Touring - Good website or book for planning a CC / camping tour of the Allegheny Passage?

I am considering riding the Allegheny Passage next summer. I guess I should ride this route since it terminates in Pittsburgh almost right behind my house! :)

I'm looking for a good website or book that would list places to stay along the trail. I mainly want to CC tour and stay at motels or B&Bs but would consider camping too. I'd like to see something that would show me how far from the trail the accommodations are located.

gaptrail.org -- follow the links on the website. It's got all the information you're seeking.

(What happened to Yellowstone, Glacier, Italy, Hungary?)

gaptrail.org -- follow the links on the website. It's got all the information you're seeking.

(What happened to Yellowstone, Glacier, Italy, Hungary?)

Hungry is out. Riding partner not interested. Plus I did not realize that part of Europe is on the Euro and the exchange rate is in the toilet right now.

Yellowstone is still on the plate but camping 10 days straight concerns the both of us. Might be kind of difficult making all of those reservations for cabins but we are still looking at that though it might already be to late.


Thanks for the link but I already found that site. Unless I am missing something, it lists places to stay and their basic directions but it really does not say how far or how difficult to get to the places. Well at least for some of the places. I'll check it out. Thanks.

If you go to the website I gave, then to the "About Us" pull-down menu, then "Trail Merchandise", there's a nice little book you can order for $5. As I recall, the book has a little bit more information than the website. The website lodging info was quite sufficient, however. I don't think you're going to find more information in one place than at gaptrail.org or gaptrail.com.

There's another page for C&O Canal lodging:
http://bikewashington.org/canal/plan-lodging.php

A friend & I rode from McKeesport to DC this summer on the GAP trail and C&O Canal. We loved the GAP Trail and we both got somewhat bored with the C&O Canal towpath.

Here is a link to the Allegheny Passage Website (http://www.biketouringtips.com/showTipComments.php?tipID=545). It looks like quite a nice ride.

Ray

There is a Yahoo group that you can post inquiries to:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Great_Allegheny_Passage/

I've only done self-supported trips along the Passage/C&O, but have used some motels along the routes as well. If you have a specific question, feel free to PM me.

Judy

Thanks everyone. I work with the man that is in charge of the Montour Trail in our area. They have some books at the trail office and he is bringing them into work but these links will be really useful too.

If you go to the website I gave, then to the "About Us" pull-down menu, then "Trail Merchandise", there's a nice little book you can order for $5. As I recall, the book has a little bit more information than the website.

Spinnaker, I have this book, and it's well worth the $5 cost. Of course, you could always take a look at mine if need be. Also the Yahoo group link is an excellent source of on the spot info. There are folks from all along the trail who post on that message board.

I have considered doing the DC to Pit ride myself. I was going to look into loading the bike on a Greyhound to DC, and riding back up. This is a ride I cold use my Trek hybrid on. It may be heavy, but it is setup to take racks. Plus it has wider tires, which would be a plus on the mostly limestone trail.

Denny

Spinnaker, I have this book, and it's well worth the $5 cost. Of course, you could always take a look at mine if need be. Also the Yahoo group link is an excellent source of on the spot info. There are folks from all along the trail who post on that message board.

I have considered doing the DC to Pit ride myself. I was going to look into loading the bike on a Greyhound to DC, and riding back up. This is a ride I cold use my Trek hybrid on. It may be heavy, but it is setup to take racks. Plus it has wider tires, which would be a plus on the mostly limestone trail.

Denny

Dom is up for the trip, maybe we could get one or both of the Dave's and rent a truck or van? If you are interested.

Dom is up for the trip, maybe we could get one or both of the Dave's and rent a truck or van? If you are interested.

That would be cool! Definately intersted in the trip. My time frame on vacation is wide open for next year.

If you are coming from Pittsburgh you'll likely be staying near Ohiopyle the first night (avoid the park campground, it's on top of a brutal hill). There are B&B's there. Then the next night you'd likely be near Meyersdale where there are several B&B's and motels. After that you'll be past Cumberland and you can camp at the Hiker/Biker sites that are about every five miles or you can put in at one of the major towns along the C&O. I don't think you'll find much problem with accommodations unless it's a holiday weekend. Camping on the C&O is fine once you are past Town Creek Aqueduct. Before there the canal is full of water and the mosquitoes are bad in the summer months

Don't overplan the GAP/C&O trip. You can be rather flexible with it and adjust your pace as you see fit. The Pittsburgh to Frostburg stretch is the only place where accommodations are a bit sparse but that section is only a bit over 100 miles so you won't be on it long.

Are there any supported rides on this trail.

buddy

Yes, there are but I can't see why you'd need to do that. You can easily do the trip staying in a motel or B&B every night and there are places to eat along the way... this is the eastern seaboard after all. There aren't a lot of group camping sites along the route so supported "camping" trips are probably a bit rare. The supported trips I've seen were basically putting you up at motels and giving you a few meals along the way. It would be a waste of money, IMHO.

This is a route that just about anyone could do so if you are worried about "support" just get a few friends together and go for it. I did it alone and it was great. There are friendly and helpful people along the route that will give you a hand if needed. Don't be afraid to ask for directions or assistance. There are plenty of places to bail out if you have problems. The 30 or so miles past Confluence, PA (coming from Pittsburgh) is the most isolated part of the route as you'll be out of cell phone range and the towns are sparse. But after that you'll hit a little town with facilities every 20 miles or so. On the C&O section you don't even need to carry much water as there is a pump every 5-7 miles or so.

That would be cool! Definately intersted in the trip. My time frame on vacation is wide open for next year.

Oh, except for the weekend of August 16th & 17th. Lancaster Covered Bridges ride is scheduled for that weekend. We should try to get the Daves', Dom, and others commited to going on that weekend trip also.

I did the route from DC to Pgh 2 summers ago self supported. It is a great ride. The towpath is a bit bumpy and I understand can get muddy if it rains. The best website I found out there for the C&O part was the Washington Bike Club site. If you click on a section of the map it will give you mile by mile information. http://www.bikewashington.org/canal/index.php

There is a book out there called "Linking Up" that is in some stores but is also available for download. The ATATrail site http://old.atatrail.org/linkup/trip.htm has excerpts.

One comment on the C&O section: yes, there's water (and a campsite, and a portajohn) every 5 miles or so. And yes, the water is technically drinkable. But hold your nose. You or your riding companion may not care much for it.

Adventure Cycling (www.adventurecycling.org (http://www.adventurecycling.org)) runs a supported trip, but you really don't need it here.

Good luck. Its a wonderful trip.