Great Allegheny Passage
The Great Allegheny Passage is a 150-mile trail that leads you beneath leafy green canopy and dazzling fall colors, past hidden waterfalls and glens, chasing glimpses of the river beside you.
GAP 4 Day Tour
Bike the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) for your next adventure vacation. You’ll spend 4 days taking in the scenic waterfalls, woods and charming towns that dot this trail.
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GAP 5 Day Tour
Bike the Great Allegheny Passage in 5 days and see all that the trail offers. From charming small towns to majestic waterfalls, the GAP has a taste of everything you want from a bike vacation.
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GAP 6 Day Tour
A 6-day tour on the the Great Allegheny Passage that visits the vibrant communities and natural wonders that have made this trail a favorite among self-guided bike enthusiasts.
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GAP Bike Tour Blueprint
An alternate way to experience the Great Allegheny Passage. Our Bike Tour Blueprint provides all the tools you’d ever need to piece together your own bike tour on one of North America’s most popular trails.
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About Great Allegheny Passage Bike Tours
What’s the GAP?
Connecting Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania to Cumberland in Maryland, the Great Allegheny Passage stretches for nearly 150 miles through the Appalachian Mountains. It traverses rugged natural terrain and is dotted with small towns, offering plenty of opportunities for cyclists to rest along the way. We offer four, five and six-day self-guided bike tours.
Riding the Great Allegheny Passage
With most of the trail converted from abandoned rail beds, the surface is ideal for hybrid and/or touring bicycles, with an average grade of less than 1%. At the highest point of the trail, you’ll cross the Eastern Continental Divide, after which the trail drops around 1,750 feet over 20 miles before reaching Cumberland.
Trail Highlights
Great Allegheny Passage bike tours incorporate defunct corridors of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad, and the Western Maryland Railway. Highlights along the route include Ohiopyle State Park and “Fallingwater” designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, as well as one of only two surviving cast-iron truss bridges in North America.
A Comfortable Pace
Our Great Allegheny Passage self-guided tour itineraries are designed to give you ample time to take in the sights along the way and experience the region’s natural beauty. It’s also possible to add on an extra night in Pittsburgh at the start or end of your trip to discover the Gilded Age sites and museums of this historic city.
Riding the GAP
Great Allegheny Passage tours are offered between late April and mid-October. This schedule is dictated by weather and trail conditions. Most riders choose to ride between May and October.
Spring on the GAP is a wonderful way to restart your cycling season. April and the start of May can have periods of rain followed by periods of gorgeous spring sunshine. Spring flowers are found all along the trail and add a special color to your trip.
Summer is ideal for riders who love the long days, sunny and dry weather. Long sunny days allow for full days of biking, side trips, and socializing.
September and October is peak season on the trail – groups should book trips at least 9 months in advance when possible. Fall foliage occurs generally in early to mid-October, although exact dates do vary each year.
Bike rental can be included in this trip (Pittsburgh start only) through Bike the Burgh. If you will not be returning to Pittsburgh, there is a Cumberland drop-off fee of $75/bike. Ebike rental is also available.
Great Allegheny Passage tours start in Pittsburgh and end in Cumberland. We find this direction works best for the flow of the trip and travel logistics since most riders fly or drive to Pittsburgh. However, this tour can be offered in the opposite direction – Cumberland to Pittsburgh – at the rider’s request or to find lodging availability.
Due to the steep elevation change at the PA/MD border, another reason to start in Pittsburgh is that this allows for the last day of riding to be primarily downhill.
Most tours start in Pittsburgh and riders can utilize the Pittsburgh International Airport, Amtrak, or local parking facilities for arrival. The majority of riders also return to Pittsburgh at the end of their tour via the included shuttle.
For some (particularly riders driving up from the south) leaving a car in Cumberland, Md. may be preferable. In those cases riders are shuttled at the start of their tour to Pittsburgh, and then end their tour and depart from Cumberland.
Our trip coordinators are happy to discuss different scenarios to determine which starting and ending location will work best for you.
The GAP passes through rural SW Pennsylvania with small towns about every 10-20 miles which offer food, bathrooms, and bike services. There are also relatively frequent trailheads with port-a-johns along the length of the trail.
Cell coverage is fairly strong on the trail, particularly Verizon. Wifi can be limited, although most B&Bs and hotels will offer the service. *There is no wifi and limited cell service in Ohiople.
Have a question about this tour?
Our professional team members are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our tours. Please reach out to them for trail tips and to plan your next adventure.
Featured GAP Trips
GAP 4 Day Tour
Bike the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) for your next adventure vacation. You’ll spend 4 days taking in the scenic waterfalls, woods and charming towns that dot this trail.
View Trip GAP 5 Day Tour
Bike the Great Allegheny Passage in 5 days and see all that the trail offers. From charming small towns to majestic waterfalls, the GAP has a taste of everything you want from a bike vacation.
View Trip GAP 6 Day Tour
A 6-day tour on the the Great Allegheny Passage that visits the vibrant communities and natural wonders that have made this trail a favorite among self-guided bike enthusiasts.
View Trip
Looking for Something Different?
We are proud to offer a wide variety of curated tour itineraries on many of the nation’s best trails.