A world away from board meetings and client calls, the quiet of the Great Allegheny Passage awaits. Lush green canopies, wide-open vistas, and 150 miles of biking or hiking solitude are yours. With a breeze at your back, and a bed-and-breakfast in sight, come explore the foremost and finest non-motorized trail in the country.
The Great Allegheny Passage carries you from Downtown Pittsburgh out to Cumberland, in Maryland, pausing among amenity-laden trail towns in Pennsylvania’s spectacular Laurel Highlands. A three-day, two-night journey is popular, with shuttle services handling your gear and lightening your load. New to biking? Expert outfitters are poised to provide you with either a traditional or e-bike, perfectly-sized, and a daily itinerary.
All you do is enjoy the ride. Or pick up a copy of TrailGuide: The Official Guide to Traveling the C&O Canal Towpath and Great Allegheny Passage, and plan a custom trip to your liking. This summer, discover the GAP and rediscover yourself.
Day One: Launch Your Adventure
Make a smooth start from Point State Park, and head east, leaving the noise of the city behind. Cross the Hot Metal Bridge and follow the Monongahela River, keeping an eye out for eagles and osprey. The Whitaker Flyover and Port Perry Flyover whisk you underneath Kennywood Park (look for the coasters!) and onward to McKeesport, where you’ll see coal barges and pleasure boats passing by. Here, you’ll start following the Youghiogheny River, winding through woods and meadows all the way to West Newton, where, in 1788, New England pioneers launched flatboats to begin a final exploratory push to settle the Ohio Territory. The town’s early name, “Simeral’s Ferry,” lives on in today’s Simeral Square, a delightful picnic and gathering space overlooking the river. Stop for lunch at Bloom Brew Tap Room and Kitchen, The Trailside Restaurant, or The Outpost, then log your miles inside the West Newton Visitor Center.
That afternoon, heading east, pause and reflect at a mosaic art installation, the Darr Mine memorial wall, honoring the 239 miners that lost their lives in a 1907 disaster. Then finish the day in Connellsville with a dinner at Bali Moon Sushi & Ramen Bar or The River’s Edge Restaurant and Grill, and a visit to Yough River Brewing. For a treat, head over to Olde World Coffee & Gelato. Stay at Connellsville B&B, Chateau Connellsville, the Comfort Inn, or retreat to nearby Seams Like Home.
Day Two: A Deep Green Canopy
Good morning! After a leisurely breakfast and a stop at Coffee at Crawford or the Connellsville Canteen, head east. You’ll enter 20,600-acre Ohiopyle State Park, rolling through the deepest gorge in Pennsylvania with rock outcroppings on your right and whitewater rafters floating the Youghiogheny River to your left. Pause at Sugar Run Falls, just one of many beautiful cascades that cool the air. Cross the Ohiopyle High Bridge high above the rapids below, and then pause for a nature walk on Ferncliff Peninsula, a National Natural Area known for footpaths and rare wildflowers. In tiny Ohiopyle, visit Touchstone at the Falls where crafters display Appalachian art, or walk the Great Gorge Trail to stunning 38-foot Cucumber Falls.
Back on your bike, continue another 11 miles through a never-ending tree canopy to Confluence, the original “trail town” on the Great Allegheny Passage, and look for herons and anglers competing for brook trout along the way. Enjoy a beautiful lunch at the River’s Edge Cafe or homemade goodness at Mitch’s Fuel and Food. Laurel Hill Creek and the Casselman River pour into the Youghiogheny River here, and you can take a side hike to a town-topping overlook via the Joshua C. Whetzel, Jr. Recreation Area. After your hike, stop at Tissue Farm, an espresso shop, art gallery, and bookstore occupying a 1941 former auto dealership. Check out Pamela’s Pints and Provisions for cocktails or additional food options. In the fall, Pumpkinfest is a favorite festival worth a special trip.
From here, you’ll pedal past rhododendrons and mountain laurels along one of the quietest sections of the GAP, high above the Casselman River, past Rockwood (stop for a beer at Trailhead Brewing or a piece of needed gear at Rockwood Trail House and Bike Shop) and Garrett (where the September 11 National Memorial Trail splits to the north). By late afternoon, you’ll be in Meyersdale, home of the Pennsylvania Maple Festival, and host to a plethora of lovely lodging options. Spend a delightful night relaxing at Yoder’s Guest House, Levi Deal Mansion, Adventure Lodging, Red Lantern Bed and Breakfast, Inn on Main, Morgan Toole Company Hotel, Donges Drive-In & Motel, Upstairs on the Avenue, Center Street Retreat, or Top of the GAP Guesthouse. Perhaps you’ll hear a lonely train in the distant valley below.
Day Three: Downhill to Cumberland
You can catch a beautiful sunrise from the soaring Salisbury Viaduct, and then begin the final leg of your journey east. Ride over the curving Keystone Viaduct, pause for photos at the ornate Bollman Bridge, and complete seven quick crossings of meandering Flaughtery Creek. You’ll top the Eastern Continental Divide, then begin a gradual descent through the Big Savage Tunnel and over the Mason & Dixon Line. Your next stop? Frostburg is known for its art scene and annual Appalachian Festival. Wander the historic business district and find the very best lunch at The Tunnel Hotel and Trail Inn Cafe, Clatter Cafe or Giuseppe’s Restaurant. Stop into locally-owned Runner’s Wings for a fresh shirt or pair of biking socks, or take a spin on a real rail-bike with Tracks and Yaks.
Your last 15 miles are all downhill! Stop to tour the farming and mining exhibits at Evergreen Heritage Center, then coast through Helmstetter’s Curve, a 180-degree bend that still carries passengers on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. You’ll pass through the Borden Tunnel and Brush Tunnel, and finally, through The Narrows, a break in the mountains that reveals Cumberland below. In Cumberland, celebrate the completion of your journey at Canal Place and enjoy a drink within a stone’s throw of the Potomac River at the Crabby Pig or Lefty’s Place. Don’t miss Queen City Scoop Shop for the best in homemade ice cream. Live music and festivals dot the calendar throughout the year, so take in that scene while waiting for Amtrak to return you to Pittsburgh. Or stay the night at 9 Decatur Guest House & Hostel, the Inn on Decatur, Fairfield by Marriot, Hampton Inn, or the Wills Hotel. Or retreat to nearby Woodland Oasis Vacation Rental, and await your pre-arranged shuttle back the next morning.
In three days, you’ve completed the Great Allegheny Passage, 150 miles of spectacular scenery through the most beautiful parts of two states. Congratulations! Cool mornings, wide-open vistas, and perfect accommodations make the GAP a bucket-list adventure. You’re going to want to make a return trip with friends. We’ll be glad to have you.