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.
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.
View TripGAPCO 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.
View TripGAPCO 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.
View TripGAPCO 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.
View TripGAP/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.
View BlueprintAbout the GAP + C&O Towpath


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.


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.




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.


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.
Related GAP + C&O Towpath Trips


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