CG's along the Gap Trail

[way2roll]

Planning a trip this year to bike the length of the Gap trail that connects Pittsburgh PA to Cumberland MD. While there are a lot of primitive CG's and B&B's I am having difficulty finding RV capable CG's. Has anyone made this ride and camped in your RV along the route?

[EnerGT]

Lynnmor wrote:
I rode the entire length from Washington, DC to Pittsburgh doing an out and back each day, so actually did it both ways. The above information is right, most campgrounds that I used required a lot of driving to access points. I can think of only a few that were right on the trail. A deluxe but expensive option is to hook up with an outfitter and let them do the grunt work. The only campground right on the trail that I used was the KOA at Connellsville.

Interested in reviving this post...

I'm interested in doing the trip like you did (out & backs) and happy to dry camp at Walmarts etc, but I was wondering where you parked for during your rides? Did you take ever your trailer to park or just the truck?

[way2roll]

GDS-3950BH wrote:

way2roll wrote:

NatParkJunkie wrote:
did you find these links yet? I live near the GAP trail outside of Pittsburgh, and enjoy biking several sections of the trail.

GAP camping info

GAP Camping guide

Someone I used to work with had a scout troop that used to bike the whole trail every other year. They took the Amtrack train from Pittsburgh to DC with their tents and bikes. When they got off the train in DC, they biked back home to Pittsburgh.

Thanks for the links. Yes, I saw those and emailed them directly. They do have a few CG's that will accommodate RV's but as others have stated, the location of those doesn't really support a decent spacing for the ride - either they are too close, making the days too short (20 miles) or nothing on the bottom half. It was worth a shot. I may opt for a hybrid approach, use the KOA on night one, and B&B it for 2 nights and use a CG in Cumberland on night 4.

No matter how it goes we are looking forward to it.

Now that you put it that way, take a look at........

Its about 53 miles on the trail from Pittsburgh to the KOA.
Its another 49 or so from the KOA to Rockwood. I just looked at it on maps and Laurel Hill State Park (It's a really nice state park) is only 7.3 miles from the trail access in Rockwood. Laurel Hill has maybe a dozen FHU sites but has a ton of electric only along with a dump station. You could also look at Hickory Hollow or Pioneer Park, both are literally minutes away from Rockwood. Then you have a 43 mile ride to Cumberland.

I'll check it out. Thanks!

[GDS-3950BH]

way2roll wrote:

NatParkJunkie wrote:
did you find these links yet? I live near the GAP trail outside of Pittsburgh, and enjoy biking several sections of the trail.

GAP camping info

GAP Camping guide

Someone I used to work with had a scout troop that used to bike the whole trail every other year. They took the Amtrack train from Pittsburgh to DC with their tents and bikes. When they got off the train in DC, they biked back home to Pittsburgh.

Thanks for the links. Yes, I saw those and emailed them directly. They do have a few CG's that will accommodate RV's but as others have stated, the location of those doesn't really support a decent spacing for the ride - either they are too close, making the days too short (20 miles) or nothing on the bottom half. It was worth a shot. I may opt for a hybrid approach, use the KOA on night one, and B&B it for 2 nights and use a CG in Cumberland on night 4.

No matter how it goes we are looking forward to it.

Now that you put it that way, take a look at........

Its about 53 miles on the trail from Pittsburgh to the KOA.
Its another 49 or so from the KOA to Rockwood. I just looked at it on maps and Laurel Hill State Park (It's a really nice state park) is only 7.3 miles from the trail access in Rockwood. Laurel Hill has maybe a dozen FHU sites but has a ton of electric only along with a dump station. You could also look at Hickory Hollow or Pioneer Park, both are literally minutes away from Rockwood. Then you have a 43 mile ride to Cumberland.

[way2roll]

NatParkJunkie wrote:
did you find these links yet? I live near the GAP trail outside of Pittsburgh, and enjoy biking several sections of the trail.

GAP camping info

GAP Camping guide

Someone I used to work with had a scout troop that used to bike the whole trail every other year. They took the Amtrack train from Pittsburgh to DC with their tents and bikes. When they got off the train in DC, they biked back home to Pittsburgh.

Thanks for the links. Yes, I saw those and emailed them directly. They do have a few CG's that will accommodate RV's but as others have stated, the location of those doesn't really support a decent spacing for the ride - either they are too close, making the days too short (20 miles) or nothing on the bottom half. It was worth a shot. I may opt for a hybrid approach, use the KOA on night one, and B&B it for 2 nights and use a CG in Cumberland on night 4.

