Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) plus Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath
Name: Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) plus Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath
Start/Finish: Because it is a roundtrip route on a dedicated path, it can start anywhere along the path, as long as it is finished in the same spot. Starting at one of the two termini (Pittsburgh or Washington, D.C.) or in Oldtown, MD at the half-way point is a good choice.
GPX: Link to Route (Round trip) Link to Route (One way, Pittsburght to DC)
Distance: 688.5 miles
Description: The ride from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington, DC via the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) and the C&O Canal Towpath is one of the most iconic long-distance cycling routes in the eastern United States. Spanning 334.5 miles of uninterrupted, car-free trails, it connects two historically and culturally significant American cities through a scenic, safe, and accessible corridor. The GAP and C&O trails trace historic transportation routes—railroads and canal paths—that once helped shape America’s industrial and economic growth. Riders pass through historic towns, tunnels, aqueducts, locks, and preserved engineering marvels, offering a ride that is both physically and historically rich. This ride spans four states and the District of Columbia, traversing the Appalachian Mountains, rural Pennsylvania, the Potomac River Valley, and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park—all without ever entering traffic. The route is a bucket-list achievement for recreational cyclists, gravel riders, and endurance athletes alike.
Many have done the G.A.P. Many have done the C&O Canal Towpath. Many have done both. But not so many have done both roundtrip. It is 685 miles of almost flat dirt, gravel, and crushed rock with no cars. There are many campsites and towns for re-supply along the way. It is a beautiful though sometimes monotonous stretch of eastern mixed deciduous woodland, paralleling major rivers like the Potomac much of the way. Because it is a round trip route, in my opinion one can start anywhere, as long as you do the full round trip, finishing where you start.
Round Trip
Unsupported:
Men: Keith Sockman, June 10, 2023, 149.5 Hours, (just over 6 days)
Women:
Supported:
Men:
Women:
Team:
Para:
One Way, Pittsburg to DC
Unsupported:
Men:
Women:
Supported:
Men:
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Name: Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) plus Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath
Start/Finish: Because it is a roundtrip route on a dedicated path, it can start anywhere along the path, as long as it is finished in the same spot. Starting at one of the two termini (Pittsburgh or Washington, D.C.) or in Oldtown, MD at the half-way point is a good choice.
GPX: Link to Route (Round trip) Link to Route (One way, Pittsburght to DC)
Distance: 688.5 miles
Description: The ride from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington, DC via the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) and the C&O Canal Towpath is one of the most iconic long-distance cycling routes in the eastern United States. Spanning 334.5 miles of uninterrupted, car-free trails, it connects two historically and culturally significant American cities through a scenic, safe, and accessible corridor. The GAP and C&O trails trace historic transportation routes—railroads and canal paths—that once helped shape America’s industrial and economic growth. Riders pass through historic towns, tunnels, aqueducts, locks, and preserved engineering marvels, offering a ride that is both physically and historically rich. This ride spans four states and the District of Columbia, traversing the Appalachian Mountains, rural Pennsylvania, the Potomac River Valley, and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park—all without ever entering traffic. The route is a bucket-list achievement for recreational cyclists, gravel riders, and endurance athletes alike.
Many have done the G.A.P. Many have done the C&O Canal Towpath. Many have done both. But not so many have done both roundtrip. It is 685 miles of almost flat dirt, gravel, and crushed rock with no cars. There are many campsites and towns for re-supply along the way. It is a beautiful though sometimes monotonous stretch of eastern mixed deciduous woodland, paralleling major rivers like the Potomac much of the way. Because it is a round trip route, in my opinion one can start anywhere, as long as you do the full round trip, finishing where you start.
Round Trip
Unsupported:
Men: Keith Sockman, June 10, 2023, 149.5 Hours, (just over 6 days)
Women:
Supported:
Men:
Women:
Team:
Para:
One Way, Pittsburg to DC
Unsupported:
Men:
Women:
Supported:
Men:
Women:
Team:
Para:
