I can't believe I haven't reviewed the Great Allegheny Passage Rail Trail until now. It is such a jewel and where I spend a lot of my free time riding my bicycle, especially during this crazy time we're in at the moment with COVID-19. (Note that it is not just for bicycles; walkers and runners also utilize the trail, just not motorized vehicles, so you don't have to compete with cars.) I won't go into all the details of the trail; that is interesting in itself regarding its history, how long it's taken to get the land for the different sections, its steepness grade or lack thereof, all the different towns it goes through, etc. For all of that, I'll give you the very useful link:https://gaptrail.org/ What I will do is give you some highlights and what makes it a jewel to me. It is 150 miles of mostly packed crushed limestone (with a bit of it paved between Pittsburgh and McKeesport) from the Pittsburgh Point Fountain (there's a marker on the ground near it) to Cumberland, MD. Most of it is on what used to be railroad beds and a bit of it is on streets (near downtown Pittsburgh and some in McKeesport). Because of the railroad bed usage, the path follows that grade (meaning gradual steepness with the sharpest elevation gain/loss being between the Eastern Continental Divide and Cumberland). What all the preceding paragraph means is that it is a quite doable trail and comfortable to ride. The packed gravel means it is pretty close to riding on a road surface because it is so packed. The only time that is not true is usually after a downpour when there might be parts of it that retain water. The grade following the grade of the railroads means the gradual incline (if you're going from Pittsburgh to Cumberland) is pretty gradual and a steady 10mph is doable. From the Continental Divide to Cumberland is downhill and is quite easy; coming back is a bit more strenuous -- see the afore-mentioned link to see mileage and grade of that section. I remember when I first heard about the trail; I had no concept of a rail trail to begin with so did not know what to expect in the least. If you're in the same boat, I will say that the trail is open from sun-up to sun-down, there are no street lights lighting the path on purpose though where it travels in spots may have lights for other purposes. It is mostly wide enough for say three bikes across, but don't do that! There is trail etiquette; learn it for everyone's safety and enjoyment -- stay to the right, single file and if you are riding 2 across for any reason, then pay close attention to passers; you'll need to be sure to listen to "on your left' or a bell or some audible signal that someone needs to pass you. On the converse side, if you're passing, pass on the left and issue an audible signal, etc. Just share the trail! Also, some parts of the trail are shaded by trees lining the trail; other parts are in the sun for extended periods so wear sunscreen. There are amenities all along the trail. That was important for me as a first-timer to know because I couldn't grasp at first if it was secluded, wilderness, or what. The GAP trail has so many towns, ballfields, restaurants, ice cream stands, portable restrooms every so many miles and parking trailheads plus a number of other cyclists on the trail that you won't feel that isolated and except for a couple spots (downtown Pittsburgh or Ohiopyle for example) you won't feel the trail is too crowded, either. Take water, snacks, an extra tube and you'll find you'll have what you need. Do you need certain size tires (mountain bike/hybrid/road bike)? Some people debate that. I have a hybrid bike and am happy enough. Favorite parts of the trail for me? I love the section between Myersdale, PA and Frostburg, MD. In that section is the Mason-Dixon line and the Eastern Continental Divide. I also love riding between Homestead and downtown Pittsburgh. Along that route is the Hays Eagle nest. And being downtown Pittsburgh on my bike is so much easier than navigating and parking a car. And when you want to go further on your adventure than Cumberland, MD? It hooks up directly with the C & O Tow Path for another 184.5 miles to get you all the way to Washington, D.C. for a total of 334.5 miles. Many of us have taken several days in one stretch to ride the entire length between Pittsburgh and D.C. and it is quite the trip, and well worthwhile, as are many of the many sections of the GAP trail. It has such unique personalities with wildlife (there are deer, owls, groundhogs, rabbits just to name a few) and so many wildflowers along the way. You're following rivers along the route, as well, plus get to take advantage of PA's lovely state park, Ohiopyle. There are several campsites, hotels, and bed and breakfasts along the way, too. I could go on and on but I recommend talking to others who have ridden the trail, look up Facebook webpages related to the GAP, get a trail book and google for more info. read more

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We are so fortunate to have this trail run right into downtown Pittsburgh. Today I rode from downtown to Homestead and back. 13 miles and, boy is my butt sore! Someday I hope to ride all the way to DC. They'll probably have to bring me home in a giant butt sling, but I don't care! Riding along the river is so beautiful on a warm fall day. Whether you go five miles or five hundred, don't miss an opportunity to bike, walk, or skate along this treasured trail. read more

