Explore the best rated trails in Cumberland, MD. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Indian Creek Valley Bike Trail and Winchester Green Circle. With more than 20 trails covering 4240 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
There’s a really nicely developed parking area with facilities and a full museum of the C & O canal in Williamsport, Just south of Hagerstown. The trail is fairly wide and well maintained . However, it is secluded and sparsely populated so if you’re not comfortable with that take note.
It is a very nice path but it is short.
Beautiful countryside. You will encounter very few people. Trail quality ranges from good to rough. South of Hopewell the trail becomes a gravel road. I believe there has been a slight improvement in road condition but you may dislike the ride based on what sort of tires you ride. The road ends after a couple of miles and trail continues. The trail is not mowed as frequently as one would expect. I ride a recumbent trike and the overgrown grass in the middle makes it difficult to ride. If you ride a trike, I would recommend you stay away from this trail.
I have ridden my fair share of rail trails and the GAP is the best rail trail I've ever experienced. I started in Cumberland and finished in Pittsburgh. I knew what I was getting myself into riding against the Eastern Continental Divide but I got the harder riding done right away. I spent three days on the trail staying overnight in Confluence, Smithton and ending in Pittsburgh taking Amtrak back to my car in Cumberland.
The GAP offers so much variety over its 149 miles from scenic river views, sweeping mountains, ruins of a mining past to human development from a rural to urban scale. Most of the trail is very tightly packed gravel which is in immaculate shape. For the first few miles out of Cumberland and the last twenty or so miles to Pittsburgh the trail is asphalt.
I went on my ride in mid-May right before peak riding season so while many businesses in the trail towns were open many still had limited hours. Riding during peak season will give you even more options to eat, stay and shop. Every town I visited were very bike friendly (I've never seen so many places to lock your bike), with plenty of signage to share the road and locals very happy to see tourism in their communities. Some of the smaller towns like Smithton and Boston are not heavily highlighted but still offer dining and places to stay overnight.
There are many bike fix-it stations located on the GAP. While I expected to see some in the trail towns I was surprised by the abundance of fix-it stations located outside of towns as well. There are bathrooms (a mix of businesses, port a pots and composting toilets) roughly every ten miles. Most trail towns had a store to buy refreshments and I did notice a few restaurants had no issue with filling up a water bottle for any who asked.
My least favorite part of the trail was the last twenty miles from Boston to Pittsburgh. The asphalt in this section is in pretty good shape but in comparison to over 100 miles of smooth gravel it is rough. McKeesport is a sudden shift to an urban environment with a fair amount of on road riding but it is well marked and I had no issues navigating and I felt safe. I had issues navigating in Pittsburgh as I felt the clear marking that helped me navigate McKeesport was non-existent. Also to note is the on-road detour to Point State Park. It is easy to follow if you have a map but it requires riding in a major city for a short distance.
I have ridden many trails, a few that are in the Rail Trail Hall of Fame. The GAP is by far the best and is truly the ride of a lifetime.
I mean, the trail is beautiful, and I would honestly give it five stars if it wasn’t for the fact that cars are constantly going on it, despite signs saying that they aren’t allowed. I seen no less then 4 cars/trucks/SUVs on it today, alone, and I am hiking this trail with my baby in her jogging stroller! The “no motor vehicles “ rule needs to be better enforced, and more signs need to be put up, as well as a barricades, to prevent these motor vehicles from going on the trail! Not only are those motor vehicles a safety hazard, but the trail is badly chewed up in places because of them! I love this trail, and want to be able to feel safe hiking it with my children! Also, I have found shot gun bullet casings along it, before. Probably some illegal hunting going on, but it makes me feel a bit uneasy…
I went on this trail from Laurel Summit. If you park in the lot, you can only go 1-2 miles before the trail is gated off and says no tresspassing. Even if you could pass that gate, the trail is covered by bushes, trees and rocks...there is nothing there...
Trail was in great condition and it is a beautiful ride.
Bright Morning Bed and Breakfast was a definite highlight of my GAP ride last summer. It’s right on the trail and had a great purpose built bike shelter building. Oh yeah, the breakfast the next morning was fabulous!
Surprised to see this amazing trail that has great bed and breakfasts along it is not noted as part of the Great American Rail Trail. It sure would help demonstrate more GART completion if it was.
you can go about 17.5 miles from elkins wv until the trail ends(building a highway) The trail is paved for about three miles and then is a 2 sided gravel road. seemed a lot more uphill than the elevation gain but was a lot easier coming back. not much scenery.
i was the only person on the trail after about 3 miles.
i would do the other side today but it is 30 degrees
I just returned from my third ride on the Western MD. I've ridden the entire trail and it's great to get in a half century ride. Starting from Little Orleans one can ride west a short distance to a gate at a high bridge over the Potomac River. West Virginia has not completed any of the proposed section to the west. Riding back east after a short distance you reach the blocked off Indigo Tunnel. The tunnel is blocked due to endangered bats. A zig-zag ramp leads down to the C&O Towpath. You ride the towpath about 2.5 miles and take a similar zig-zag ramp back up to the Western MD. Except for this detour the entire route is paved asphalt. There are areas of either frost or root heaves but not too bad. When the leaves are off there are nice views of the C&O Towpath, the canal and the Potomac. Most of the path is in the woods with a few fields here and there. At times the trail runs along a high, narrow path pretty high above the river. There are historical markers, some benches and a small shelter or two. The first, and only town on the trail is Hancock, MD. It is about half way between the endpoints. There are the regular amenities not far off trail such as a few fast food joints and a Sheetz. The top attraction for trail eats is Buddy Lou's right on the trail and at a cross-over to the C&O. Needless to say it gets busy in the summer. Buddy Lou's isn't open every day however so plan accordingly. There is also a bike shop in town right by the trail. After Hancock its a fairly straight run to the end at Big Pool. Some this section is close to I70 and some very close (less than 20 ft) so there can be a bit of traffic noise. This is my least favorite part and would probably rate the trail at 4.5 stars if I could. At Big Pool there is a parking area plus some benches, a restroom and a bike repair station. It's a nice place for a lunch break if you're doing a round trip. All together I can wholeheartedly recommend the Western MD. We have even used it as the half of a loop with the other half on the C&O.
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