A friend and I rode the Great Allegheny Trail from Myersdale, PA down to Cumberland, MD. It was a…read more33 mile ride overall, but we really enjoyed it. Now, neither of us are Lance Armstrong wanna-bes. We're old farts riding plain bikes. From Myersdale, the first 9 miles is uphill, but since it's an old railroad, it's a very gentle uphill slope. The highlight of this part of the trip was riding across the Keystone Viaduct. On our uphill leg, our average speed was 8.0 mph (from my GPS). At the end of the 9 miles uphill, we arrived at the Eastern Continental Divide. From there, it's ALL downhill all the way to Cumberland. We overheard someone else on the trail say that on the downhill side, "you don't need pedals, all you need are brakes." My GPS said our average speed during the downhill leg was 13 mph. There are a few spots along the way you could get on the trail and just do the downhill portion. We saw some families with kids doing the downhill portion, too. As an alternative, you can ride the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad from Cumberland up to Frostburg, then ride your bikes from Frostburg 16 miles back down the hill to Cumberland. Lesson learned: We had planned to stop and have lunch in Frostburg, MD. When we arrived in Frostburg, we found there was a nice rest area for bicyclists along the side of the trail with maps of the town, park benches, bicycle racks, and port-a-potties. Unfortunately, the path goes by at the BOTTOM of the side of the hill that Frostburg is on. In order to go into town for lunch, we would have had to either bike or hike half a mile UP a steep hill. We decided not to do that. We just ate snacks that we had packed in our backpacks and continued onward to Cumberland. The scenery was beautiful. There were three long tunnels to go through. Each tunnel was either short enough it didn't need to be lit up because you could see light from either side, or had installed lighting (the Big Savage Tunnel was really long but well-lit inside). The trail is well marked with mile markers along the way so you can tell how far you are from Cumberland, MD. The trail ends right in downtown Cumberland next to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad train station and right where the C&O Canal Towpath begins. We had a great time and I would love to come back here and do the downhill portion with my kids sometime. I think we might try the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad 1-way trip up to Frostburg then ride our bikes down the hill. Side note: Why do I give it 4 stars instead of 5? Only because I try to reserve my 5 star ratings for restaurants that are truly spectacular, and I don't want to inflate my average grade with a rating for a bike trail. :-)

We did it! My husband Rick & I biked the 130+ miles of the Great Allegheny Passage Trail between…read moreCumberland, 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 pedaling 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--

I had the great pleasure of visiting HVF for an event called "A Celebration of the Paso Fino…read moreHorse." It was incredible to see demos of this gaited breed that has its origins in Puerto Rico and Colombia to be shown in their splendor right here in the Northeast. The farm has impeccable stalls for horses, a huge indoor show arena with skyklights, an outdoor arena and round pen, all with glorious views of the open rolling hills of the "Laurel Highlands." I can't wait to go back to stay at the elegant but reasonably priced bed and breakfast right on the premises. The day I was there, I noticed they were setting up for a private event, a birthday luncheon on the deck of the guest house with a top chef, live Spanish guitar, and roses on the tables, it looked fabulous, and so romantic. The ideal cozy getaway spot for R & R, or as an event space or party space, HVF makes you appreciate the beauty of the country. Horses + hospitality, a winning combination, with views as far as the eye can see!!

This is my return to HVF Just came from an after wedding…read moreparty for 100 people and it was out of a story book. SPECTACULAR! Beautiful horses and the scenery..to die for! The Barns were decorated with twinkling white lights and the stage was jumping with the sounds of "the girls in black hats". The Farm has a 5 star bed and breakfast for $125/night!! We went on hay rides and rode horses and ate like a feast from the romans! The hospiality and atmosphere has me still daydreaming I am there. A definite recomemdation for any gathering!

