The Great Allegheny Passage

By Eilene Lyon

What eventually became the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) rail trail was conceived in the 1970s. The trail partly replaces the route of the Western Maryland Railroad. The entire 149-mile distance between Pittsburg, Penn. and Cumberland, Md. was not completed until 2013. In conjunction with the C & O Canal towpath (a National Park), cyclists can now ride a contiguous 330-mile, mostly gravel path to Washington, D.C.

We hired Maple Leaf Outfitters to build an itinerary, recommend lodging, and to schlep our luggage from town to town. I planned our trip back in April, since September is a popular time to ride the trails. Lodging in the small towns along the way is limited and some places were already full. Having ebikes expanded our options a bit, because leaving the trail meant climbing substantial hills.

Sept. 10:

As we rode through the outskirts of Pittsburgh, we could see remnants of bygone industrial eras. There are some signs along the way with historic photos and stories. Other times, we simply observed the derelict buildings. At about Mile 132 (counting down), we left the Monongahela River and began following the Youghiogheny (Yok-a-GAY-nee) River.

Historic information in South Pittsburgh.

Boarded up old roundhouse by the “rails” near McKeesport.

There were two couples from Washington State who started the ride the same time as we did. One of the women likes to ask people she meets “do you know…[person in your city]?” Usually she hears “No.” She was thrilled when I said, “Why yes, actually I DO know Lori S. in Durango”

We leap-frogged with them and shared a shuttle ride around a 2-mile section of trail that is closed for construction. We saw them again at our second-night stop. Throughout our trip we had multiple encounters with other riders along the way.

Sept. 11:

From my trip journal: “Yeah, yeah, it’s the 25^th anniversary of 9/11/01. That will not fix anything that’s wrong with this country. But, Ohiopyle (pop. 59) is what’s right—for the smallest, busiest tourist town (probably) in the U.S. What a delightful and progressive place! Day 2 on the GAP has been spectacular. Our crotches are sore, our tummies are full.”

The Red Waterfall, colored by mineral in mining runoff. Nearby is the cleaner White Waterfall.

Typical view on the trail. Our trusty “steeds” – ebikes rented from Golden Triangle in Pittsburgh.

Some of the rail trail towns converted their train stations into visitors’ centers or museums. This one is in West Newton.

The peaceful Youghiogheny River.

We began our day near Smithton (hometown of Shirley Jones of “Partridge Family” fame). Wildlife sightings were primarily squirrels of various colors, and groundhogs. Resting on a bench overlooking the river we noticed birds catching insects above the water. They turned out to be cedar waxwings. We passed the scene of a coal mining disaster, which had some unexpected mosaic art.

A sign informed me we were riding in Fayette County. Aha! I have some brick-wall family lines from Fayette County. My ancestors settled there by the 1790s. We took a couple detours off the route to visit cemeteries in Dickerson and Connellsville. The Dickerson cemetery has graves for George and Margaret Ransom, relationship unknown (I did not locate the grave).

Ransom relations are buried in the Dickerson cemetery.

Connellsville is near where my Wilkey and Ransom ancestors settled in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.

A stained-glass arch welcomes trail travelers to Connellsville.

James Wilkey’s grave in the Connellsville cemetery.

I managed to find one grave of interest in Connellsville, James Wilkey (1803–1883), that I will follow up on in my research. I did not find Susan Ransom’s grave. Her parents are a mystery to be resolved, too. We had lunch in Connellsville at the Kickstand Café, the name clearly intended to attract cyclists.

We crossed two long bridges over the Youghiogheny to arrive in Ohiopyle. This town was the epicenter of the GAP trail project. The first 27-mile section began here and ended in Confluence, entirely within the confines of Ohiopyle State Park. There are scenic falls, noted for having convinced George Washington (back in the 1750s) that this river was not navigable. (Actually, beyond the falls there are no obstacles.)

Occasionally we would spot an old telegraph pole from the railroad days.

The high bridge over the Youghiogheny River heading into Ohiopyle.

