C&O Canal Towpath Bicycling Guide
What You Need to Know to Bike the 185-Mile C&O Canal Towpath
September 4th, 2023
An autumn day along the C&O Canal Trail. Photo by Brandon Lampley
Distance: 184.5 miles
Days: 3–6 days
Elevation gain/loss: 600 feet, basically flat
Best season: April—October
Permits: none necessary
Difficulty: Beginner to Intermediate
The C&O Canal Towpath or C&O, as cyclists call it, is one of the East Coast’s premiere bicycle pathways. Constructed in the early 1800s, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal roughly followed the Potomac River, from Washington DC to Cumberland, Maryland. Today the canal has mostly been abandoned and drained, but the Towpath, where teams of mules pulled barges for a century, has been converted into a stunning, gravel-surfaced hike and bike path, free of motor vehicles.
As the C&O Towpath exists within a National Historic Park, the NPS maintains hiker-biker campsites with piped drinking water along the path at frequent intervals. Numerous bed and breakfast establishments, as well as restaurants and bike shops, make for a pleasurable and convenient ride for beginner cycle tourists and old hands alike. Load up your bike for a fun camping tour, or book accommodations and pedal freely—either way, the C&O Trail is a classic ride full of history along a shaded, car-free pathway.
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Sunset on the C&O Canal Trail. Photo by Brandon Lampley.
Quick Facts
The Towpath is a 185 mile, motor-traffic-free bike trail from Washington DC to Cumberland, Maryland.
It follows the historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which operated from 1831 to 1924.
The C&O is often combined with the Great Allegheny Passage, which continues for another 150 miles to Pittsburgh, PA.
Some folks use this route as thru-hiking practice as well, hiking the towpath and camping for one to two weeks, taking advantage of the fact that a campsite can be found every 5 miles or so.
Highlights
Leaf peeping in October.
Really neat restored lock-keeper cottages along the canal.
Free campsites every 6 to 8 miles!
The many hostels, B&Bs, and restaurants along the way, often in historic buildings.
A visit to Harpers Ferry.
The ride through the Paw Paw tunnel.
No Cars!
Challenges
Short sections of mud after rainstorms.
Mosquitos in spring and summer—bring your repellent!
Busy on weekends—try to arrange your ride for weekdays if possible.
Wish it were longer!
Some find the scenery lacking in variety. Consider the GAP trail instead, or in addition, for scenic views of mountains and rivers.
when to go
October for the leaves changing, and May or June to beat the summer heat. October nights often are quite chilly, but the scenery’s top-notch. Any time mid-April thru early November is usually great. If cycling during colder weather, some park faucets may be off to prevent freeze, but there’s plenty of shops and hostels to fill up bottles. Always be prepared for some rain, and a bit of mud.
The autumn is the ideal time to hike or bike the C&O Canal Trail. Photo by Brandon Lampley.
Difficulty and Skills
Navigation
Navigating the path is straightforward. Minimal roadway crossings do demand attention to motorized traffic. Reference one of the excellent print or online guides, so you know where to look forward to restaurant stops or take side trips to interesting historic sites.
Terrain
The path is either crushed gravel or hard-packed clay, though a few sections have bumpy roots. (Higher volume tires really smooth those out.)
For all practical purposes, all 185 miles are flat at most of the 70-odd locks—enclosures that can float a canal boat from the lower to upper levels of the canal—you gain or lose about eight feet of elevation.
These can be steep mini hills... you must have a little speed on the way up, or push your loaded bike if you're cruising slowly. Consider walking the little ramps if you’re not a confident bike handler; you probably want to stop and look around at the locks anyway.
Elevation Gain/Elevation Loss
Minimal. +600 feet Washington to Cumberland. Very short, steep inclines at some of the Canal locks. Days of flat riding on a dedicated bike path? Yes, thank you!
Related: How to Train for a Century Ride
Recommended Type of Bicycle
Skinny road bike tires are not recommended for the C&O Canal Towpath. Otherwise, most types of bicycles will work. We’ve seen everything from gravel bikes with racing tires, to beach cruisers, to fat tire mountain bikes.
