This information is made available for all who are interested in "Bike
Packing" on the C & O Canal.
We feel that our plan worked and would like
to see others make this trip. While
these materials are self explanatory, we would like to add the following notes
to this information:
PLEASE
NOTE: Since this trip took place, the
C&O Canal often sustains severe damage due to floods, tornados, and
hurricanes. Volunteers have done an
incredible job at making repairs!
Before making any plans please check for current conditions. The best place for the most current
information is http://www.canal.com/closed.shtml.
1) Quality mountain bikes or cross
bikes are an absolute necessity. This trip is hard on the bikes and
"department store" bikes just won't cut it.
2) Order your food in bulk via mail
order, as most local vendors do not have adequate supplies.
3) Bundle daily meals before you leave
to save time on the trail.
4) Buy drink mixes in bulk, and
package in premeasured water bottle quantities in plastic bags before you
leave.
5) Pack each person's lunches before
you leave.
6) Increase the amount of Gatorade -
we could have used 2 - 3 times as much.
7) Always fill your water bottle -
some pumps do not work! Some water does
not taste very good, so the drink mixes were always welcomed.
8)
We could have gone longer distances, but the distances were appropriate
for an enjoyable trip.
9) Make a minor menu change to
eliminate one spicy bean dish (all the foods were very good!). Buy additional fruits at stores along the
trail.
10) We could have saved money on foods
by mixing our own recipes, but the packaged foods were good and hassle free.
11)
Take spare parts - cables, screws, nuts, and spokes. We were fortunate in that we even had a truing stand in our chase
car.
12) Pack all clothing in zip lock
bags, and line panniers with garbage bags.
We did, and it worked. We
required 6 garbage bags per person and could have used more.
13) Use bike shorts - they work! Those that had them were thankful; those
that didn't, will next time. Use the
medicated powder; it works too!
Troop
90 C&O Trip Plan
Friday, June
30, 1995
Depart Forest Hills 6:30
BREAKFAST Stop on way to Cumberland
Depart Cumberland (MP 184.5)
LUNCH Trail Food
>>>>> Camp at Little
Orleans (MP 140.9)
Daily Mileage 43.6
DINNER Packaged Dinner
Saturday, July
1
BREAKFAST Bagels and Juice
LUNCH Trail Food
>>>>> Camp Williamsburg
Town Park (MP 99.8)
Daily Mileage 57.6
DINNER Packaged Dinner
Laundry Available
Sunday, July 2
BREAKFAST Packaged Eggs
LUNCH Trail Food
>>>>> Camp Brunswick
Camp Site (MP 55.0)
Daily Miles 44.8
DINNER Delivered Pizza
Laundry Available
Bike Maintenance
Monday, July 3
BREAKFAST Breakfast Rolls or Pastries
LUNCH Stop at Whites Ferry*
>>>>> Camp at Swain's
Lock (MP 16.6)
Daily Miles 38.4
DINNER Packaged Dinner
Tuesday, July 4
BREAKFAST Packaged Eggs
LUNCH
Trail Food
ARRIVE WASHINGTON, DC (MP 0.0)
Daily Miles 16.6
DINNER Eat in Washington, DC or on the road.
BIKE
TRIP PACKING LIST
[ ]
Helmet
[ ]
Bike Gloves
[ ]
Spare Tube
[ ]
Bike Rack (Blackburn or
equivalent)
[ ]
Panniers or Small Duffel Bag
[ ]
4-5 Nylon Straps (NO Bungee Cords)
[ ]
Lightweight Sleeping Bag or Bedroll
[ ]
Sleeping Pad
[ ]
Tent ( 1 per 2 People)
[ ]
Tent Stakes
[ ]
Ground Cloth (1 per 2 People)
[ ] 2
Class B Shirts
[ ] 1
Extra T-Shirt
[ ] 2
Pr. Bike Shorts (or other shorts worn with bike underwear)
[ ] 1
Extra Pair Shorts
[ ] 3
Pair Socks
[ ] 3
Pair Underwear
[ ]