Beautiful bike / hiking / running trail connecting Cumberland, Maryland to central PA. Most of it is quite easy to follow and you still feel very secluded from the world. read more

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We did it! My husband Rick & I biked the 130+ miles of the Great Allegheny Passage Trail between Cumberland, MD & McKeesport, PA! I'm sore now! We'd been planning this trip for years as we are avid bike trail riders, and it's been our goal to bike the entire extant length of the trail. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Great Allegheny Passage, it's the ultimate in rails-to-trails conversions. It occupies the roadbeds of several abandoned rail lines including the Western Maryland, the B&O, and the P&LE. It connects with the C&O Towpath in Cumberland, and it's planned to connect with the present South Side/Three Rivers Heritage Trail in Pittsburgh. Thus a bike ride all the way from Pittsburgh (Station Square) to Washington, DC will be possible. So my brother Paul drove us down from Pittsburgh to the Canal Heritage Center, a former railway station in Cumberland. This also doubles as the train station for the Western Maryland Scenic Railway. And yes, because my husband's a railfan, I've ridden their trains. We arrived in Cumberland in the afternoon and from the Canal Heritage Center, we set out for the initial 17 miles to Frostburg. Because we had to carry overnight bags and our food supplies (I'm a type-1 diabetic) we borrowed some kiddie trailers from a friend. Rick carried the overnight bags and I carried the coolers. The initial ride from Cumberland to Frostburg is also the steepest. The Great Allegheny Passage rises from an elevation of about 500 feet in Cumberland to about 1600 feet in Frostburg. But the climb isn't that bad as the right-of-way remains an active rail line at this point. It's not like you're climbing Sycamore Street in Pittsburgh or Lombard Street in San Francisco. Here the line follows the Western Maryland Scenic Railway. The State of Maryland had considered forcing the rail line to discontinue so they could build the trail. But then they realized how much money visitors bring into Cumberland and Frostburg because of the train line. The scenic highpoint here is Helmstetter's Curve, where the trail and rail line arc around the Helmstetter farm in a "U" pattern. It's a smaller version of Horseshoe Curve in Altoona. Just beyond that the train line and the trail share Brush Tunnel. The tunnel is lighted, but trail riders are warned not to enter when a train is approaching. The WMSR runs both diesel and steam locomotives. Guess which one we saw? I'll give you a hint--Railfan Rick was slightly disappointed. We arrived in Frostburg and spent the night at the Trail Inn. We set out again the next day and just north of Frostburg, we hit the Borden Tunnel. This tunnel is NOT lighted. You MUST dismount your bike and walk it through. This tunnel is over 900 feet long, so headlights or a working flashlight are recommended. Around milepost 20, we came up to the Mason-Dixon Line, the boundary between MD and PA and the boundary between North and South (read your American history). A 1900 foot bridge connects the two sides. We turned to the north and went thru Big Savage Tunnel. This tunnel is 3,294 feet long, the longest on the GAP. It is lighted, but please take note. The Big Savage Tunnel is CLOSED between late November and early April and there is NO DETOUR route around it. So plan carefully if you intend to bike or hike in the area between those dates. Not long after leaving the Big Savage Tunnel, we came to the highest point on the Great Allegheny Passage at 2392 feet. We'd climbed 1892 feet since leaving Cumberland! A few miles later we hit Deal and from that point, it's all downgrade to McKeesport. Deal has restrooms, if you need to make a pit stop. Continuing northbound we made our way to Sand Patch, PA. Here we crossed the Eastern Continental Divide, marked by a short tunnel, which demarcates two watersheds of the Atlantic Ocean: the Gulf of Mexico watershed and the Atlantic Seaboard watershed. Much of the Great Allegheny Passage parallels the Amtrak Capitol Limited route and I've seen signs marking the divide while riding the train. We'd been following Flaugherty Creek and north of Sand Patch, we crossed the 909 foot long Keystone Viaduct. We made our way into Meyersdale, PA and as this is the largest town en route, we stopped at Food Lion for some supplies including steaks for our dinner tonight. We also made a rest stop here as we've been peddling for about 20 miles with another 45 to go. Besides, I needed a snack for my blood sugars. Meyersdale was first settled by the Monongahela Indians and has hosted the PA Maple Syrup Festival for the past 60 years. --Continued in Part Two below-- read more

Had a great time writing the great I'll get a passage today leaving from Pittsburgh on my way to Cumberland Maryland. Stopped overnight in West Newton at bright mornings B&B read more