Question 1

How much is a deposit to reserve my tour dates?

Accepted Answer

A deposit is required to secure your reservation; amount is based on the total price of your trip.
		
Total Trip Cost		Deposit
Up to $500		$300 
$501-$1,500		$600 
$1,501-$2,500		$800 
$2,501-$3,500		$1,000 
$3,501 and above		30% of trip cost

Question 2

Is the deposit refundable?

Accepted Answer

Excepting the listed cancellation fees, all payments for travel services not provided to the traveler shall be refunded; this does not include any non-refundable charges. 
Applicable vendor fees – Some vendors charge a percentage of their cost upon cancellation, the amount often determined by how early the cancellation is made. Any non-refundable charges will be assessed if a trip is cancelled IN ADDITION to our cancellation fee outlined below.
Cancellation fees
UP TO 90 DAYS prior to departure –15% of trip cost; plus any applicable vendor fees.
90-21 DAYS prior to departure – 30% of trip cost; plus any applicable vendor fees.
Within 3 WEEKS of departure – 50% of trip cost; plus any applicable vendor fees.
Cancellations can be made at any time; if you must cancel your trip, you must do so in writing or via email. 
Our full list of terms and conditions can be found here - https://www.nobleinventionbiketouring.com/refund_returns/

Question 3

How far in advance should I book?

Accepted Answer

Many riders book 4-8 months in advance, that said, you’ll have the best chance of booking the dates and rooms you need the earlier you book – so we recommend 8-10 months in advance. Groups requiring more than two rooms are also best served to book well in advance to insure availability. 
We require at least 2-3 weeks prior to start date to book a trip.

Question 4

When does the shuttle run?

Accepted Answer

GAP/CO/GAPCO - Most afternoon shuttles leave at 2 p.m., while most morning shuttles leave at 10 a.m. Day 1 shuttles can leave as early as 8 a.m. In most cases the shuttle will be assigned only to your group, so some flexibility with times is possible. 
KTY (Clinton start) – Shuttles leave St Charles at 8 a.m. and arrive at Clinton around 1 p.m. 
KTY (Rocheport start) – Shuttles leave St Charles at 8 a.m. and arrive at Rocheport around noon. Riders have the option to be dropped further along in the trail in Boonville if they’d like to bike a few miles on Day 1.

Question 5

Can you add a hotel night before or after my trip?

Accepted Answer

GAP/GAPCO – Yes. We can book a room for you in Pittsburgh (Courtyard Marriott Downtown Pittsburgh) or Cumberland (Fairfield Inn). In both cases the hotels are located right next to the bike trail and just a block from bike rentals and long-term parking.
CO- We can book a room for you in Cumberland (Fairfield Inn), which is right along the trail and near long-term parking. In DC we recommend….
KTY (Clinton start) – Yes. We can book a room for you at the Country Inn and Suites, which is right next to the trail and just in front of the shuttle meeting point. 
KTY (Rocheport start) – Yes. We can book a room for you at the Country Inn and Suites, which is right next to the trail and just in front of the shuttle meeting point.
OTET – We do not book pre or post hotels for this route, but there are many options for riders to choose and we recommend the following:
Cincinnati – For those parking a vehicle we recommend the hotels at Newport on the Levee (there is a Hampton Inn, Aloft, and Fairfield there) which is on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River. Riders can use the Roebling bridge which has a sidewalk to reach the Ohio side and the start of the route. Those who don’t need long-term parking may also consider the many hotels in downtown Cincinnati which are near the riverfront/stadiums.
Cleveland – We recommend any of the downtown Cleveland hotels, particularly those close to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame or near to the baseball stadium. Riders will use city biking infrastructure to reach the OTET route.
Columbus – We recommend any of the hotels around the Arena District/Convention Center, where the route crosses the city.

Question 6

How did you choose your preferred accommodations on the trail?

Accepted Answer

All accommodations are personally vetted by our staff and must maintain an excellent rating from our riders. Preferably lodgings are locally-owned/operated; easily and safely accessed by bike from the trail; and located near restaurants.

Question 7

How can I reach someone during my trip?

Accepted Answer

Our trail phone is answered daily between 7:30am-7:30pm at 844-424-5347. We can be reached via voice or text. In the case of a medical emergency riders should always call or text 911 first.

Question 8

When is the best time to ride the C&O?

Accepted Answer

C&O Canal Towpath tours are offered between April and October. This schedule is dictated by weather and trail conditions. Most riders choose to ride between May and October.

Spring on the C&O 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 mid to late October, although exact dates do vary each year.

Question 9

Can I rent a bike (or ebike) for this tour?

Accepted Answer

Bike rental can be included in this tour (Cumberland start only) through WheelzUp Adventures. Ebike rental is also available. Ask about their DC drop off fee.

Question 10

What is the best direction to ride the C&O?

Accepted Answer

C&O Canal tours start in Cumberland and end in D.C. We find this direction works best for the flow of the tour and travel logistics. The towpath slopes gradually eastward and riding in this direction means your tour is essentially all downhill.

Question 11

Where do tours start and end?

Accepted Answer

Most tours start in Cumberland and riders can utilize Amtrak or the local parking facilities for arrival. If driving to the trail, most riders find the parking at the Cumberland end much easier, however, some may prefer to drive in and out of D.C. – we recommend using the economy lot at the Regan National Airport. Those flying into D.C. can meet a shuttle to drive them to Cumberland at the start of their tour, rather than the end. The shuttle can be scheduled for any time before the start of your ride.

Our trip coordinators are happy to discuss different scenarios to determine which starting and ending location will work best for you.

Question 12

What conditions can I expect?

Accepted Answer

The C&O Canal Towpath is maintained by the National Park Service as more of a dirt trail/road, although improvements to the trail surface have been underway for the past several years. That said, riders will find the western end of the C&O from Cumberland to Little Orleans (where the Western Maryland Rail Trail can be accessed) to be bumpy and sometimes muddy and rutted.

Overall, the towpath is not technically difficult to ride, but you will feel the vibrations and over time it can become taxing. You pace on the C&O Towpath will likely be slower than you expect, and we recommend planning your mileage and equipment with the bumpiest part of the C&O in mind.

Question 13

What services will I have access to on the trail?

Accepted Answer

The C&O Towpath is a linear park and as such the NPS maintains hiker-biker campgrounds with port-a-johns and water pumps (these are sometimes capped) every 8-10 miles. There are several larger towns accessed from the C&O offering a variety of restaurants and lodgings.

Cell coverage is fairly strong on the entire 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 around Paw Paw.

Question 14

What is the best bike for the C&O?

Accepted Answer

The best bike for the C&O Canal Towpath is a hybrid/touring/gravel bike with at least 32 mm-wide tires with tread; 40+ wide tires are even better. We discourage the use of road bikes and tires on the C&O Towpath, where narrower tires can more easily puncture and lose traction on the soft/muddy surface. Many parts of the towpath are similar to a dirt road and there is a mounded, grassy middle berm down the center.

Trikes and bikes with trailers which have tires running along the middle of the trail can find the center berm to be an issue. That said, we have had riders successfully complete the trail on tandems, trikes, recumbents and other non-standard frames, keeping in mind tire choice other accommodations they may need to make for a dirt trail.

Remember that if you are riding with loaded panniers, the added weight will affect your tire traction. If trail conditions are wet and you are running a loaded bike, a wider tire (or less inflated tire) is recommended so you don’t sink into the trail too much, making pedaling more difficult.