Traditional touring setups with front and back panniers to single-track bikepacking rigs for campers can work. A touring bike will work great, with high-volume tires as your wheels and frame clearance allow.
Mud guards, aka fenders, are a good idea if your bike fits them.
Still wondering what might be best for you? Check out our Best Touring Bikes and Best Bikepacking Bicycles articles for our recommendations if you are considering purchasing a bicycle for touring. We’ve literally ridden tens of thousands of miles to find the best.
The C&O Canal has good signage throughout. Photo by Brandon Lampley
Permits
No permits are necessary for riding or walking the towpath.
The one exception: if you are entering the Great Falls area, a $10 entrance fee is required.
Hiker-biker campsites are first come, first served.
Camping is limited to one night at each of these free sites.
Nearby drive-in National Park Service campsites require reservations and payment.
If you’re meeting non-biking friends along the way to camp, make those reservations for the car camping sites well in advance of your tour.
Route Summary
This trail description is for your reference, but always call the ranger station for the most updated information and check maps.
One hundred and eighty-five flat miles along the towpath of the historic C&O canal. Starting from Washington D.C., trail users pass through or near Great Falls, Leesburg, Point of Rocks, Harpers Ferry, Shepherdstown, Williamsport, Fort Frederick, Hancock, Little Orleans, and Paw Paw along the way to Cumberland, MD.
From Cumberland, riders can continue on the Great Allegheny Passage to Pittsburgh, PA.
Of course, many folks ride the towpath in the opposite direction as well. Washington Metro residents often take the Amtrak line to Cumberland and then ride home. (How convenient.)
Maps and Guidebooks
GAIA
We like the Gaia navigation phone app because it’s easy to use to check if we are on route. A free and thorough mapping app for your phone, you’ll always know exactly where you are. While the majority of this route has excellent mobile phone signal, with Gaia, you can download maps for offline reference, and have no doubts.
Maps
Download and print free PDF maps for personal use from GapTrail.org.
The print Trail Guide, from the Allegheny Trail Alliance covers both the C&O and GAP trails.
Guidebooks
Bike Washington’s online resources on the C&O are thorough and a perfect planning tool.
Other Apps
The C&O Canal Trust, a not-for-profit advocacy organization, has created the C&O Canal Explorer Mobile App. We haven’t used it, but it looks great.
The C&O Canal passes through Harper’s Ferry, WV, also headquarters of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Photo by Brandon Lampley
getting there
By Plane
If you’re flying in for this ride, Washington Reagan (also called “National” or “DCA”) is your best option.
Ten miles of bike paths connect DCA to mile zero of the Towpath.
Flying into Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is also popular for folks riding east and starting on the GAP.
Bicycling Magazine has a great article on how to fly with your bike.
By Car
If you’re driving in, we suggest checking with your accommodations or shuttle service for overnight parking options while touring.
Train and Shuttle Services
Amtrak trains service Washington and Cumberland (and downtown Pittsburgh, too). While bike spaces are limited, Amtrak does have roll-aboard bicycle service along this route! Plan ahead, as the roll-aboard bicycle spaces often sell out.
Numerous local shuttle services can transport you and your bike to and from the path.
The Decatur Hostel caters to bike tourists. Photo courtesy Brandon Lampley.
Trailheads
The traditional starting point at mile marker #0 of the C&O Towpath is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
The path ends at the trailhead at the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Station in Cumberland, MD. There's even a National Park Service C&O Canal Visitor Center.
Consult the National Park Service’s Plan Your Visit page for the many access points in between.
Post-Trip Favorite Restaurant
The 9 Decatur Guest House & Hostel in Cumberland, MD is the perfect spot to end (or begin!) a trip on the C&O. Plus, it’s a convenient place to shower and rest before continuing on the GAP to Pittsburg. A yummy neighborhood deli and grocer is nearby.
Rules and regulations
Here’s a list of some of the regulations on the C&O Canal. Be sure to check what is written on your permit and talk to the ranger about conditions before you go.
Follow Leave No Trace Ethics, including camping only in the designated areas. Most campsites will have a porta-potty.
