The Great Allegheny Passage
12-26-10, 06:34 PM
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The Great Allegheny Passage
Has any of you ever ridden this thing back East called
The Great Allegheny Passage?, if you have, any comments be good.
The Great Allegheny Passage?, if you have, any comments be good.
12-26-10, 06:57 PM
#2
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I've ridden it a few times. Here's links to a few trip reports 2010 DC to Pgh, 4 days , 2006 Pgh to DC, 4 days , 2004 Pgh-DC 3 days.
There's a GAP Yahoo Group that has a lot of knowledgeable people in it.
The G.A.P. is a wonderful trail and an excellent ride. I hope you enjoy it.
There's a GAP Yahoo Group that has a lot of knowledgeable people in it.
The G.A.P. is a wonderful trail and an excellent ride. I hope you enjoy it.
12-26-10, 09:21 PM
#4
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Rode it in October of this year, took three days from Cumberland to Pittsburg (well, about 2.5 days, arrived in PGH around noon). A very nice trail through some beautiful countryside, much nicer IMO than the C&O Canal trail that I rode previously.
12-26-10, 09:29 PM
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If your going to ride the GAP you should also consider doing the C and O that goes from the end of the GAP to Washington DC. I haven't riden the GAP but rode the C and O a good time back and it was a good ride I only did it in parts
Good Luck
Mike
Good Luck
Mike
12-26-10, 11:13 PM
#6
Every day a winding road
A bunch of us from BF did a ride from my house down the GAP to the C&O and to DC in 2009.
I am planning on doing the GAP again this year. Maybe in September. Maybe we can make it another BF thing.
A spur of the GAP called the Montour Trail starts pretty much behind my house. If you are planning on doing this trip either as part of a BF ride or just with me and my buddies or on your own, PM me. If I am around I can pick you up at the airport. If I have a day or two off I can guide you down the Montour or through the city.
The new trail from the city to the start of the GAP should be finished this year. If it is finished before your ride, that should make for a interesting ride though the Montour Trail has it's own merits too.
The GAP is a hard packed limestone trail. You can ride on it with pretty much anything. The C&O is basically mud. You will need a hybrid, cyclocross, mountain or touring bike.
I am planning on doing the GAP again this year. Maybe in September. Maybe we can make it another BF thing.
A spur of the GAP called the Montour Trail starts pretty much behind my house. If you are planning on doing this trip either as part of a BF ride or just with me and my buddies or on your own, PM me. If I am around I can pick you up at the airport. If I have a day or two off I can guide you down the Montour or through the city.
The new trail from the city to the start of the GAP should be finished this year. If it is finished before your ride, that should make for a interesting ride though the Montour Trail has it's own merits too.
The GAP is a hard packed limestone trail. You can ride on it with pretty much anything. The C&O is basically mud. You will need a hybrid, cyclocross, mountain or touring bike.
12-27-10, 02:08 AM
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I rode it this year along with the c&o. It is a nice ride with a lot of great sights along the way, here are some pics I took if you are interested. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4L0UbPKalpM
12-27-10, 04:50 AM
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GAP & C&O are on the top of my "to ride list" once I get this bike built.
12-27-10, 11:24 AM
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I rode it last fall, and I had a blast. Did 40-50 miles a day and camped at commercial grounds in Rockwood and Connellsville. Many of the small towns along the trail rely on trail riders for tourism dollars, so there are plenty of bike shops, campgrounds, and good places to stop for lunch along the way.
The official website (https://www.atatrail.org/) is very helpful.
The official website (https://www.atatrail.org/) is very helpful.
12-27-10, 01:05 PM
#10
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+1 for the cool small towns along the GAP. Many of them have embraced the trail as an economic engine and are doing a lot to promote themselves as "trail towns." Rockwood is a great example of this. They have the campground right on the trail ("Husky Haven"), as well as a very nice hostel across the river. I was going to stay at the campground, which is ~$10 per person, but for $20 I got a bed and a hot shower in the hostel, along with meeting some cool people. There's also a decent pizza place next door in the "Opera House" shops.
As you get closer to Pittsburgh you'll start to find some nice free campsites. Connelsville has just built three lean-to shelters right on the trail. I thought about staying there, but they are almost right in the middle of town and it just wasn't what I was into for camping (right next to a parking lot). I pushed on to Roundbottom Campground, which is a free primitive site, albeit with a nice vault toilet, picnic tables, and a water pump. Even a nice little shed where you can store you bike overnight (although I think maybe it was built for horses...). Going toward PGH you'll also find free campsites at Cedar Creek Park and Dravo Cemetary. Both looked almost new and very nice. Cedar Creek had a brand-new lean-to that looked right out over the river, and even had a fireplace. I think there might be 1-2 other campgrounds, too, along that stretch.
I was surprised that the first part, from Cumberland toward PGH, didn't have much to offer for camping. The trail goes through some pretty remote areas there, which would seem to be a natural for campgrounds.
As you get closer to Pittsburgh you'll start to find some nice free campsites. Connelsville has just built three lean-to shelters right on the trail. I thought about staying there, but they are almost right in the middle of town and it just wasn't what I was into for camping (right next to a parking lot). I pushed on to Roundbottom Campground, which is a free primitive site, albeit with a nice vault toilet, picnic tables, and a water pump. Even a nice little shed where you can store you bike overnight (although I think maybe it was built for horses...). Going toward PGH you'll also find free campsites at Cedar Creek Park and Dravo Cemetary. Both looked almost new and very nice. Cedar Creek had a brand-new lean-to that looked right out over the river, and even had a fireplace. I think there might be 1-2 other campgrounds, too, along that stretch.
I was surprised that the first part, from Cumberland toward PGH, didn't have much to offer for camping. The trail goes through some pretty remote areas there, which would seem to be a natural for campgrounds.
12-27-10, 03:37 PM
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The 'Opera House' up front has really great soup, bread and PIE. Best lunches I had on trip were eaten there.
+1 for the cool small towns along the GAP. Many of them have embraced the trail as an economic engine and are doing a lot to promote themselves as "trail towns." Rockwood is a great example of this. They have the campground right on the trail ("Husky Haven"), as well as a very nice hostel across the river. I was going to stay at the campground, which is ~$10 per person, but for $20 I got a bed and a hot shower in the hostel, along with meeting some cool people. There's also a decent pizza place next door in the "Opera House" shops.
As you get closer to Pittsburgh you'll start to find some nice free campsites. Connelsville has just built three lean-to shelters right on the trail. I thought about staying there, but they are almost right in the middle of town and it just wasn't what I was into for camping (right next to a parking lot). I pushed on to Roundbottom Campground, which is a free primitive site, albeit with a nice vault toilet, picnic tables, and a water pump. Even a nice little shed where you can store you bike overnight (although I think maybe it was built for horses...). Going toward PGH you'll also find free campsites at Cedar Creek Park and Dravo Cemetary. Both looked almost new and very nice. Cedar Creek had a brand-new lean-to that looked right out over the river, and even had a fireplace. I think there might be 1-2 other campgrounds, too, along that stretch.
I was surprised that the first part, from Cumberland toward PGH, didn't have much to offer for camping. The trail goes through some pretty remote areas there, which would seem to be a natural for campgrounds.
As you get closer to Pittsburgh you'll start to find some nice free campsites. Connelsville has just built three lean-to shelters right on the trail. I thought about staying there, but they are almost right in the middle of town and it just wasn't what I was into for camping (right next to a parking lot). I pushed on to Roundbottom Campground, which is a free primitive site, albeit with a nice vault toilet, picnic tables, and a water pump. Even a nice little shed where you can store you bike overnight (although I think maybe it was built for horses...). Going toward PGH you'll also find free campsites at Cedar Creek Park and Dravo Cemetary. Both looked almost new and very nice. Cedar Creek had a brand-new lean-to that looked right out over the river, and even had a fireplace. I think there might be 1-2 other campgrounds, too, along that stretch.
I was surprised that the first part, from Cumberland toward PGH, didn't have much to offer for camping. The trail goes through some pretty remote areas there, which would seem to be a natural for campgrounds.
12-27-10, 05:01 PM
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12-28-10, 04:45 PM
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https://bicycletouringoncarfreepaths.org/ has good information on the great allegheny on camping and lodging, food and services, towns and sights along the way, and ice cream and beer. definitely try the twice baked pecan french toast at the rockwood opera house. and the pizza's amazing.
jeff
jeff
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