Great people! They love their horses and it shows.... Such a gentle ride. Will definitely be back!read more

We just had the best horseback trail riding experience…read more Melisa and her all ladies crew are amazing. Melisa was very courteous and pleasant to talk too. In a few minutes she set us up, a family of 4+1, for a custom horse ride experience within the same day. I say 4+1 because our two year old was to little to ride. However, Melissa offered to give him a ride and keep him close to the horse riding group in her four-wheeler Kubota. She took pictures of us riding the horses, which she will send us, and she allowed the kids to treat the horses with apples and carrots that we brought ourselves for them. A great, unforgettable family experience. It was all worth it, and we will definitely do it again. We will also recommend to all family and friends. Thank you very much Melissa and the crew!

We had a younger nervous 11 year old rider on a horse that was not behaving. The trail guide went…read moreto try and hook up to her horse and it caused the horses to nip at each other and our young rider got even more nervous. The situation was not handled quickly or correctly as it was happening for a bit before she addressed the problem. The trail guide gave no instructions on how to handle the horses before we left. We were lucky we had all ridden before and already knew. There was no talking by the trail guide during the ride except once to tell us to lean forward going up a hill and then once to tell us to lean back going down a hill. We had a fun time but there definitely could have been more communication and information given with the horseback riding. We also had two people ride an ATV and they had a great experience and lots of fun and learned a lot about the farm and area we were in from their trail leader.

The family was super welcoming and very friendly. Especially Elizabeth. We were hoping for speed…read moreand adventure but this is slow steady ATV ride. All the same we had a ball.

We decided on an impromptu horseback ride and they were kind enough to fit us in! We had a group of…read more5 girls and a great time! Matt and Clara were so attentive to us making sure we were comfortable and enjoying the trail ride. Would absolutely recommend for beginners!

We did the farm tour with small grandchildren. They loved it and the staff was very patient with…read moreus and the kids.

Had a great time today. I called in the morning and was able to get into a group of four others…read moregoing out at 2pm for a one hour trail ride. The facility is lovely and very clean. I arrived 15 min early and hung out until everyone had arrived, using the time to browse, ask questions, meet the horses, and pet the two dogs that were lazing about in the barn. Once we were paired with a horse and helped up into the saddles, they gave us a brief speech about how to control the horses and what to expect on the ride. The horses were all very sedate and happy to play follow the leader with very little input from us. The ride took us mostly through open fields, but also through some light woods and along the side of woods. There was a good amount of elevation change, but it was nothing difficult and it provided some lovely views of the surrounding lands. Our guide frequently asked how we were all doing, kept a keen eye on the group, pausing to allow a lagging horse to catch up from time to time, and stopped at the midpoint to walk through the group making sure we were still all okay and our horses and saddles were good. When we got back, staff members came out and helped us off the horses and led them off to drink. It was a lovely experience. Very sedate and easy, though I guarantee I'll feel that in my thighs tomorrow. LOL. Going into it, I was a bit worried that I'd be bored. Today's digital age has shrunk my attention span and I knew we'd be going walking pace in a line. But at no point did I want to pull out my phone and surf social media or read a book. I just enjoyed the bouncing jolting sway of the horse, the scenery, the lovely weather, and the chit chat around me. I would totally do this again. Thanks everyone at Circle R Ranch for a lovely afternoon.

A great way to spend an afternoon riding horses. The stables were very clean and well…read morekept and all the horses seemed healthy. The two women who helped us and guided our trail ride were great. They know all the horses personalities and were able to pair us up with a horse suitable for our riding abilities (beginners). You can tell the horses are well loved and taken care of. The trail we took gave us nice views and the horses were all well behaved. This is a small family owned business that we'd love to visit again when in the area.

Bill at the Rocking S Ranch was terrific! He was great at instructing what to do (we are novice…read moreriders) and an awesome story teller on the trail. We traversed different terrains and he documented the whole experience for us! We can't wait to come back again!

