Bike Trippin’ on the C&O Canal National Historical Park
- nelson122
- Sep 15
- 6 min read
By Steve Nelson
First Published September 2024 for the C&O Canal Association "Along the Towpath" newsletter.
Whether "glamping it" by staying at a B&B, hotel, historic blockhouse, or "roughing it" by bikepacking to the primitive hiker-biker sites along the towpath, a multi-day bike trip in the C&O Canal National Historical Park can be a magical experience for riders of all ages and skill levels.
The 184.5-mile gravel/limestone/clay multi-use trail has riders following the towpath that mules used to pull canal boats and their goods from Washington, DC, to Cumberland, MD, and back. George Washington first championed the concept of a commercial waterway to provide water navigation from the District of Columbia to the Ohio River. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company was formed, and ground was broken on July 4, 1828. The Canal reached as far as Cumberland, MD, in 1850 and continued transporting goods until 1924. On January 8, 1971, the C&O Canal was officially designated as a National Historic Park
You do not need to hire a guide or an outfitter to make your dream of a
thru-ride a reality.
Modern-day users can enjoy the Canal as a National Historical Park, a living museum with over 700 historic structures, including locks and blockhouses, abundant and varied wildlife, and natural solitude, despite experiencing over 5 million visitors every year. Adjacent to the park are charming towns featuring unique histories, a lively arts scene, dining options, accommodations, and a plethora of outdoor recreation opportunities.
At some point, most cyclists who have ridden the C&O will wonder what it would be like to ride the "towpath" on an overnight or multi-day trip, also known as a "thru ride." My wife, Cheryl, and I were casual day-use trail cyclists when we first entertained the idea of a "thru-ride." I do not recall what motivated us to
undertake our first ill-fated attempt to cycle the entire length of the C&O in the late 1980s. The first ride was fraught with poor judgment and a lack of preparation. As there was relatively little information available in the pre-Internet era, many of the available guidebooks were outdated or overly optimistic in their descriptions of the trail conditions and available services.
We had difficulty finding the Canal in Georgetown, and we were misdirected by someone we asked, adding another 10 miles to the planned 60-mile first-day ride! The hotel (at the top of the hill, no less!) in Harpers Ferry lost our reservation. And, despite guidebook assurance otherwise, the slackwater area towpath section was not passable on bikes or easily on foot. Add a mid-summer downpour, a case of poison ivy, a twisted ankle, and projectile vomiting (geesh, I thought it was a good idea to eat chicken livers for lunch then ride in ninety-degree heat), and you have all the components of a great comedic movie! Brad Pitt should play me, please (okay, maybe Danny DeVito). Despite the challenges, we still look back fondly at our first ride and chuckle at our numerous missteps and misfortunes.
You do not need to hire a guide or an outfitter to make your dream of a thru-ride a reality. Since our first ill-fated ride in the 1980s, we have completed over a dozen C&O thru-rides, several Cumberland to Pittsburgh rides on the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP), and several three-hundred-and-thirty-five-mile DC to Pittsburgh rides that combine the C&O and the GAP. We have also done many other multi-day rides on other excellent trails. The one common theme throughout all the rides is that planning, a sense of humor, and fantastic travel partners are the glue that holds together the components of a successful trip.
Questions to answer before developing a travel plan will revolve around the size of the group, the level of experience of the individual members, and whether camping, B&Bs/hotels, or a combination is preferred. Will your ride be supported or unsupported? Most importantly, what are the riders' expectations for the experience? An individual who wants to see how fast and how far they can go in a day would not mesh with desires to enjoy a relaxed ride, observe the scenery, and experience as much as possible of what the trail has to offer.
If you're camping, do you have the necessary equipment and skills? Bikepacking may come naturally to individuals who have backpacked and acquired the specialized skills and equipment. That six-man Coleman tent and sixty-four-quart cooler you use when you pull up to the state park campground campsite are just not going to cut it when bikepacking. Bikepacking when camping can be incredibly freeing, as it doesn't tie you down to reservations, time schedules, or restaurant availability. It also means no hot showers, air conditioning, or indoor plumbing. You must also know how to store and prepare your food, treat water, and keep your campsite "critter-proof" from the occasional bear and more frequent rodents and raccoons that call the C&O home. My years as a Boy Scout and Scoutmaster taught me the virtues of lightweight camping, although I appreciate a soft bed and a hot shower at a hotel or B&B. An excellent resource for anyone who would like to try bikepacking on the C&O is a book about backpacking titled Allen and Mike's Really Cool Backpackin Book. It is an enjoyable read that can teach you a great deal. Topics range from skills in cooking to water treatment techniques and "poopin'" in the woods. Imagine how you can lighten up at that next dull cocktail party when someone asks if you have read any good books lately!
There is considerable information about the C&O Canal National Historic Park available on the internet, with most of it reasonably accurate. I have found that I mostly rely on the National Park Service's website for closures and warnings, the C&O Canal Trust's Explorer mobile app, and Google Maps for detailed information about trail towns, park access, restaurants, and other relevant details. And, while not "real-time," a good portion of the towpath can be viewed as Google Street View, a virtual representation of panoramic images "stitched together" of the C&O on Google Maps. In addition to the C&O Canal Trust's website (and I highly recommend their Canal Quarters program for great accommodations), the National Park Service's website is valuable for planning and alerting you to closures, detours, and points of interest.
I also enjoy reviewing, reading, and re-reading books from my library related to the history, wildlife, and operations of the C&O Canal. My wife, Cheryl, is a bird lover, and she added a bird app to her mobile device that identifies birds by their sound. So yes, it sometimes takes us a while to get where we need to be for the day, given all there is to experience!
I love the research and logistics involved in planning a multi-day trip on the C&O. Aside from the Washington, DC area and perhaps Cumberland, accommodations in the other towns are limited and typically fill up quickly. Reservations should be made in advance. Amtrak and or other travel schedules need to be confirmed. Food availability and rest stops, particularly in relation to infrequent trail towns, must be considered. And for my wife and me, the question of where we can catch the Orioles game on TV and grab a beer is vital!
Others I know just wing it and rely upon karma and whimsy. These free spirits do better with bikepacking and camping at the primitive hiker-bikers, typically spaced about every five miles. These do not require reservations and are seldom full.
Want to do an overnighter but are a little overwhelmed? Invest in a couple of racks and some panniers (saddlebags), and perhaps a trunk or handlebar bag. Plan a simple overnight ride to a town within a distance that you are comfortable riding, and return the next day. Plan for adverse weather and know what to do in case of an emergency. Pack a simple repair kit and learn how to perform basic repairs, including fixing flat tires. Carry a first aid kit and know how to use it. Burn lots of calories so you can eat and drink lots of calories! Wear padded shorts. Avoid weekends if you can. Identify a bird or animal that you have not noticed before. Smile and wave at those you pass. Let your mind wander. You will age in reverse as you ride, I promise!
About Steve:
Having recently sold his publishing business, Steve now has more time to devote to his family and outdoor recreational pursuits, including fly fishing, skiing, and cycling. He is a C&O Canal Bike Patrol member, a member of the C&O Canal Association, Mountain Maryland Trails board of directors, and serves as a Commissioner on the C&O Canal National Historical Park Federal Advisory Commission.
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