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Riding a Choice Section of the C&O Canal Towpath - Sharpsburg Upstream to Milepost 92

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Riding a Choice Section of the C&O Canal Towpath - Sharpsburg Upstream to Milepost 92

Old 07-07-20, 05:18 AM
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jpescatore
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Riding a Choice Section of the C&O Canal Towpath - Sharpsburg Upstream to Milepost 92

Over the holiday weekend, I rode 19 miles out and 19 back on the C&O Canal Towpath going upstream from Lock 38 in Sharpsburg MD to milepost 92, the midpoint of the Towpath between DC and Cumberland. Short writeup and some pictures here.
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Old 07-28-20, 05:45 AM
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balto charlie
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Nice report, that's the area I rode last week when I was drenched by the thunderstorm. I am heading to W. Va for 3-4 day bike-packing tomorrow. I need to escape the heat. Hopefully I will have a report to post.
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Old 09-23-20, 09:58 PM
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Bicicletta89
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How is the C&O tow path on a road bike? Too bumpy?
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Old 09-24-20, 05:05 AM
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Most of the Towpath to has been resurfaced with a nice crushed stone surface out to about mile 73 in Antietam. So, pretty much from Georgetown to there is easily doable on a road bike - still a few bumpy spots and short chunky gravel sections especially around Brunswick around mile 53/54.

Then, from the Big Pool parking at mile 115 or so, out to Fifteen Mile Creek at mile 141, you can bike on the parallel paved Western MD Rail Trail.

Outside of that, I wouldn't use my road bike - but many do. Much more double track with tree roots, ruts, potholes etc.

I just rode last week from Point of Rocks to Antietam, 25 miles out and then back, surface was great.
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Old 09-24-20, 10:32 AM
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Originally Posted by jpescatore View Post
still a few bumpy spots and short chunky gravel sections especially around Brunswick around mile 53/54.
Stay to the far right on the access road to the brunswick campground. In both directions there's a truck/car tire wide smooth bit except right at the water treatment plant.
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Old 09-25-20, 05:21 AM
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Good tip, I noticed that.

When you reach the point where the campground road leaves the towpath to go through the Brunswick parking lot, there is about a 20 foot stretch of loose 2 inch gravel to cross that might be squirrelly on narrow tires.
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Old 09-25-20, 01:56 PM
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Originally Posted by jpescatore View Post
When you reach the point where the campground road leaves the towpath to go through the Brunswick parking lot, there is about a 20 foot stretch of loose 2 inch gravel to cross that might be squirrelly on narrow tires.
That was a pile with several tons of gravel when they first started working on the new surface. The way it is right now is the way the trail surface was for the first couple days of work. Not knowing the whole process I thought they were being very industrious in ruining the tow path for me.
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