Carry all your trash to the next receptacle you find, please.
Be considerate of other users on the trail. Yield to pedestrians and horses.
Bicycle speed limits are 15 MPH.
Ride single file.
NPS rules on biking the C&O can be found here.
Resupply
While it’s entirely possible to pack all your food for this 3-5 day ride from the start, we recommend a hybrid approach. If you're planning to camp along the way, carry your breakfast and evening food supplies, and enjoy a restaurant lunch along the way in one of the many trail towns. Alternately, many folks plan their trip to feature bed and breakfast style lodging along the way. There are myriad ways to feed yourself.
Typical water spigot on the C&O Canal Trail. Photo courtesy Brandon Lampley.
Water Planning
Water is available at regular intervals about every 5 miles along the path—usually in campsites—although the spigots are turned off for a few months in the winter.
If you're headed out during the off-season, from mid-November thru mid-April, assume you will need to fill bottles in trail towns and at businesses as spigots are turned off for the winter. Two bottles should be plenty of capacity for most cyclists during the primary season.
As of 2023, NPS reports they have decided to label and sign all water spigots as non-potable water. We don’t know what caused the change, but recommend carrying a lightweight water filter or chemicals to treat water.
Will I need a water filter or other water treatment along the way?
As of 2023, NPS has stopped maintaining and testing for potability. In the past, we recommended carrying iodine tablets or chlorine drops, just in case. Now, given the change, taking iodine for extended periods isn’t recommended. We suggest getting a filter, which will also be less expensive over the course of your trip. See our Best Water Filters and Purifiers story. In that guide, we recommend the Steripen, which is small, light, and compact enough to be convenient on a long bike ride.
Bike Mechanic and bike shop availability
Flats happen. At a minimum, everyone should travel with the tools and supplies needed to fix a flat tire.
Several bike shops along the way are convenient stops for supplies, or to have a derailleur or brakes adjusted if the need arises. As always, start the trip with a well-adjusted and maintained bike, and you’ll have more fun. We’d also recommend taking a class on basic maintenance and bike repair before you head off.
The C&O Canal Towpath, or C&O as cyclists call it, is one of the East Coast’s premiere bicycle pathways. Photo by Brandon Lampley
Food Storage
Mice, squirrels, and raccoons can be an annoyance in some of the campsites. Hang your food to keep it out of their paws, or use a critter-resistant sack like the Ursack Critter Bag and/or Odor Proof Food Bags.
If you have a small bear canister that fits in your panniers, that's a nice option too. For other critter-resistant food storage recommendations, see REI’s Food Storage story or REI’s Bear Canister story.
Side Trips
Historic sites and quaint old towns abound along the path. History buffs may choose to visit the trailside town of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. We highly recommend a wander around here. There’s a great bike-friendly hostel in town that’s also used by Appalachian Trail hikers.
If you have an extra week and are down for some serious mountain road riding, you can use the C&O to access Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. This requires a ride of about fifty miles from Harpers Ferry to Front Royal, VA on backroads. Many riders will head 3.2 miles from the Canal Trail to Ohiopyle State Park for camping. Side trips abound!
trip Variations
Western Maryland Rail Trail
An often-used variation on the C&O, which we recommend, is to ride the Western Maryland Rail Trail instead of the towpath from miles 115 to 124. This path is paved and more peaceful than the standard route, which is quite near the Interstate highway for a few miles. Enjoy the novelty of a bit of pavement—though in 2018 it was a bit bumpy in spots from frost heaves.
The Capital Crescent Trail is also a good alternative to the first three miles of the path out of Georgetown to avoid pedestrian traffic.
guided tours
Many local tour companies and large organizations provide guided trips along the C&O and GAP trails. The Adventure Cycling Association and Discovery Bicycle Tours are two such places offering various lengths of trips at various prices (expect to spend $1000+ on a guided trip + gear rental).
For those traveling from afar, bicycle and equipment rentals are detailed in the next section.
Because restaurants, hostels, and B&Bs are abundant along the bike trail, you can get away with carrying minimal gear if you wish. Photo by Brandon Lampley.