No matter how it goes we are looking forward to it.

[NatParkJunkie]

did you find these links yet? I live near the GAP trail outside of Pittsburgh, and enjoy biking several sections of the trail.

GAP camping info

GAP Camping guide

Someone I used to work with had a scout troop that used to bike the whole trail every other year. They took the Amtrack train from Pittsburgh to DC with their tents and bikes. When they got off the train in DC, they biked back home to Pittsburgh.

[way2roll]

Thanks for the info so far. Let me preface by saying that while I have done the C&O countless times (I used to live near there) I've never even seen the GAP, so I know less than nothing about it. Friends I ride with have done it though and they opted for B&B's and primitive camping when they did it prior. There are 2 ways to approach this and we haven't ironed out the details. We typically do the TGBT - a benefit ride of the entire C&O over 4 days from Cumberland to DC that but it's very well supported and has SAG. They cancelled it this year due to Covid - well sort of - they are doing a virtual ride - you do your own and log your miles. So I wanted to do the GAP instead.

Back to my point, we will do the Gap - starting in Pittsburgh and end in Cumberland or Hancock - maybe even Williamsport MD(my folks live there). If we can figure out the motor home, either my wife or one of my friend's wives will move the RV from spot to spot daily and all our gear. But this is dependent on finding CG's at 40-50 miles apart and near the trail (within 5 miles). Full hookups aren't necessary but electric would be nice. It would also need to be near a B&B so riders we are with, that do not have RV's have a place to stay. I can put up a few but not all.

If we can't work out logistics of the RV, then we'll stick to B&B's (I am not a primitive camper any more). Again one of the wives may SAG, if not then it's Panniers.

Ok, long walk around the barn, but if RV's parks don't exist near the trail at decent intervals then we'll scratch that idea. I just hate having the RV and not being able to use it for stuff like this.

On the C&O, RV parks are spaced perfectly apart and near the trail. I guess the GAP is a bit more off the beaten path.

[Lynnmor]

I rode the entire length from Washington, DC to Pittsburgh doing an out and back each day, so actually did it both ways. The above information is right, most campgrounds that I used required a lot of driving to access points. I can think of only a few that were right on the trail. A deluxe but expensive option is to hook up with an outfitter and let them do the grunt work. The only campground right on the trail that I used was the KOA at Connellsville.

[GDS-3950BH]

We've done it a dozen times but never tried to do it from an RV, I don;t know how you would even accomplish that other than having a person who drives the RV full time. A lot of the GAP, especially beyond Connellsville PA, are not accessible by road.

There is KOA a long days ride out of Pittsburgh (a good 50 miles) that the GAP runs right through. It's named Uniontown KOA but is actually located 3 miles from Connellsville PA (A town on the trail) and Uniontown is about 12 miles away from the campground so I don't know where the name comes from. It's also known as Rivers Edge however the CSX main line is 100 yds away across the river, and a train goes by so often you'll never even notice it. That CSX main line is across the river from you even if you bike camp along the trail, from Pittsburgh until you almost get to Big Savage tunnel, a good 120 miles.

Other than that it's slim pickins for RV capable campgrounds if by that you mean full hookups? There is a state park campground in Ohiopyle PA about 23 miles trail ride from the KOA mentioned heading towards Cumberland, but it's not right on the GAP, about 4 or 5 miles away and up on top one hell of a mountain above the river and trail, no full hook ups, electric only. There are some other private ones nearby but they're some miles drive from the GAP.

Moving east probably 12 miles in Confluence PA is a Army Corp campground about 1/2 mile off the trail called Outflow Rec area, a few electric sites, but most are dry.

Further on near Rockwood PA a good 20 trail miles are some private campgrounds with hookups and a couple of state parks with a very few full hookup sites, Laurel Hill SP and Kooser SP. All of them are a good 10-15 miles drive from the GAP trail however. Pioneer Park and Hickory Hollow are the private ones I know of. Steer clear of "Scottyland", it's a true garbage dump of a campground.

Past there the rest of the way to Cumberland I do not know of any other campgrounds that would accommodate an RV with or without hookups that are anywhere close to the GAP. Beyond Confluence to Frostburg MD you're up to it deep in the Alleghenies and off the beaten path for the most part.

[agesilaus]

There are all sorts of apps to find these, RV Trip Wizard, AllStays, Good Sams and lots more.