State of the Trails

A look at up-to-date regulations, closures and openings on our self-guided bike tour trails.

GENERAL STATEMENT: We will not be offering bike tours on any trails where recreational travel is not advised due to the Covid-19 pandemic OR where we feel essential services (safe, clean, and accessible lodging, food, water, and restrooms) are not yet sufficiently available. The trails in green are approved and operating tours. The trails in red are not open.

GENERAL TRAVEL GUIDELINES FOR ALL TRAILS:

If you feel sick and/or have a fever you should not travel
Wash hands with soap and water, or using hand sanitizer, frequently
Sneezing or coughing into a tissue, or the inside of your elbow; or wear a face mask
Avoid socializing in groups that do not readily allow for appropriate physical distancing

CURRENT STATE OF THE KATY TRAIL (as of 6/29/20) – Tours Going!

The Katy Trail in the Missouri State Parks have reopened bathrooms and water. The park may still have portable toilets if restrooms are closed at Clinton, Windsor, Green Ridge, Boonville, North Jefferson, Marthasville, and Dutzow. The park is advising all trail visitors to bring their own bottled water and hand sanitizer, and be as self-contained as possible with food and snacks.

Accommodations – Most Katy Trail lodgings are currently open – riders will be advised if their services are not available before the start of their trip. We do not anticipate these closures to last past mid-June. Lodgings have new cleaning standards in place, as well as regulations around touchless check-in and use of common areas; face masks currently will be required in their public areas.
Food – Finding food along the Katy Trail is always a concern and we are keeping a very close eye on where food is available. You will receive a specific list of food recommendations in the days prior to your trip start, since restaurant policies are changing daily. Restaurants ARE allowed to offer dine-in services at this time provided they can offer appropriate social distancing. Breakfasts at the B&Bs are being served but most hotels are not permitted to offer more than “grab and go” items such as granola bars and fruit at this time per CDC regulations. We will advise you of fuller breakfast options on those days. We are gathering specifics on which restaurants are open for lunches and dinners – all currently takeaway only – and will keep our riders updated as their trips proceed. We are making sure there are options each day for all meals, and on a few days we will recommend purchasing lunch in advance. These details will be provided with your final trip materials.

CURRENT STATE OF THE GREAT ALLEGHENY PASSAGE (as of 6/29/20) – Tours Going!

Pennsylvania (counties along the GAP) – are in the Green Phase which means the following: stay-at-home lifted, no gatherings of more than 250, restaurants open at 50% capacity plus offer carry-out/delivery, outdoor recreation with 6-ft social distancing.

The GAP Trail – The trail is open along with bathrooms and water in most places. The visitor centers along the GAP in Ohiopyle State Park and the West Newton Visitor Center have reopened for limited foot traffic. The bathrooms at Point State Park and the Meyersdale Visitor Center remain closed out of an abundance of caution. The Cumberland Visitor Center operated by the National Park Service in Canal Place is closed; bathrooms and water are not available at Canal Place. Nearby restaurants are open for take-out or dine-in
Accommodations – All GAP lodgings have reopened with the exception of the Yough Plaza Motel in Ohiopyle. We are utilizing other lodgings in Ohiopyle or offering adjusted itineraries, depending on the availability of rooms and preference of our riders. All hotels and B&B have new cleaning standards in place, as well as regulations around touchless check-in and use of common areas; face masks currently will be required in their public areas.
Food – Restaurants are open for takeaway and limited dining, in accordance with their area’s regulations. Hotels can offer limited breakfast options (no communal or buffet foods), while B&Bs can serve full breakfasts within their dining rooms with safe distancing or in guest rooms, according to their layouts. We are making sure there are options each day for all meals, and on a few days we will recommend purchasing lunch in advance. These details will be provided with your final trip materials.

Face masks are required to enter businesses and will be required in most lodging common areas. They are not required for outdoor activity provided you will not be in a large group; if you will be in a group where 6 ft distancing is not possible, you should wear a face mask.

CURRENT STATE OF THE C&O TOWPATH (as of 6/29/20) – Tours Going!

The C&O Canal is open for biking but with limited services. Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center, Brunswick Visitor Center, Williamsport Visitor Center, and Cumberland Visitor Center remain closed. Restrooms, campgrounds, vault toilets, and portable toilets, and water have reopened.

Accommodations – Our C&O lodgings have reopened with the exception of the Thomas Shepherd Inn. We are utilizing the Bavarian Inn for Shepherdstown overnights. All C&O accommodations have new cleaning standards in place, as well as regulations around touchless check-in and use of common areas; facemasks will be required in most public areas.
Food – Restaurants are open for takeaway and limited dining, in accordance with their area’s regulations. Hotels can offer limited breakfast options (no communal or buffet foods), while B&Bs can serve full breakfasts within their dining rooms with safe distancing or in guest rooms, according to their layouts. We are making sure there are options each day for all meals, and on a few days we will recommend purchasing lunch in advance. These details will be provided with your final trip materials.

Tours on the C&O are currently being booked and operated.

CURRENT STATE OF THE ERIE CANALWAY (as of 6/29/20)

New York (Western NY) – The state has issued a travel advisory for a 14-day quarantine of those entering NY from a select number of other states which have not been shown to sufficiently control their Covid outbreaks. Although not all states are currently listed, the list will be determined by numbers and we cannot foresee whether this advisory and/or your state would be applicable at the time of your trip. For this reason and given NY state’s concerns about incoming travel, we do not feel it would be responsible of us at this time to encourage out-of-state travel into NY for our tours this summer or fall.

The Erie Canalway is currently open for cycling, but park services are closed. The canal passes through many small towns, however, which are scheduled to begin reopening services with 6 ft social distancing starting May 26.

We will not be offering trips on the Erie Canalway or Greater Niagara Circle Route until travel restrictions are lifted, likely in 2021.