find ourselves caught up in thought loops of how history repeats again and again.  Much has changed in the past 150 years, much remains unchanged and our divisiveness defines us still.   

Bike Cart Shuffle in Harper’s Ferry

The trail continues southward on the Virginia side of the Potomac, but the town of Harper’s Ferry beckons you on the West Virginia side.  It’s not only home to Harper's Ferry National Historical Park, it's got tasty restaurants with draft beer and hushpuppies, and all kinds of other attractions, yet only the tiniest of walking bridges across the Potomac will allow access.  On a warm, Sunday afternoon in the fall, trying to cross the bridge on foot is like a salmon swimming upstream, but with a bike and cart trying to go up the spiral staircase leading to the bridge is nearly impossible.  With a little patience, and a lot of “excuse me please,” we made it through and enjoyed 2 days in the village.

Approaching DC

The camaraderie along the trail between cyclists is pretty encouraging.  Whether being passed, riding together for a few miles, or waving to folks going the other way, folks doing any part of the trail seem to get a boost out of enjoying it with others.  This seems to diminish the closer you get to a big city.  Folks along the trail within 10 miles of mile zero, simply put up a barrier keeping them within their bubble.  No one said hello or even looked up at us, even when Shari's bike chain broke and fell off at Mile 11 and we were perched on the side of the trail in full DIY fixit mode!  It’s kind of like being on the subway, you look ahead in a non-specific direction making no eye contact and surviving your own commute.  As much as I love our nation’s capital, this weird vibe seems to increase the closer you get to downtown.

Finding Mile Zero

Navigating along the path could not be simpler, for the first 182 miles; the path has two directions.  And then in Georgetown, the path suddenly comes to a stop in the middle of a pleasant courtyard.  Were it not for the intentional sign welcoming you and giving some city street directions to the actual finish, or start, it would indeed be a treasure hunt to get to the finish line.  The directions weave you through alleys, streets, paths and water front, until you reach the Thompson Boathouse, which at 4pm on a Thursday afternoon was positively humming with young people carrying their incredibly long crew shells over their head.  As we weaved, waited, and wondered at all the coordinated activity, a young man looked at us with a knowing gleam in his eye, saying, “Who knew that Mile Zero would be the hardest to get to!”  Right?

Not There Yet...

One part of the journey was finished, and yet we were still not back to Hamlet.  Our friends live in Cheverly, MD so we still had another 9 miles to go before we could call it a night.  But the chance to bike through the National Mall, and pass along some of our nation’s most iconic buildings and memorials is just too good -- even if all we want to do is eat some ice cream and take a shower.  We weave through the pedestrian and car traffic to return to our friend’s house just before dark where we were greeted with champagne...and a huge plate of nachos. We have the BEST friends!

Our Overall Logistics for the 334 Mile Trip
On this trip, we chose a point-to-point route by taking the Capitol Limited Amtrak train from Union Station in Washington DC to Union Station in Pittsburgh, then rode back to DC along the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath Trail. Since our train arrived late at night, we made our first night accommodations at the Traveler's Rest Hostel close to the train station in Pittsburgh which has a secure bike garage. Starting in a city allowed us to travel a bit lighter on the train because we were able to purchase and pack our first days’ food after arriving in Pittsburgh.

Camping is easy along either trail. On the GAP trail, there are a handful of nice free hiker-biker campsites (some with lean-to's which are perfect on a wet night) and an abundance of private campgrounds, some with truly outstanding facilities. Since the C&O Canal Towpath trail is run by the National Park Service, there are no private campgrounds within the park but there are quite an abundance of hiker-biker campsites. In addition, you can easily find hotels, motels, and B&B's of various price ranges all along the trail if you want/need a night inside or even just a shower. Warning! Along the GAP trail, the trains running parallel to the river (and often just across from the campgrounds) are numerous and LOUD, so bring your earplugs. Conversely, along the C&O, there are much fewer trains allowing for a better night's sleep.

Food was also easy to find, as both trails pass through many small towns and cities. Along the GAP trail, most signs welcome you into town with a map and a quick breakdown of where to find lodging, meals, bike repair services and more. The C&O could be a bit more vague with these directions, but nothing a quick Google maps check couldn’t correct quickly. While there are very few grocery stores close to the trail, it was easy to find convenience stores and dollar stores within 1-2 miles. Also, restaurants abound in all of the local villages -- from pub food to more upscale dining depending on the size and popularity of the village.

Keeping Our Gadgets Charged
As Digital Nomads, we journal and take pictures and video along every journey. To recharge our smartphone, GoPro, and bike lights along the path, we use an E.POWER portable solar charger and an E.FLEX portable solar panel, both made by Renogy.

We took our time, we paced ourselves, it was difficult, it was easy, we laughed a lot and cursed a little -- kind of like any life. Our needs were simple and simply met. Over the course of 2.5 weeks, our life narrowed down to the clothes, food, and camping gear we had with us and the seemingly endless movement down these gravel paths. Since saying farewell to our former career tracks, mortgages, and tightly squeezed in vacations, our life becomes wherever we are and whatever we're doing at the moment. We might be doing something different from day to day, but there is no back to life, back to reality wake up for us. It's been a great gift to our lives, and I'm grateful for the chance to share it with you. See y'all on the road!