Let River Riders help you plan your outdoor get away. We can arrange a two to four day bike trip for your group on the beautiful and historic Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. The beauty will amaze you as you trek from Cumberland to Georgetown on the constant but slight downhill grade. We will tailor the trip to your group’s abililities. We can also arrange the trips if you have your own bikes.
Here are some suggested itineraries:
3 Day full canal ride
Day 1 60 miles from Cumberland to Hancock including Spring’s Gap, Oldtown, MD, the confluence of the North and South Branch of the Potomac, and the 3118 foot long Paw Paw Tunnel
Day 2 64 miles from Hancock to Harpers Ferry including Dam’s 3, 4, and 5, Fort Frederick State Park, Killiansburg Cave, beautiful and historic Shepherdstown and the Harpers Ferry Gap
Day 3 60 miles from Harpers Ferry to Georgetown including Weverton Cliffs, an operting toll ferry at White’s Ferry, Seneca Creek Aquaduct, Great Falls of the Potomac and Mather’s Gorge finishing at the Georgetown Visitor’s Center.
This trip is for riders who are in good physical condition ready for day long rides - a great way to see the whole canal.
4 Day full canal ride
It’s the same trip, but take 4 days to do it. The trip goes from 62 miles per day to 46 miles per day allowing for a more relaxed pace and more time for site seeing. Participants should still be in good physical condition for this trip.
Day 1 Miles 184 to 141 Cumberland Northern Terminus of the Canal to Little Orleans
Day 2 Miles 141 to 91 Little Orleans to Opequon Junction
Day 3 Miles 91 to 44 Opequon Junction to Indian Flats
Day 4 Miles 44 to 0 Indian Flats to Georgetown Visitors Center
This trip is suited much better to camping, but we can arrange for hotel stays on this trip as well, however some short sections of the Canal may be missed due to vehicle transportation.
3 Day “best of” canal ride
This is the way to see all of the popular attractions along the canal without having to ride all of the miles in between. The option allows much more time for site seeing and relaxing while still getting some “miles” in on the canal.
Day 1 If you're camping, we'll drive you to Oldtown and start your 25 mile ride to Little Orleans. Along the way you’ll see the confluence of the North and South Branch of the Potomac, and the 3118 foot long Paw Paw Tunnel. (Don't forget your flashlight.) That evening, you'll camp at Little Orleans.
For “inside” accommodations, you'll start your trip at Paw Paw and cruise through the 3118 foot long Paw Paw Tunnel. (Don't forget your flashlight.) You'll also see several historical aquaducts and the confluence of the Cacapon River and the Potomac River. Ride to Hancock for your evening lodging. We'll drop off your gear for you at your hotel.
Day 2 We’ll pick you up at Hancock or Little Orleans and take you to Dam 4 where you’ll travel another 25 miles to Harpers Ferry. Along the way you’ll see several caves including Dam 4 Cave, Killiansburg Cave, and John Brown's Cave. You'll also pass beautiful and historic Shepherdstown and the Harpers Ferry Gap. That evening you can camp at Huckelberry Hill or arrange accommodations of your choice in Harpers Ferry.
Day 3 We'll take you to Seneca Creek where you'll bike 25 miles from Seneca Creek to Georgetown including Seneca Creek Aquaduct, Great Falls of the Potomac and Mather’s Gorge finishing at the Georgetown Visitor’s Center. A great finish to a great trip. Remember, these are just our suggestions. If you have something specific in mind, let us help arrange it for you.
2 Day Ride
We will design this trip to meet your needs. Want 2 days of long riding? Try Cumberland to Harpers Ferry or Hancock to Georgetown. Want to take it easy and see the sites? Try Williamsport to Antietam Creek Campground, mile 99 to 68, and Antietam Creek to Point of Rocks, mile 68 to 47. Or stay in Shepherdstown at mile 73, and we’ll arrange hotel accommodations if desired.
River Riders will gladly help arrange other trips for you as well.
North Branch Bike Trip
The biking portion of our combination trip is special. The tour is taken in the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal National Park. The path is tightly crushed gravel and is actually slightly downhill. These conditions make the trip suitable for most guests.
Your tour will follow along the banks of the Potomac River for 26 miles from Oldtown, MD to Little Orleans, MD. This section is probably the most geographically remote along the entire canal. The rugged mountain terrain provides wonderful scenic vistas.
Your trip will start at a fully restored section of the canal at the historic area called Oldtown. Oldtown was the sight of one the country's last privately owned toll bridges. Along the trip you'll see the Town Creek Aqueduct and go through the Paw Paw Tunnel, the single most impressive engineering feature on the Canal. The 3100 foot long tunnel was constructed between 1836 and 1850 and was the final link joining Cumberland to the Chesapeake Bay.
Be aware that the tunnel is VERY dark, you will need to carry a headlamp or flashlight.
Your journey will conclude in Little Orleans which was once located on the main trade route from Fort Frederick to Cumberland. The original road stretched 80 miles from Fort Frederick to Fort Cumberland, requiring two crossings of the Potomac. During high water months, the crossing was extremely difficult. In the late 1750s a route that avoided crossing the Potomac was found and became the primary route west until the National Pike was opened in 1830. The National Pike route is the same one followed by Interstate 68 today.
Little Orleans is the second oldest community in the area, after Oldtown. The name, according to local legend, came from a French fur trader who was reminded of his hometown in Orleans, France. In the 1800s, the town of Orleans Crossroads (across the river) grew rapidly after the arrrival of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. On the Maryland side, the town was smaller-and thus the name "Little" Orleans.
The Little Orleans Grocery is open daily 7 a.m. to midnight. The store offers a bar and restaurant.
Biking Trips
Make tracks toward the historic district of Harpers Ferry. Stay in the historic district or take the pedestrian bridge over the Potomac River to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Park.
The trips can also be combined into one day.