Bowl
[ ]
Cup
[ ]
Spoon
[ ] 2
Water Bottles with Racks
[ ]
Rain Gear (not a poncho)
[ ]
Small Flashlight
[ ] 6
Plastic Garbage Bags
[ ]
Windbreaker
[ ]
Nylon Pants
[ ]
Extra Batteries
[ ]
Riding Shoes
[ ]
Camp Shoes, Sandals, or "Aqua Socks"
[ ]
Pocket Knife
[ ]
Matches in Waterproof Container
[ ]
Nylon Cord
[ ]
Mole Skin
[ ]
Toilet Kit (Small Towel, Deodorant, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Comb, any
Personal Necessities
[ ]
Hat
[ ]
3-4 Energy Bars
[ ]
$40.00 Cash
NON-ESSENTIALS
[ ]
Small Detachable Headlight
(can be used as a backup flashlight)
[ ]
Camera (small, light weight, or disposable)
[ ]
Sunglasses
[ ]
Small Daypack (NO Backpacks)
[ ]
Walkman (in camp use only, not for trail use)
[ ]
Seat and/or Handlebar Bag
[ ]
Rack Pack
GROUP ITEMS
CARRY ONE
[ ]
Backpack Stove (1 per 6)*
[ ]
Fuel Bottle and Fuel (1 per 6)*
[ ] 4
Qt. Cook Pot (1 per 6)*
[ ] 2
Qt. Cook Pot (1 per 6)*
[ ]
Pot Gripper (1 per 6)*
[ ]
Small Fry Pan (1 per 6)*
[ ]
Plastic Spatula (1 per 6)*
[ ]
Small Whisk (1 per 6)*
[ ]
Water Bag (1 per 6)*
[ ]
Shampoo**
[ ]
Soap**
[ ]
Dish Detergent**
[ ]
Sunscreen**
[ ]
Insect Repellent**
[ ]
Medicated Powder**
[ ]
Laundry Detergent**
[ ]
Tool Kit
[ ]
Pump
[ ]
First Aid Kit
*Troop
Equipment
**Provided by
group funds, do not buy
Everything must
be small and light weight. Take only what
you absolutely need. The list includes
the items that you will be wearing when we start.
BREAKFAST
#1 2
Bagels .66
Oatmeal or Cereal .23
Tang .13 1.02
#2 Peasant Omelet 1.25
Oatmeal or Cereal .23
Tang .13 1.61
#3 Pastries 1.00 (EST)
Oatmeal or Cereal .23
Tang .13 1.36
#4 2 Granola Bars .46
Oatmeal or Cereal .23
Tang .13 .82
LUNCHES
#1 Gatorade .11
Country Time or Kool Aid .08
1 Bagel .33
1 Kraft Cheese Snack .25
1 Fruit .50(EST)
1 Trail Mix .20
1 Pepperoni .29
1 Ramen Noodles .13
Cookies .06 1.95
#2 Gatorade .11
Country Time or Kool Aid .08
1 Slim Jim .29
1 String Cheese .29
1 Trail Mix .20
1 Austin Crackers .12
1 Raisins .18
2 Fruit Packs .24
Cookies .06 1.57
#3 Gatorade .11
Country Time or Kool Aid .08
Tuna Lunch Kit .91
Kraft Cheese Snacks .25
1 Raisins .18
Ramen Noodles .13
Cookies .06 1.72
#4 Gatorade .11
Country Time or Kool Aid .08
1 Slim Jim .29
1 String Cheese .16
1 Trail Mix .20
1 Austin Crackers .12
1 Raisins .18
2 Fruit Packs .24
Cookies .06 1.44
DINNERS
#1 Pasta Primavera 2.75
Vegetable Mix .99
Country Time or Kool Aid .08 3.82
#2 Black Bean Tamale Pie 2.98
Corn 1.48
Apple Brown Betty 1.24
Country Time or Kool Aid .08 5.78
#3 Pizza 3.00 (EST)
Fruit .50 (EST)
Country Time or Kool Aid .08 3.58
#4 Santa Fe Chicken 3.75
Rice .50 (EST)
Peas and Carrots .98
Country Time or Kool Aid .08 5.31 29.98
C & O CANAL
West To East
Park 24-Hour
Emergency Number, 301-739-4206
184.5 Cumberland
Groceries/Restaurants
(Western
Maryland Station Center, 301-722-8226)
BEGIN TRIP
181.8 Candoc - Rewatered section of the canal.
181.7 Wiley Ford Bridge - MD 28 to Ridgely WV.
180.7 Evitts Creek Aqueduct
180.1 Evitts Creek Camping
179.0 Mexico Farms
178.8 Road crossing leads to MD 51
178.3 Western Maryland Railroad Bridge
176.0 Pumphouse of Pittsburgh Plate Glass Plant.
175.6 Lock 75
175.5 North Branch Picnic Area - Lock 74
175.4 Irons Mountain Camping - Lock 73
174.4
Lock 72 CAUTION - Beware of
quicksand.
173.3 Spring Gap
Camping Groceries/Restaurants Picnic Area
169.1 Pigman's Ferry Camping
167.0 Lock 71 - Begin rewatered section of canal.
166.7 Battie-Mixon (Oldtown) Picnic Area
- Lock 70.
