- Time of past OR future Camino
- First: Camino Francés 2002; most recent: Norte/Primitivo 2019
Hi all,
I'm in Keyser, WV tonight, around 332 miles into the American Discovery Trail now. Yesterday, I completed my stretch on the C&O Canal, a US national historical park. I had a lovely time, benefiting from unseasonably warm and dry weather. While I don't think many people would be interested in the first section that I walked and wrote about in a separate thread, I could see this route appealing to a much wider audience.
The C&O spans 185 miles between Washington DC and Cumberland, Maryland. It's actually possible to continue onward from Cumberland to Pittsburgh on the Great Allegheny Passage, a 150-mile rail trail. This website is a great resource for both routes.
The C&O trail follows the old towpath, passing old, stone locks and lock houses, and often runs directly alongside the Potomac River. The wildlife is great--I saw logs covered with turtles, sunning themselves in the afternoon warmth, herons posing majestically in quiet waters, a river otter trotting along the trail, a fox on the opposite bank. There's all kind of bird life, including groups of wild turkeys running around.
There are riverside campgrounds all along the trail for walkers and bikers--small grassy patches with a picnic bench, a firepit, a water faucet (turned off in the winter, unfortunately), and a porta-potty. I imagine it can get a little crowded at certain points in the year, but I imagine there's also a great conviviality at points. There are also a number of places to grab food or overnight accommodation, though it thins out in places. It goes alongside of Harpers Ferry, which is a wonderful place to visit; that's also where the Appalachian Trail crosses the ADT.
Here are my posts and pics from each day of this section:
Dave
I'm in Keyser, WV tonight, around 332 miles into the American Discovery Trail now. Yesterday, I completed my stretch on the C&O Canal, a US national historical park. I had a lovely time, benefiting from unseasonably warm and dry weather. While I don't think many people would be interested in the first section that I walked and wrote about in a separate thread, I could see this route appealing to a much wider audience.
The C&O spans 185 miles between Washington DC and Cumberland, Maryland. It's actually possible to continue onward from Cumberland to Pittsburgh on the Great Allegheny Passage, a 150-mile rail trail. This website is a great resource for both routes.
The C&O trail follows the old towpath, passing old, stone locks and lock houses, and often runs directly alongside the Potomac River. The wildlife is great--I saw logs covered with turtles, sunning themselves in the afternoon warmth, herons posing majestically in quiet waters, a river otter trotting along the trail, a fox on the opposite bank. There's all kind of bird life, including groups of wild turkeys running around.
There are riverside campgrounds all along the trail for walkers and bikers--small grassy patches with a picnic bench, a firepit, a water faucet (turned off in the winter, unfortunately), and a porta-potty. I imagine it can get a little crowded at certain points in the year, but I imagine there's also a great conviviality at points. There are also a number of places to grab food or overnight accommodation, though it thins out in places. It goes alongside of Harpers Ferry, which is a wonderful place to visit; that's also where the Appalachian Trail crosses the ADT.
Here are my posts and pics from each day of this section:
- 2 March - Arrival in DC, first 7-8 miles on the C&O - Post / Pics
- 3 March - Day off in DC - Post / Pics
- 4 & 5 March - Harpers Ferry - Post / Pics
- 6 March - Williamsport - Post / Pics
- 7 March - Hancock - Post / Pics
- 8 March - Paw Paw - Post / Pics
Dave