This was really everything we wanted out of a trail ride. Bill took my phone as we entered the…read morewooded trail & kept taking picture of us throughout the trip which awesome. The trail itself was fun. We went up and down some pretty steep inclines & thru a stream a couple of times. Way more interesting terrain than we city folk have ridden thru on past rides. This is just a one man operation so if you call & have to leave a message, understand that you are calling Bill's cell not some assistant, and he's either on a ride or getting the next group ready. It took a few missed connections for Bill & I to finally talk on the phone but it was worth it. Highly recommended for a fun laid back experience.

Terrible experience. Showed up no one there called half hour after leaving stating multiple reasons…read morewhy not there. Asked for a refund told it was a donation no refund to be given. Her employees stated she treats people this way all the time. Ranch was poorly taken care of and some of the animals looked neglected. My kids were very upset. After multiple insults not being there and lies she offered another ride which I could not accept and put my children thru again still no refund given to this day. STAY AWAY.

I purchased a 2 hour trial ride for my daughters 18th birthday. She absolutely loved it. It was a…read morebeautiful day. Tamara and AJ were entertaining guides. Lots of conversation and story-telling along the way. Great family activity.

Had a great time riding their beautiful horses. My husband and I took a ninety minute ride on…read moretrails that led through woods that are especially beautiful right now-October leaves were at the height of color. The young man that was our guide made sure we were paired with the right horses, and knew how to control them before we set off. The trail also had open spaces, one of which we stopped in so the guide could take our pictures on our horses with my phone. Truly a great day. We go through that area every year and are going to make it an annual stop. So much fun! Definitely recommend it!

Do NOT make a reservation and give these people your money! I too read the reviews and it was…read morerecommended by our hotel, Omni Bedford springs resort. I made a reservation, read the cancelation policy and gave them a $100 deposit thought PayPal. The weather was bad and a prediction on rain so I called to cancel 24 hrs in advance of our 11 am ride the following day. I spoke w Kathy who tried to have me move my reservation to 1 pm. I told her no, the prediction is rain, please cancel. The next day she called me at 11:30 asking if I did want to do the 1 PM ride. I THANKED HER for the call but told her that we were not going to be able to make it, please make sure you refund our money. At that point she became very nasty and said the weather is fine and you decided not to come so we will not refund your money!!! I restated that I canceled within the 24 hour policy and she hung up on me. Very interesting as she was so very nice just before that!!! I called her back and left a message requesting her to please refund my money and I didn't appreciate her hanging up on me! She never called me back and I had to file a claim with PayPal showing proof I canceled within policy. THESE PEOPLE ARE NASTY!!! I'm worried for the horses if really need my $100 that badly!!! Shame on you! You ruined my birthday.

Overall, a positive experience. The mountain views were breathtaking and my horse (Spirit) was a…read moregreat trail horse. She handled my 6'3" and 240 lbs with ease and listened to my every command. The process for mounting the horses and the extreme disorganization at the end of the ride were much less enjoyable. After being placed on your horse, you are left while others are mounting theirs for the ride. We waited at least 10 minutes on anxious horses that weren't happy standing around. They walked us into tree branches a few times. When we returned from the ride, the lack of staff to assist was even more apparent. Two staff members to assist 12-14 riders and horses is not sufficient. My girlfriend's horse led her through 3 prickly trees. My horse went to the watering trough and was almost bitten by another horse. This caused my horse rear back, sprint a few steps forward and start to buck. I haven't been on a horse in over 30 years, so I feel very fortunate that I was able to get her to calm down and not toss me. These issues could all be alleviated by adding 2 additional staff members. $45 for an hour trail ride seems like a fair price, but at that price you should also have enough staff on hand to handle paying customers and ensuring a pleasant and safe experience.

absolutely love MTR!! so good for kids. the horses are very well taken care of! spoiled as they…read moreshould be. i've been coming here every year since i was little! its a very special place to me the guides are amazing and the desk lady was so sweet. totally worth doing if you are in the area! i tell everyone about them.