4-Day GAP Trail Getaway Rails-to-Trails Bike Tour
Duration
4 days
Daily Biking
30 miles
Trip difficulty
1-Easier
From
USD 1499
OR CALL (800) 257-2226
Duration
4 days
Daily Biking
30 miles
Trip difficulty
1-Easier
From
USD 1499
Trip Overview
The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail is on the bucket list of many cyclists for good reason. Now you can ride the full trail with us in just 4 days … and all downhill on a gentle railroad grade! Bike from Cumberland, Maryland, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania … enjoying spectacular views and peaceful surroundings. The wide crushed-gravel trail offers views of the Allegheny Mountains and the Casselman, Youghiogheny, and Monongahela rivers. Finish in downtown Pittsburgh at the famous “three rivers” confluence of the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio Rivers.
Start with a shuttle to the Eastern Continental Divide for your initial ride (downhill & south) on the trail to Cumberland, Maryland. On Day 2, shuttle back to the Eastern Continental Divide and spend the next three days riding downhill (north) to the northern terminus of the trail in Pittsburgh. Each day there’s an option to hop in the van and skip part of the day’s ride. The first two days are deep in the Allegheny Mountains, highlighted by the beautiful Ohiopyle State Park. Your final day allows you to see the transition from rural lands through the evolving river corridors of Pittsburgh — with a triumphant finish at the revitalized downtown area … with its famous sports stadiums.
To fully experience the splendor of the entire length of this historic route, you stay in comfortable, but casual inns — some of which are a departure from Discovery’s customary sumptuous accommodations. You enjoy delicious meals, gorgeous scenery and outdoor camaraderie in these lovely locations.
Surfaces for this tour: 16% Paved and 84% Gravel.
Itinerary
From start to finish, check out the route.
Ride the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) crushed-gravel rail trail in just 4 days — all downhill on a gentle grade! Bike from Cumberland, MD… enjoying spectacular views, of rivers, forest, and farms … and the final few miles into vibrant Pittsburgh, PA.
Arrival Day
Please meet at the Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh-Airport at 7:30am. Meet your leaders for a transfer to the start, and please arrive prepared to ride. Begin your ride at Deal and head south on the GAP Trail, crossing the Eastern Continental Divide. Continue through the Big Savage Tunnel, then cross the Mason-Dixon Line into Maryland. From there, enjoy the steepest downhill section of the trail as you descend toward Frostburg, where you'll stop for lunch. Afterward, continue the final stretch into Cumberland. Your hotel for the night is just a few hundred feet from the southern end of the GAP Trail. Enjoy dinner together nearby!
Accommodation: Fairfield Inn
Meals: Dinner
Biking: 25 miles (40 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier
Allegheny woods and rivers
Today’s ride starts with a 30-minute shuttle back to the Eastern Continental Divide. (Guests choosing a shorter ride start in Rockwood.) On the main route, you cycle across several trestles, including the 1,908’ Salisbury Viaduct. The Casselman River joins the Youghiogheny in the town of Confluence, where the larger and deeper valley takes you away from small towns and into Ohiopyle State Park. This is the area where George Washington fought for the British in the French and Indian War in the 1760s. The plunging waterfalls and soaring ridges remind you of why this was America’s Northwest Frontier in the late 1700s. Take your time along this stretch of trail and enjoy the views of the river far below … before rolling into the town of Ohiopyle, where river rafting vies with bicycling as the main tourist draws.
Enjoy dinner at a nearby restaurant followed by a night at the rustic Ohiopyle Suites, just steps from the trail.
Accommodation: Ohiopyle Suites
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Biking: 29 or 47 miles (46 or 75 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier
Rapids, rail trails, and rolling rivers.
This day includes longer miles ... which can be shortened with a lift in the van. Rolling out of Ohiopyle, continue through the State Park and pass across beautiful, historic rail-trail bridges over the Youghiogheny rapids. Enjoy lunch in the first large town since Maryland — Connellsville, PA. The trail and river run right through the historic downtown. From there, rural farm country edges closer to the river and you see occasional small towns until you cycle into historic West Newton.
Accommodation: Fairfield Inn
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Biking: 42 miles (67 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier
Departure Day
Bike out of farm country by mid-morning and into the suburbs … and cycle through a recovering industrial area along the Youghiogheny River. It joins the Monongahela in McKeesport, and you get to view this majestic, ship-going section of the river. Stop at Hofbräuhaus for lunch and then cross the famous Hot Metal Bridge into downtown Pittsburgh — arriving at Point State Park and the end of the GAP Trail.
Finish the day with a special visit to Bicycle Heaven, which houses over 4,000 bikes in its collection. Following your visit there, transfer back to the start at the Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh Airport at 5 p.m., to say goodbye.
Accommodation: Not applicable
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Biking: 38 miles ( kilometres)
Terrain: Easier
Dates
Prices are per person based on double occupancy (2 people in one room). A deposit of $750 holds your reservation for most tours. For tours less than 6 days, the deposit is $500.
What's Included
- 3 nights’ accommodation
- 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners
- Our own highly experienced trip leaders, with you from start to finish
- Industry leading Guest-to-Guide ratio (averaging 6:1)
- Your own ‘Account’, an online space with everything required for your adventure
- Our knowledgeable Customer Service Team to answer your queries - just a phone call, email or chat away
- Customer Service pre-trip phone calls to ensure you’re 'trip ready'
- Delicious snacks and non-alcoholic drinks to keep you fueled
- Gravel bikes with drop handlebars, Hybrid with flat-bar handlebars or E-Bikes, equipped with a front handlebar bag or rear carrier, branded water bottle, mirror and flat pedals
- Ride with GPS for navigation along with the detailed maps and itineraries
- Branded t-shirt and bag
- All activities outlined in the itinerary
- All necessary equipment (well-maintained and safe) for activities
- Transportation in our air-conditioned vans - safe, clean, modern and comfortable!
Inns
Ohiopyle Suites
Located in the heart of Ohiopyle State Park, this 10-unit, five-suite complex provides accommodations that are clean and cozy. Centrally located to other area attractions, the Ohiopyle Suites is the perfect place to escape from everyday stress and hustle and bustle.
Fairfield Inn & Suites Cumberland
A gem among Cumberland hotels, Fairfield Inn & Suites is perfectly situated near I-68 and just minutes to the C&O Canal trail. Get a great night's rest in one of our comfortable rooms and enjoy thoughtful amenities like free wireless high speed internet, free local calls and large work desk. Unwind in our indoor pool or whirlpool. Join us each morning for an energizing, complimentary continental breakfast buffet.
Fairfield Inn Belle Vernon
Travel with confidence at Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott the NEWEST hotel in Belle Vernon with outstanding service for an easy and comfortable stay-at an exceptional value. The Fairfield Inn & Suites Belle Vernon is always ready to welcome you to their thoughtfully designed guest rooms and suites with plenty of room to work and relax. Free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel will keep you connected during your stay, and our pool and fitness center will help you stay on track. Spread out in our vibrant lobby, with spaces to gather, relax and work.
