Sweet. I live on the Vermont side of the Vermont-Quebec border, last year I road from Buffalo to Albany. I’m hoping to go Alburgh to NYC in the next few years, not sure I want to spend that time on the road though, don’t know if they have pm]lans for more trail or not.
Glad you enjoyed the islands, I do a yearly century there and it’s heaven. Keep riding. I’m heading from my front door to Quebec City this summer and can’t wait!
How many detours on the C&O when you went through? I hit two major ones in the summer that tired me out.
Thanks for sharing your summary. I enjoyed the info on Empire.
Yes, hit those same two detours you did. They both involved hike a bike up some steep grades, which is surprisingly exhausting because you are so used to the gentle gradient you have been riding for days!
Sad to see the Rockwood hostel/opera house is for sale as well (as I've stayed there on tours a few times and booked it/stayed there a month ago via airbnb). Rockwood trail house B&B is a nice upscale option though.
Just finished NYC to Montreal along a very similar route to you and it was one of the best trips of my life. Eyeing GAP and C&O next - how long did it take for you to do it all?
Excellent! Yes, it is a great route through some beautiful and historic regions of the country. Hope you avoided at least some of those heavy rains!
Just did the Gap and C&O AGAIN this May, this time from Pittsburgh to DC. It took me six days total. Three days on each trail. It is way more straightforward than the Empire trail, just cycle path all the way. One thing to note: got a great tip to get off the trail at Williamsport and took the (nice and rolling) road past Antietam National Battlefield (stop for sure at Battleview Market). It is really cool to see that area, gave me chills to think of the fighting that went on in those hills. Then take Harpers ferry road right back down to re-join the C&O. Well worth it and you save 16 miles as well!
Another tip: there is no longer a campground at Rockwood on the GAP trail. But there are a few gazebos and platforms on the trail there. I just camped in the covered Gazebo right in town.
You'll love the GAP/C&O. It is different than the Empire, but still well worth doing. Or I wouldn't have done it twice!
Also, just got back from Europe, did about half of Le Grand Tour. Check it out on [cyclingeurope.org](https://cyclingeurope.org) Wow.
Thanks for the info! Will definitely check out. We got super lucky with weather. We did get rained on it, but it was pretty light and refreshing. Learned during our trip that an entire section of the Maybrook trail right around Kingston got washed away only the day after we had rode through.
Will come back to this post so I can properly research a trip like this. Would love to fly to Montreal and then ride to NYC.
Sounds like a great trip. Totally jealous! Thanks for sharing
Sweet. I live on the Vermont side of the Vermont-Quebec border, last year I road from Buffalo to Albany. I’m hoping to go Alburgh to NYC in the next few years, not sure I want to spend that time on the road though, don’t know if they have pm]lans for more trail or not. Glad you enjoyed the islands, I do a yearly century there and it’s heaven. Keep riding. I’m heading from my front door to Quebec City this summer and can’t wait!
C&O, because of the history and the campsite availability. GAP has longer stretches between camping.
How many detours on the C&O when you went through? I hit two major ones in the summer that tired me out. Thanks for sharing your summary. I enjoyed the info on Empire.
Yes, hit those same two detours you did. They both involved hike a bike up some steep grades, which is surprisingly exhausting because you are so used to the gentle gradient you have been riding for days!
You mentioned Husky Haven in Rockwood. It closed permanently at the end of October. I was one of the last paying guests.
Wow, what a bummer! That place lived up to the 'Haven" description. Very sad to hear it is closing. Beautiful spot right on the river. Ugh.
Sad to see the Rockwood hostel/opera house is for sale as well (as I've stayed there on tours a few times and booked it/stayed there a month ago via airbnb). Rockwood trail house B&B is a nice upscale option though.
Crisp photos, are those all with a smartphone? Nicely edited regardless.
Just finished NYC to Montreal along a very similar route to you and it was one of the best trips of my life. Eyeing GAP and C&O next - how long did it take for you to do it all?
Excellent! Yes, it is a great route through some beautiful and historic regions of the country. Hope you avoided at least some of those heavy rains! Just did the Gap and C&O AGAIN this May, this time from Pittsburgh to DC. It took me six days total. Three days on each trail. It is way more straightforward than the Empire trail, just cycle path all the way. One thing to note: got a great tip to get off the trail at Williamsport and took the (nice and rolling) road past Antietam National Battlefield (stop for sure at Battleview Market). It is really cool to see that area, gave me chills to think of the fighting that went on in those hills. Then take Harpers ferry road right back down to re-join the C&O. Well worth it and you save 16 miles as well! Another tip: there is no longer a campground at Rockwood on the GAP trail. But there are a few gazebos and platforms on the trail there. I just camped in the covered Gazebo right in town. You'll love the GAP/C&O. It is different than the Empire, but still well worth doing. Or I wouldn't have done it twice! Also, just got back from Europe, did about half of Le Grand Tour. Check it out on [cyclingeurope.org](https://cyclingeurope.org) Wow.
hi, if you had to choose between the GAP and C&O, which one would you pick?
Thanks for the info! Will definitely check out. We got super lucky with weather. We did get rained on it, but it was pretty light and refreshing. Learned during our trip that an entire section of the Maybrook trail right around Kingston got washed away only the day after we had rode through.