LinusK

I am interested in doing the GAP and C&O trail next summer between Pittsburgh and DC. My friend wants to start in DC and end in Pittsburgh. All the websites go the other way. Do you know of any pitfalls or problems trying to go DC to Pittsburgh? Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Altair 4

This website might help: https://linkup.shaw-weil.com/ The author prefers East to West.

I haven't ridden the C&O so I have no opinion about which direction to take. When I've ridden the GAP (Pittsburgh-Cumberland section), I ride West to East. I don't might the long incremental climb to the Eastern Continental Divide and do enjoy the speedy 22 mile descent into Cumberland. Go through the pages on the Linking Up website - it might help you decide.

You might get more responses on the "touring" section of bike forums. The topic has been hashed out before.

Altair 4

BTW, the link I gave is a little out of date. It doesn't reflect that the gap in the GAP east of Pittsburgh was completed several years ago. But as a general guide, it still has valuable information.

jpescatore

I've done both the C&O and GAP trails. For the C&O, it doesn't matter which way you go - there is something like a 400 foot drop over 184 miles, so it is essentially flat! What matters is trail conditions - if there has been heavy rain within 1-2 weeks of your ride, you will hit many sections of mud. You can check the latest closure and hazard information here.

The C&O surface varies from smooth (mostly on the downstream/southern/eastern end) to rutted and bumpy - bigger tires are much better.

The GAP is generally a very gentle uphill from Pittsburgh to Deal and then a big downhill from Deal to Cumberland. I actually prefer doing it east to west, once you get the climb from Cumberland to the top out of the way, you sort of feel like Superman biking west with the slight downgrade.

The surface of the GAP is great, smooth everywhere except for the few miles just downhill from Frostburg on the way to Cumberland.

If you are not camping, I can highly recommend renting rooms at the Parker House in Confluence. We stayed there 3 years in a row, this is first year in a long time that we won't be riding on the GAP.

There is lots more info in the touring section of BikeForums, as someone else pointed.

u235

Use your travel plans as the deciding factor. The direction is a non factor. It is nice to have 20 miles of downhill to end a day in Cumberland but the other way towards the Burgh is not bad, just go a little slower up the hill. I swap directions each year. I have no preference. Last time I went towards Pittsburgh I hit huge winds at the divide, the uphill out of Cumberland was easier than the first 20 or so miles down the other side. Point being... You'll never know and it depends.

If I would use anything I'd say if you were pushing your limits on miles per day or comfort, start in DC instead. The C&O is a little harder maybe because of the various changing trail surface and conditions. The GAP is pretty much consistent smooth crushed.

PedalingWalrus

Yeah I agree with others - it doesn't matter. I did Pit - DC but doing DC - Pit would get the rougher trail over first and then it's smooth sailing from Cumberland to Pittsburgh.

indyfabz

Net elevation gain or loss is not necessarily a measure of "flatness."

Look at the profile for the Mickelson Trail, which I rode south from trailhead 4 to the end:

https://gfp.sd.gov/userdocs/mickelson-trail-map.pdf

Trailhead 1 and trailhead 11 are roughly at the same altitude (i.e., no net elevation gain or loss), yet that section is anything but flat. According to ride RWGPS, that climb from trailhead 4 rises 621' in 4 miles. That's an average grade of just under 3%. The 6.5 miles north of Hill City averages close to 2% (1.92%). That was a tough piece of railroad.

BTW...Amazing trail if you can get out that way. To make up for the stretches with no commercial services there are water cisterns and sun/storm shelters and several of the trailheads.

AngeloDolce

Does anyone have experience with PA Bicycle Route S, or possibly camping in any PA state forests?

The comments about going in either direction are good to see - I'm starting in DE so visiting Baltimore and DC and then going west from DC gives me the option to take the C&O to Cumberland and then return home, or extend the trip to Pittsburgh depending on other activity and how the trip is going.

