View Full Version : Great Allegheny Passage
Cookerhiker
04-05-2007, 00:15
Attention AT/WB afficianados. For those of you who prefer your hiking to be smooth and rolling and/or on 2 wheels, the Great Allegheny P (http://www.atatrail.org/)assage is now open. This converted railbed links Pittsburgh to Cumberland, MD where the C&O Canal towpath terminates enabling the cyclist to bike road free from Pittsburgh to Washington, DC. I rode a small portion of the trail last Friday and enjoyed it thoroughly - got a good workout after cycling 6 miles all uphill from Frostburg, MD where I now live to the Big Savage Tunnel in PA. If the weather ever warms up here, I plan to do more.
Since I live 1/4 mile from this new trail in Western Maryland, and since my car has 2 bike racks, I offer a free biker shuttle to the first WBer who asks (must be a member as of today). Send me a PM.
terrapin_too
04-05-2007, 00:22
What a great concept. Thanks for the link. Maybe some day... Ever since my little blue blaze on the Creeper Trail, I've been a huge fan of rails-to-trails. We've got a short one here in Boston (http://minutemanbikeway.org/Pages/intro.html) (about 11 miles worth) that runs near my house. It gets lots of traffic.
Cookerhiker
05-27-2008, 20:22
Hikerhead and Deb W finished cycling the Great Allegheny Passage today. I rode up a ways yesterday and camped with them at one of the trailside CGs. Today they rode into Cumberland and are currently camped on the C&O Canal.
Weather was perfect the day they started (Sunday), warmer yesterday, and rainy today but their last day tomorrow should be nice.
Cookerhiker
07-19-2010, 17:09
The Great Allegheny Passage (http://www.atatrail.org) runs between Pittsburgh and Cumberland, MD which in turn connects with the C&O Canal (http://www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm) towpath to Washington DC. Except that the Passage doesn't literally run all the way into the heart of downtown Pittsburgh (3 rivers area) yet....
...but the end is in sight. The last piece of land is about to be opened as reported in the Post-Gazette:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10198/1073410-139.stm
Currently anyone who wants to cycle from P'burgh either starts at McKeesport or takes their life in their hands cycling from downtown. Some segments are complete but this agreement will finish it off.
And best of all, the article also reports that AMTRAK is finally changing its policy re. bikes on the Capitol Limited, the train between Washington and Pittsburgh (and on to Chicago for you MidWesterners). Previously bikes were only allowed as "checked luggage" and therefore only at stations who handled checked luggage i.e. not Harpers Ferry or Cumberland. Now, there will be a baggage car where bikes can be rolled on.
Heck, this could even be a diversion for AT thruhikers if they can rent a bike in Harpers Ferry, cycle down to DC for a day or two, take AMTRAK back.
I've never cycled the entire Passage (I've done the whole C&O) and I'm looking forward to it when these changes are complete.
jen.sprout
07-19-2010, 19:21
Thanks for the notice!
My spouse is a biker, not a hiker, so this is something I'll definitely add to my vacation list.
Hoping to also do at least part of the Greenbrier trail in WV also.
Cookerhiker
07-19-2010, 21:22
Thanks for the notice!
My spouse is a biker, not a hiker, so this is something I'll definitely add to my vacation list.
Hoping to also do at least part of the Greenbrier trail in WV also.
Jen, I did the Greenbrier Trail last month before this happened:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs177.snc4/38167_407208062741_59148742741_4632560_840482_n.jp g (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1654800&id=59148742741)
This was posted today on the Greenbrier River Trail's Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Caldwell-Marlinton-Cass/Greenbrier-River-Trail/59148742741?v=info#!/pages/Caldwell-Marlinton-Cass/Greenbrier-River-Trail/59148742741?v=wall&__a=3&ajaxpipe=1).
As I recall, Maryland's State bird (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Baltimore_Oriole/lifehistory) approves of Great Allegheny Passage too.
And best of all, the article also reports that AMTRAK is finally changing its policy re. bikes on the Capitol Limited, the train between Washington and Pittsburgh (and on to Chicago for you MidWesterners). Previously bikes were only allowed as "checked luggage" and therefore only at stations who handled checked luggage i.e. not Harpers Ferry or Cumberland. Now, there will be a baggage car where bikes can be rolled on.
Wow, that's great! Hope it does happen as scheduled. Would be nice to ride out to Connellsville and back to Cumberland. (Not so much the other way. :D )
Rick Hancock
07-20-2010, 21:36
I have led several multi day rides along the Passage/C&O. always great fun. the Passage is hard pack with few if any rough spots. The area from Meyersdale to Cumberland is a sweet ride. If you time it just right you can race the steam engine from Frostburg to Cumberland about 16 miles! I've also biked many times along the Greenbrier River Trail another very good Rails To Trails I'll be biking both again this Fall if anyone is interested. WE will be biking from Rockwood on the Passage to Williamsport on the C&O appx 150 miles in 3 days.
Cookerhiker
07-20-2010, 22:11
I have led several multi day rides along the Passage/C&O. always great fun. the Passage is hard pack with few if any rough spots. The area from Meyersdale to Cumberland is a sweet ride. If you time it just right you can race the steam engine from Frostburg to Cumberland about 16 miles! I've also biked many times along the Greenbrier River Trail another very good Rails To Trails I'll be biking both again this Fall if anyone is interested. WE will be biking from Rockwood on the Passage to Williamsport on the C&O appx 150 miles in 3 days.
Hope no more rocks fall on the Greenbrier River Trail while you're riding there.:)
jen.sprout
07-21-2010, 20:13
Jen, I did the Greenbrier Trail last month before this happened:
[photo deleted]
This was posted today on the Greenbrier River Trail's Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Caldwell-Marlinton-Cass/Greenbrier-River-Trail/59148742741?v=info#%21/pages/Caldwell-Marlinton-Cass/Greenbrier-River-Trail/59148742741?v=wall&__a=3&ajaxpipe=1).
Dude! Gravity sucks!
Thanks for the picture!
Jen, I did the Greenbrier Trail last month before this happened:This was posted today on the Greenbrier River Trail's Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Caldwell-Marlinton-Cass/Greenbrier-River-Trail/59148742741?v=info#!/pages/Caldwell-Marlinton-Cass/Greenbrier-River-Trail/59148742741?v=wall&__a=3&ajaxpipe=1).
I can't get onto the facebook page. Which section did this occur? The Greenbrier Rail trail is a great biking trail. I did it in july, 2010.