Falls Market is the big business in Ohiopyle. We stayed in a spacious room on the second floor.

This mural below the low bridge greets visitors as they ride into town.

Another bicycle-themed restaurant. Excellent menu.

The Putterer at our table at the Twisted Spoke.

The Falls.

Near the falls is a series of sculpture like this one showing the various kinds of river transports, including inflatable rafts, kayaks, duckies, and stand-up paddleboards.

Sept. 12:

Our third day’s travel took us over bridges, through tunnels (real and leafy ones), following a new stream, the Casselman River. Rockwood turned out to be a disappointing stopping place for lunch, but we met some fellow trail riders, including a senior woman (80s?) riding her dream bike: a pink number, not electric. She told us a bit about her life’s adventurous days of backpacking and such.

The leafy tunnel.

Story about George Washington at Confluence.

Just prior to reaching our destination of Meyersdale, we began passing farms near the trail. Trailside is the Meyer family cemetery and a plaque telling the stories of those buried there. Many were about children and the diseases they suffered.

Then we rode the astonishing Salisbury viaduct, crossing far above cornfields and a freeway. We stayed at the Inn on Main, a lovely B & B just yards from the trail. The White House Restaurant in town was the place to go—they even offered a free shuttle service. That was handy as it started raining a bit that evening. They had a soup & bread bar (French onion). My dinner was filet tips and The Putterer had haddock stuffed with crab imperial.

The 1,908-foot-long Salisbury viaduct.

Meyersdale has also converted their station to a historical museum.

Birds’-eye view of a cornfield from the viaduct.

From my trip journal: “The trail can be a bit monotonous, though it is quite beautiful. It’s an old railbed, of course, so it is flat and curves are subtle, not sudden. Also no abrupt changes in elevation, just a gentle grade. It allows the mind to wander.” And mine certainly did!

I enjoyed learning some eastern plants along the route:

Cardinal flower

Orange jewelweed

Pokeweed berries

Sept. 13:

Still a bit drizzly and foggy to begin our day, but gradually grew sunnier. We started out crossing a historic iron bridge, then a 900-foot-long viaduct and began a steady climb to the Eastern Continental Divide. (Living by “The” Continental Divide through the Rockies, I had not really thought of an eastern one!)

The Bollman bridge was built in 1871 of cast and wrought iron.

Portal at the Eastern Continental Divide.

Murals decorate both sides of the portal.

Elevation drawing of the trail over the divide.

Map of the divide.

About one mile further, we reached the longest tunnel we would traverse. The Big Savage tunnel is 3,294 feet long. The path covers the entire width, and it is well lit (which my next post will contrast with another long tunnel on the C & O). Just beyond the tunnel, we crossed the Mason-Dixon Line where there are stone markers and signs.

Building the Big Savage Tunnel

The Putterer exiting the tunnel.

Surveying the Mason-Dixon Line.

Monuments at the Mason-Dixon Line crossing.

We stopped in Frostburg and visited the Thrasher Carriage Museum, dedicated to all horse-drawn conveyances. Most are in pristine condition and one was of note, historically: the carriage that Teddy Roosevelt rode in for his first inauguration. We wandered through on our own, but a docent was giving a tour to another group and his booming voice could be heard through the entire building.

Teddy Roosevelt inaugural carriage.

A carriage made of bird’s-eye maple.

From Frostburg to Cumberland, the trail runs alongside the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. It also drops about 1,200 feet, so it’s a gentle glide. I had just put my phone away when the train came roaring up the hill and I missed my photo op.

We arrived in Cumberland mid-afternoon and wandered through the C & O Canal Museum before heading to our hotel for the night. The next day we would begin our journey on the canal towpath.

Bucolic farm scene between Frostburg and Cumberland, Maryland.

In 1912, blasting by railroad workers destroyed much of a cavern that contained a treasure trove of extinct-animal bones.

The formations seen on the cave remnant were clearly formed subterraneously.

A mural in downtown Cumberland, Maryland.

To Be Continued…

Feature image: Falls of the Youghiogheny River at Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania.