C&O Canal Towpath / Great Allegheny Passage 2022

C&O Tow Path / Great Allegheny Passage

🛤️ Overview: C&O + GAP Combo

  • Total Length: ~333 miles (536 km)
  • Route: From Washington, D.C. to Pittsburgh, PA
  • Trail Type: Point-to-point, non-motorized, multi-use trail
  • Trail Surface:
  • C&O: Crushed gravel, dirt (can get muddy)
  • GAP: Crushed limestone, well-maintained


🥾 C&O Canal Towpath

  • Length: ~184.5 miles
  • Route: Georgetown (Washington, D.C.) → Cumberland, MD
  • Follows: Historic Chesapeake & Ohio Canal along the Potomac River
  • Highlights:
  • Great Falls
  • Harpers Ferry
  • Historic lockhouses
  • Monocacy and Paw Paw tunnels
  • Civil War sites
  • Trail Experience: Flat, shaded, remote in parts, historic & scenic
  • Managed By: National Park Service


🚲 Great Allegheny Passage (GAP)

  • Length: ~148.5 miles
  • Route: Cumberland, MD → Pittsburgh, PA
  • Follows: Old rail corridor through the Allegheny Mountains
  • Highlights:
  • Eastern Continental Divide
  • Big Savage Tunnel
  • Ohiopyle State Park & Youghiogheny River
  • Historic railroad bridges and viaducts
  • Trail towns like Frostburg, Ohiopyle, and Connellsville
  • Trail Experience: Gradual climbs, well-maintained, scenic river valleys


🏕️ Camping & Lodging

  • C&O:
  • Free hiker/biker campsites every 5–10 miles
  • No reservations, basic (tent pad, water pump, toilet, picnic table)
  • GAP:
  • Campgrounds, B&Bs, hostels, and trail towns offer many options
  • Some designated hiker/biker sites available too
  • 🛠️ Logistics & Services
  • Water Sources: Available but should be treated/filtered
  • Resupply: Trail towns every 20–30 miles with food, bike shops, and lodging
  • Best Season: Spring through fall (peak foliage in October)
  • Shuttles: Available for transport, luggage, and bike rentals
  • Navigation: Easy – well-marked trails with maps and mileposts
  • Ideal for: Beginner-friendly bike touring, long-distance walking, history buffs, families


📜 Historical Notes

  • C&O Canal: Built in the 1800s to transport coal and goods along the Potomac
  • GAP: Rail-trail conversion of former Western Maryland and Pittsburgh & Lake Erie railways