Bike Washington’s  C&O Canal Bicycling Guide

Mile 168 thru 184

Trip Planning From which end should I start? Where can I leave my car? How many days to ride the entire trail? How do I get back to my car? Where can I stay overnight? Where can I camp along the trail? Is water available along the trail? Is food available along the trail? What kind of bike tires should I use? Can I rent a bicycle? Any tips for Scout leaders? What should I bring along? Trip Planning Mile-by-Mile Mileposts 0-10 Mileposts 10-25 Mileposts 25-40 Mileposts 40-50 Mileposts 50-70 Mileposts 70-82 Mileposts 82-106 Mileposts 106-116 Mileposts 116-130 Mileposts 130-150 Mileposts 150-168 Mileposts 168-184 Mile-by-Mile Trip Reports 2007 2004 2003 1995 Trip Reports Info-to-Go Print to Go Download GPS Waypoints Download to Phone/PDA Info-to-Go

Mile 184 - Baltimore Street Mall in Cumberland, MD

Mile 176 - Mountain meadow along the towpath

Mile 175 - A lock near Iron Mountain

Mile 168 - Heading downstream toward Oldtown

The final section of towpath is quite interesting. It seems the scenery changes constantly as the path winds the Potomac Valley between Oldtown and Cumberland. One moment, you're riding through deep secluded forests, and the next moment you are passing a quiet suburban development. Then you find yourself riding through a peaceful mountain meadow, and the next thing you hear is the clanging of railroad cars being switch at a nearby by yard.

These days, this final stretch of towpath is in excellent condition. The path ends at the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Station, located just north of the Interstate 68 bridge. The canal itself was filled in back in the 50's for flood control, so the towpath is all that remains. An on going waterfront revitalization project is working to restore the canal to its formal glory.

Originally, the canal was supposed to continue farther west to Pittsburgh, thus joining the Ohio River to the Chesapeake Bay (hence the name). However, by 1850 the railroad had won the race to the west, so further construction plans were scraped.

In December 2006, the eastern end of the Great Allegheny Passage Trail project was finally completed. In combination with the towpath, this new rail trail creates a 330 mile long, traffic free greenway between Washington, DC and Boston, PA (just outside Pittsburgh). I can report that this new trail is simply fabulous! As an added bonus, the 15 mile section from Cumberland to Frostburg runs right next to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, so you can try to pace the steam locomotive as it makes the 1500 foot accent. Meanwhile, work continues on the western end to extend the trail the final few miles into downtown Pittsburgh.

Cumberland, MD is about a two hour drive from the Washington Beltway.

• Take I-270 North to Frederick, MD
• Take I-70 West to Hancock, MD
• Take I-68 West to Cumberland, MD
• In Cumberland, take Exit 43-C
• At the bottom of the ramp, make left onto Harrison Street (at stop sign)
• The parking lot of the Western Maryland Rail Road (WMRR) is located at the end of the street.
• The new long term parking lot is located under I-68 at the corner of Mechanic and Howard Streets.
• The Canal towpath begins directly to the left of the station (almost under the I-68 bridge)

Towpath Map - Mile 168 thru 184

Mile	Name	Info
169.2	Pigmans Ferry H/B (map)	Remote Campsite - No vehicle access.		X	X
170.8	Buckley Rd	Probably access point from Route 51					X
173.3	Spring Gap Recreation Area (map)	Primitive RV and Tent Camping - Fee Area $10/night. Store located on Route 51.	X		X		X
175.4	Iron Mountain H/B (map)	Access from nearby Route 51. Located near railroad trestle. Subject to noise.		X	X		X
180.0	Evitts Creek H/B (map)	0.7 miles from vehicle access at mile 180.7		X	X
180.7	Evitts Creek Aqueduct	Access from nearby Route 51					X
184.5	Cumberland, MD (map)	Western Trailhead. Several restaurants nearby	X				X
184.5	Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (map)	Scenic Railroad to Frostburg, MD. Future trail to Pittsburgh, PA along railroad.
184.5	Holiday Inn (map)	877.426.4672: Cumberland, MD				X
184.5	The Inn at Walnut Bottom (map)	800.286.9718: Cumberland, MD - Bike friendly inn, about a five minute ride from terminus. Free parking				X
184.5	The Inn on Dectur (map)	800.459.0510: Operated by the folks at Mountainside Bike Tours. Only 3 blocks from downtown. 108 Decatur Street, Cumberland, MD 21502				X