From either Cumberland or Pittsburgh, PA Bicycle Route looks moderately direct, so I'm wondering if anyone has comments on either the route or camping/accommodations to return to Delaware County/Delaware State (where I've ridden local parts of Routes L and E).

indyfabz

In 2013 I did Route S from Bedford, PA to Philly, with some deviations, including pike2bike, which is the 8 mile stretch of abandoned PA Turnpike that is an official unofficial bike trail. There are a couple of decent state parks along the way (Caledonia and Cowans Gap). There are also other camping opportunities, including in Bedford.

My trip started in PGH. Rode the GAP to Cumberland, MD then took U.S. 220 to Bedford. Route S leave the GAP at Rockwood and goes through Somerset to get to Bedford. I have ridden much of all three W-E PA bike routes. S was probably my least favorite in terms of traffic, thanks in large part to having to pass through York and Lancaster. With that said, it wasn't horrible, especially since I knew alternatives to some of the bad stretches.

Forgot that I had made these for someone who is riding to Philly from OH:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29937460?beta=false

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29935285?beta=false

The first map shows how I got from Cumberland up to Bedford to pick up Route S. It also contains the deviation from Route S at Breezewood for pike2bike, which I highly recommend if you have sturdy tires and a good light. (The two tunnels are unlit.) Not only is it neat in a post-apocalyptic way (a portion of the "The Road," starring Viggo Mortensen was filmed there) it bypasses a big climb out of Breezewood. When the rideable section of the old turnpike ends you make a left onto Pump Station Rd then the first right onto N. Hess Rd. That puts you back on Route S.

The second map shows how I deviated from Route S after Lancaster. Route S uses too much of PA 23 for my liking. My route spends time in the Conestoga Valley north of PA 23. Gorgeous stretch with some Amish farms, a covered bridge and very little traffic. My route also goes through French Creek State Park, where there is camping. (Weekend reservations strongly recommended. I did an overnighter there last weekend.) It rejoins Route S at the intersection of PA 100 and Daisy Point Rd. My route continues on to the Schuykill River Train that takes you into Philly.

AngeloDolce

Thanks for the information. Since Wilmington and Washington DC are south of PA, I'll start with Route S - the others may be more scenic, but they'd be a bit further out of my way. The bike2pike sounds interesting, I've heard about it for a while. For your other detour, there are a few events in Lancaster so ideally I'll see if I can go to Lancaster County Park for the events and just camp there for a night.

French Creek is scenic but would add another two or three days to a C&O/Pittsburgh trip for me.. Their website indicates a 2 day minimum for Saturday arrivals. They have so many vacancies a 6/1 trip to Elverson I may see if they still insist on minimum stays and reservation fees for walk ins, with the option of returning in a single (long) day. It seems crazy that they need more notice and higher fees to park a bicycle and a tent for a night than to rent a car.

jpescatore

I did Bike Route S from York PA to Manns Choice PA and then down Bike Route G to Cumberland across 3 days. I wasn't camping, stayed with a friend in Mt. Alto (there is camping in Caledonia State Park on S) and in hotels in Breezewood and Cumberland. I definitely recommend the bike2pike detour now - the hill choice is a grind.

I got to York on the North Central Rail Trail from Baltimore, it has various news names in PA and MD now, but the East Coast Greenway route picks up at the south end of the trail in Ashland area and takes you through Baltimore, or you can throw your bike on the light rail!

I really enjoyed that section of Bike Route S, just happened to be going through Biglerville on Apple Festival weekend in the fall - well worth a stop. The route just west of Biglerville has a big climb back up to 30, but apple pie powered me! There is another big climb further west to get up and over the ridge that Cowan Gap State Park is on but it is nicely switch-backed and was actually enjoyable - and the view from the park and the downhill on the other side were awesome.

AngeloDolce

Sounds like a good trip, especially with the Apple Festival.

pikachu172

The direction is a non factor. It is nice to have 20 miles of downhill to end a day in Cumberland but the other way towards the Burgh is not bad, just go a little slower up the hill.

indyfabz

Old thread, but yes: the direction on the GAP was irrelevant to me when I did an up and back from/to Cumberland last year. What was a factor was the wind. Had a strong headwind the first day to Rockwood. That open section after crossing the divide was particularly bad.

Shameless plug for the GAP Trail Campground in W. Newton. Very nice facility close to the trail. Got to love the Hobbit showers.