Tour Spotlight: GAP/C&O Bike Tour

nocellajoe
Jan 18
6 min read

718 Outdoors is a 1-person operation that has remained small, local and independent by design since 2008. If this resonates with you, your support is welcome and greatly appreciated! If not, that's cool too.

GAP/C&O Bike Tour Background:

We have run the GAP/C&O Bike Tour in it's entirety (from Pittsburgh to Washington DC) for 6 seasons. It has become one of my favorite rider die to to accessibility for riders of all skill levels, as well as the history and scenery to take in along the way. This is a self-supported bike camping trip.

GAP/C&O Bike Tour Interactive Map:

Our interactive maps shows photographs at each point along the route.

GAP/C&O Bike Tour Ride Table:

We use Ride Tables to easily compare different tours that we offer. A key metric is the number of feel climbed per mile. Bigger numbers indicate a harder day. In 718 world, a value of 100 (100 feet of elevation per mile) is quite a workout. Basically the first 2-1/2 days are slightly uphill, and the last 3-1/2 days are slightly downhill.

GAP/C&O Bike Tour Ride Description:

Day 0 (Travel Day...arrival in Pittsburgh)

Generally people arrive the day before the Tour starts. There are 2 Amtrak rail routes that get to Pittsburgh from NYC (see Rail Travel Post here). There is a ton to see and do in Pittsburgh, and some folks even travel up 2 days early to explore the city. Hotels that are very close to the start point can be had for under $200 if booked in advance (pro move is to check out the Traveller's Rest, a hostel that caters to cyclists).

Day 1 (Pittsburgh to Connellsville, PA)

Our first day starts with a meet and greet at the Point State Park Fountain in Pittsburgh. After riding over the Hot Metal Bridge, when then cross to the west bank of the Monongahela River and make a big swing onto the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Bike Trail, heading southeast into rural Pennsylvania. We stop at the site of the Battle of Homestead (the most pivotable moment in The American Labor Movement), and head through McKeesport on our way to a rest stop in Boston, PA, now along the Youghiogheny ("The Yauch") River. Next are the Blood Falls (named after the iron deposit in the water) and then lunch at an outdoor riverfront spot in West Newton (at a place that is "way better than it needs to be"). We will then get back on the bikes to go past an honor-system 'fridge that has snacks and drinks, past the Darr Mine Disaster Monument, arriving at the Blue Canoe Campsite. This facility has showers, a restaurant/grille, an arcade/game room and 2 pools!

Day 2 (Connellsville, PA to Meyersdale, PA)

It's hard to leave the pool(s), but Day 2 has us moving in that same southeasterly direction along the GAP. Breakfast is at a diner in town. After Connellsville, the route gets rural and even more beautiful as we ride along the Youghiogheny River. We pass tantalizingly close to the very inaccessible Falling Water House by Frank Lloyd Wright, over the Ohiopyle High Bridge and into the town of Ohiopyle. Ohiopyle is a white water and adventure sport mecca, and has all of the associated bike shops, ice cream places and coffee cafes. Lunch is further down the river in Confluence (at the confluence of the Youghiogheny and Casselman Rivers. A gentle climb marks our trek after lunch on our way through the Pullman Tunnel and onto the Rockwood visitors center rest stop. We then cross the Salisbury Viaduct on our way to the Maple Festival Campsite in Meyersdale, PA. This site has rustic showers and easy access to town.

Day 3 (Meyersdale, PA to Potomac Forks, MD)

Day 3 has us leaving Meyersdale and heading for the Eastern Continental Divide. Arriving at the Divide signals the end of the uphill section of our journey, and we are set for the 23 mile descent into Cumberland, MD. On the way down, we will pass through 3 abandoned railroad tunnels (Big Savage, Borden and Brush Tunnels), cross the Mason-Dixon Line, and pass by Frostburg, arriving in Cumberland, MD for lunch. After lunch, and hitting the grocery store for supplies, we pass through Mile 0 as we leave the Great Allegheny Passage and get right on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Rail Trail (The C&O) on our journey to Washington DC. We are now riding along the northern bank of the Potomac River, with West Virginia south across the river. Camp is 17 miles down the river at Potomac Forks. This is the first of 3 consecutive "Hiker/Biker" Campsite we will be staying at on the C&O. These sites all have a porta-potty and a hand-operated water pump.

Day 4 (Potomac Forks, MD to Williamsport, MD)

9 miles into day 4 is the Paw Paw Tunnel. There were a few years (2022-2023) where the tunnel was closed and we had to hike our loaded touring bikes over the mountain. Thankfully those days are behind us. After the tunnel, we hit a stretch on the C&O that is quite remote and devoid of cell service. We ensure that we stay close together and stop often in this area. At mile 27, we hop off the C&O for a few miles as the Western Maryland Rail Trail is quite smooth and nice. Mile 40 sees us enter Hancock, MD for lunch. Hancock has a few restaurants, a grocery store and a bike shop. This is a little late for lunch, so we make sure to stop and snack along the way. After lunch, it's another 23 miles to camp at the Jordan Junction Hiker-Biker campsite, a few miles from Williamsport, MD. Swimming has been know to happen here.

Day 5 (Williamsport, MD to Point-of-Rocks, MD)

Day 5 has us leaving camp and hitting a local coffee shop in Williamsport (new for 2026). We need to stock up as our next group food stop is at around Mile 30 in Shepherdstown, WV. Shepherdstown is an amazing little town with a college, lots of cafes, an ice cream shop, bakeries and a bike shop. Don't pass up Maria's Taqueria, we've stopped there every year of this Tour. After lunch, we cross the river back to Maryland and head 13 miles down the trail to Harper's Ferry. Harper's Ferry played a huge part in American History, you should read more about it. We don't cross the river for a visit, as the spiral metal stairs are too much to deal with. We do get a nice break, get to view 3 states (MD, WV, VA) at the intersection of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. We also get a great view of the freight train tunnel that comes right through the mountain and over the water. After the break, we continuity 6 miles down to Brunswick, MD where we grab some food at a local brewery. Brunswick is nicknamed "Smoketown" as this was/is a railroad hub. It's another 7 miles to our last night of camping at Point-of-Rocks, MD.

Day 6 (Point-of-Rocks, MD to Washington, DC)

Our final day is a 52 mile ride to Washington DC. At Mile 12, we stop for amazing breakfast sandwiches in historic White's Ferry. Along the C&O, riders find the mile marker post that matches their age and take a selfie...this is a fun 718 tradition! Every year, my mile marker moves back a mile (and I actually look at my future marker to tell it I hope to see it in the next year). This beautiful last-day ride then stops at Swain's Lock and at Great Falls Park as we continue down the C&O Trail. Next up is Georgetown, Mile Marker 0, and a trek through the heart of DC to get to Union Station.

GAP/C&O Bike Tour Image Gallery:

GAP/C&O Bike Tour Ride Videos:

Click on the image below to see our Video Playlist from our GAP/C&O Tours

Final Note:

For better or worse, I do not use AI to create my posts. This is all me, with my misspellings, questionable grammar and tangential thoughts. I didn't get into this line of work to hand over my thoughts, expertise and experience to AI to spit out blog posts.