GAP + C&O Towpath

The Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal Towpath (GAPCO) is a must-ride trail for all bike travelers. These two bike trails create two distinctly different experiences and one epic journey.

Ohiopyle low bridge in morning
Salisbury Viaduct on the GAPCO Trail
riding the ohiopyle on a self-guided bike tour
7 Day Self-Guided Tour

GAPCO 7 Day Tour

Bike the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath in in one full week. Enjoy this 7 day adventure and see the best of both trails.

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Green trees surround path on the GAPCO
Canal quarter on the GAPCO
Eastern Divide Tunnel on GAPCO bike tour
8 Day Self-Guided Tour

GAPCO 8 Day Tour

The Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal Towpath is a must-ride trail for all bike travelers. These two bike trails create two distinctly different experiences and one epic journey.

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Waterfall creek on GAPCO
Boat on the C&O canal
Greatfalls scenic vista
9 Day Self-Guided Tour

GAPCO 9 Day Tour

The 9-day self-guided bike tour option on the Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal Towpath is a rider’s favorite. Experience just about all this world-class trail has to offer in a happy-medium pace.

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Dam 5 on C&O Canal
riding the ohiopyle on a self-guided bike tour
Bike on the roadside of the GAPCO trail
10 Day Self-Guided Tour

GAPCO 10 Day Tour

The Great Allegheny Passage is a 150 mile trail that leads you beneath leafy green canopy and dazzling fall colors, past hidden waterfalls and glens, chasing glimpses of the river beside you. Book your 10 day trip and bike the GAP and the C&O Canal Towpath.

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Touring bike at Mile Marker 0, DC
Blueprint

GAP/C&O Canal Towpath

The Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal Towpath is a must-ride trail for all bike travelers. Our Bike Tour Blueprint provides all the tools you’d ever need to piece together your own bike tour on one of North America’s most popular trails.

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About the GAP + C&O Towpath

GAPCO self guided trip to historic landmarks

What’s the GAP/C&O?

The Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath travels over 330 miles between Pittsburgh, Pa., and Washington, D.C.

The Great Allegheny Passage runs through the Appalachian Mountains and traverses rugged natural terrain dotted by small towns. It was the first inductee to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Hall of Fame and the forested canopy of the GAP offers relaxed cycling to invigorate the senses and unplug from your cares.

The GAP is followed by the incredible history and bustling energy of the C&O Canal Towpath. The canal stretches for 185 miles along an historic transportation corridor that utilized the Potomac River to travel from the East Coast into the interior.

Rider on GAP at Eastern Continental Divide

Riding the GAP/C&O

With most of the Great Allegheny Passage being converted from abandoned rail beds, the crushed gravel surface is ideal for hybrid and/or touring bicycles, with an average grade of less than 1%. It runs slightly uphill as you ride south, then slopes downward into Cumberland at a grade of about 1.75%. The GAP is well-maintained and kept clear by volunteers and local municipalities (we provide information on how to further support these organizations with your trip materials).

The C&O Canal Towpath is a dirt surface and bumpy, similar to a forest road, and is managed by the National Park Service. There is little to no grade on the towpath beyond the slight elevation changes at each lock. The majority of the trail is shaded and it is entirely off-road.

Boat on the C&O canal

Trail Highlights

In additional to truly stunning scenery, highlights along the route include internationally-renowned architectural masterpiece Fallingwater, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright; Civil War-era national parks and battlefields; cast-iron truss bridges and historic stone aqueducts; and the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C.

Elevation sign on the C&O Towpath trail

A Comfortable Pace

Our Great Allegheny Passage – C&O Canal itineraries are designed to give you ample time to take in the sights along the way and experience the region’s natural beauty. It’s also possible to add on an extra night in Pittsburgh at the start or end of your trip and to add time around sites like Antietam National Battlefield.

looking for Something Different?

We are proud to offer a wide variety of curated tour itineraries on many of the nation’s best trails.

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