Gear Rental Options
Numerous outfitters rent bikes for the C&O, and several provide full-service tours. If you're coming from afar via plane, a rental bike is a brilliant option. It’s possible to rent a bike at the start of the path and return it at your endpoint. Brilliant!
The Cumberland Trail Connection is one such service with a good reputation. They provide shuttle options and bike rentals for both the C&O and GAP.
Gear List
For a detailed overview of this author’s recommendation for how to do a self-supported bike tour on a budget, see our Touring Bicycle Packing List.
BICYCLE
I rode the now discontinued Surly Cross Check, which is like a little brother of our overall winner in our Best Touring Bikes story. You’ll see folks out here riding gravel bikes and fat tire bikes, too. Check out our Best Bikepacking Bikes guide for our recommendations. If traveling from afar, there’s always rental options available, too.
TENT
Since I first rode the C&O Canal Trail, the options for bikepacking tents have exploded. See our guide to Best Bikepacking Tents for our recommendations.
In particular, we’d recommend the Nemo Dragonfly Osmo Bikepacking tent, which is especially built for riding in wet weather and comes with bike-specific features that make it easier to strap on and attach to a bike. It is well-suited for long bicycle trips and conveniently connect to a bicycle.
At the time, I used a pyramid tarp very similar to the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ultramid 2 recommended as an Ultralight winner in our Best 4-Season Tent guide (but you’ll be just fine with a 3-season summer tent). I like the roominess of a pyramid tent as there’s space to have my bike and luggage inside and protected from the elements. We’d say you’ll be happy with any of our recommended tents in our Best Backpacking Tents guide, too.
PANNIERS
As this area is often rainy, we recommend the waterproof Ortlieb Backroller panniers for those traveling with a traditional bike touring setup. See our How to Load Your Touring Bikes section in our Best Touring Bicycles guide for more on why we like these panniers.
SLEEPING BAG
A 20-degree bag is perfect for all of the recommended seasons on this route. The Feathered Friends Swallow is our favorite and top award winner in our Best Sleeping Bags guide and in our experience, can easily last a decade of use.
SLEEPING PAD
The Therm-A-Rest Neoair Xlite is a perfect choice for this trip. We go in-depth into why we think it’s great in our Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads guide (but it’s stellar for bicycle touring, too).
Pedals
I used the Shimano M324 pedals on this trip because they have a clip on one side and a flat platform on the other, so you can ride in comfort in any shoes. Many touring cyclists do not ride with clip-in pedals and it isn’t a requirement on the C&O Canal Towpath, either. If you do go clip-in, be sure to practice before. See more about pedals in our Bike Touring Packing List.
Bike lights
I used the Light and Motion Rando 500 as a front bicycle light and the Cygolite Hotshot as a rear bike light. Never ride in traffic in low light without a rear red light. No amount of gear can completely protect you from danger, but lights and reflective materials can go a long way.
Headlamp
You’ll want a headlamp separate from your bike lights for camp. Even if you’re traveling from B&B to B&B, a headlamp is a handy thing to have in an emergency. It’s no substitute for your bike lights (and if you get a flat, a bike light isn’t ideal for bike repairs, either). Choose a headlamp that is bright, lightweight, and has long battery life. We recommend some of our favorites in our Best Headlamps story.
Stove/Pot/Skillet
If you’re cooking for yourself along the way, bring along a pot, skillet, and cookware. We’re fans of the folding all-in-one GSI Outdoors Escape Pot and Frypan, which include a 3 L pot and 10” skillet that compress to the size of a Frisbee. See our Best Backpacking Cook Pot story and Best Backpacking Stoves story for some of our favorites that are lightweight and affordable.
First Aid Kit
Bring one that’s homemade. See our Make Your Own Emergency Kit story.
What to Wear
See my Bike Touring Packing list for a full list and explanation of What to Wear For Bicycle Touring: Clothing for On and Off the Bike.
SHOES
This author prefers mountain bike shoes with SPD cleats while bike touring. Hiking shoes work great for those using flat pedals. See our Best Hiking Shoes story for recommendations.
Bike Shorts
We prefer padded bike shorts for multi-day rides. Two pairs are the ticket. I used the REI Junction (men’s and women’s), which is affordable and time-tested.
Base layer
If it’s cool in the morning, a base layer is great for layering. Size base layers to fit over riding shorts. You can also use them as sleeping clothes or in town when grabbing food. I used an REI merino midweight half-zip (men’s and women’s). See more about base layers in our Best Base layers guide.
Vest
I wore the Patagonia Nano-Air vest (men’s and women’s) on this trip. It is lightweight, breathable, and makes me visible because it comes in bright orange. See more about synthetic insulation in our Best Synthetic Insulated Jacket guide.
Helmet
A bicycle helmet is the most important ‘clothing’ item you can wear. We recommend investing in a high-quality bike helmet. After combing through independent safety testing reports, here are the helmets we recommend for the Best Road and Commuter Bike Helmets and Best Mountain Bike Helmets guide.
Many tourists prefer, and I recommend, a mountain biking style helmet with a sun visor. The visor helps a lot in the rain. Find one that fits well and is very comfortable, because it'll be on your head all day.
Rain Jacket
A set of cycling-specific rain gear is worth the investment for touring. The economy models from Showers Pass are great for saving some cash while getting great value and functionality. They’re also a favorite in our Touring Bicycle Packing List guide.
While one of the hiking or every day rain jackets in our Best Rain Jackets guide will work, a cycling-specific rain jacket has a helmet-friendly hood, more reflective material, and a cut that is designed to be more aerodynamic and comfortable while riding.
Rain Pants
Cycling-specific rain pants like the Transit Bike Pants (men’s and women’s) are designed for pedaling movement. They include Velcro on the lower legs to cinch down to keep loose material away from the drivetrain.
Bike Gloves
One pair of simple bike gloves and a second pair of full-finger cool-weather gloves are key. If you already have gloves, they will work with one caveat: they need to be tight. Any loose material can potentially get stuck in your brake levers.
We like the Pearl Izumi Cyclone (men’s and women’s), which have the added benefit of being high vis when you hand signal your turns. Most bike gloves come with a high vis option. While almost any bike gloves will work, choose one with better visibility (bright color/reflective/etc.).
You can see our recommendations in our Best Mountain Bike Gloves guide.
Winter Gloves
I also carry one pair of cheap wool gloves for camp. While there are less expensive acrylic gloves out there, I prefer wool because wool doesn't melt when you touch your hot pot or stove. See our Best Winter Gloves guide for more affordable suggestions.
Other Resources
Hands down, the most thorough and useful planning tool is Bike Washington's C&O Canal Bicycling Guide. The interface isn’t the fanciest, but the information is there.
The National Park Service’s current conditions page is also useful. Are the trail adjacent visitor centers open? This is where to find out. Also included is a list of the trailside water spigots, but not real-time info on whether they are operational. More general information about the C&O can also be found on the NPS site.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR / WHY YOU SHOULD TRUST US
Treeline Review’s Senior Editor Brandon Lampley just completed a bicycle tour from Denver to Santa Monica along old Route 66. During the last few years, Brandon has pedaled more than 9,000 miles around the United States, through all seasons of the year, encompassing 14 months of cycle touring in 2 years.
He wrote this story because he thinks you’ll be interested in the clothing and equipment he carries on a bike tour. With the goal of touring on a small budget, he carries all the clothing and camping gear necessary to be comfortable in a large range of temperatures and weather conditions. Have fun, sleep and eat well, meet interesting characters—those are his priorities.
Brandon’s recent month-long Route 66 trip included cold rain and light snow, but also sweltering temperatures through the Mojave desert. He camped every night save one. Brandon has refined a lightweight clothing and equipment selection that works well in the large range of weather encountered.
Brandon has been writing about outdoor gear for more than a decade, including Treeline Review’s How to Crew and Pace an Ultrarunner story. He was previously a senior editor at Outdoor Gear Lab. For three years, Brandon lived and worked in Phortse, Nepal as the project director of the Khumbu Climbing Center where he worked alongside Nepali climbers to increase safety for high-altitude climbers and workers.
You can read all of Brandon's stories on his author page.