This area was
once an Indian village, and was a trading post during the French and Indian
War. County road crosses canal and
leads to a grocery store (north) and Green Spring, WV.
166.5 Lock 69
164.8 Potomac Forks Camping - Lock 68. Mouth of South Branch of the Potomac on
opposite side of river.
162.3 Town Creek Aqueduct - End rewatered section.
162.1 Town Creek
Camping - End rewatered section.
161.8 Lock 67 - An Indian trail crossed the river
in this area, following the ridges north and south.
157.4 Purslane Run Camping - A canal workers cemetery in this vicinity.
156.8 Paw Paw, MD. MD 51 bridge crosses river to Paw Paw, WV where stores and a
restaurant are available. Canoe rentals
available.
156.5 Section House - The frame house between
the river and canal was the residence of the manager of this segment of the
canal.
156.3 The canal underpasses MD 51.
156.0 Paw Paw Tunnel Groceries/Restaurants # Picnic Area
155.8 Begin Paw Paw Tunnel - CAUTION: Do not ride bikes through the tunnel. Headlights or flashlights are strongly
recommended. This tunnel took more than
fourteen years to build. It connected a
bend in the river and eliminated a need for six additional miles of canal.
155.2 End Paw Paw Tunnel
154.7 Lock 66
154.6 Lock 64
- The original design of the
canal included Lock 65. In an attempt
to save money, the canal company never built this lock.
154.5 Lock 63
154.1 Sorrel Ridge Camping - Lock 62
153.4 Outdoor Club Road - Dirt road leads to MD
51
153.1 Lock 61
151.2 Western Maryland Railway trestle
149.7 Lock 60
149.4 Stickpile Hill Camping
147.0 Western Maryland Railway trestle
146.8 Devils Alley Camping
146.6 Lock 59
144.0 Lock 58
143.4 Western Maryland Railway trestle
140.9 Little Orleans Camping Groceries/Restaurants
- Fifteen Mile Creek Aqueduct
CAMP DAY 1
139.2 Indigo Neck
Camping - Lock 57
138.1 Western Maryland Railway Indigo Tunnel east
portal
136.6 Sideling Hill Creek Aqueduct
136.6 Camp Strauss, BSA Camping Reservations
Required
Baltimore Area
Council, 301-338-1700
136.2 Lock 56
134.1 Feeder Dam 6, Guard Lock 6, Lock 55
134.0 Lock 54
133.6 Cacapon Junction Camping
131.3 Cohill Station
130.0 Lock 53
129.9 Leopards Mill Camping
127.7 Roundtop Cement Mill
126.5 White Rock
Camping
124.4 Little Tonoloway Picnic Area
124.3 Little Tonoloway Creek
124.0 Hancock
Groceries/Restaurants US 522
overpasses canal.
Hancock
Visitors Center, 301-678-5463
122.9 Tonoloway Creek Aqueduct, Lock 52
122.6 Lock 51
122.0 I-70 parallels canal closely beginning at
this point.
120.9 Begin Little Pool area
120.6 Little Pool
Camping
120.1 End Little Pool area.
119.3 Millstone Point, a Civil War encampment.
116.0 Licking Creek Camping Licking Creek
Aqueduct. I-70 no longer close to the
canal.
114.3 Begin Big Pool area.
113.8 Big Pool
Groceries/Restaurants.
112.4 Fort Frederick State Park Groceries/Restaurants - The fort was
involved in the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, and the Civil
War. Park campground, historic fort
area, rowboat rentals. End Big Pool
area.
Park Office,
301-824-2155
110.4 McCoy's Ferry Camping Picnic Area NOTE:
No water available at campground. This
was an important river crossing area.
J.E.B. Stuart entered Maryland here on his way to Pennsylvania, October,
1862.
110.0 North Mountain Camping Picnic Area.
109.2 Begin Four Locks area. Locks 50, 49, 48, 47. The canal does not follow the river at this
point as it cuts across a bend at Praether's Neck, eliminating a five mile
loop.
109.0 Four Locks
Picnic Area
108.6 End Four Locks area
107.4 Two Locks area. Lock 46
107.3 Lock 45
106.8 Feeder Dam 5, Guard lock 5
101.2 Jordan Junction Camping
101.0 Hagerstown Municipal Water Works
99.8 Williamsport Groceries/Restaurants
- Conococheague Creek Aqueduct. Begin Williamsport Town Park. Overnight camping (free, no facilities) by
permit from town hall. Stores, a
laundromat, churches, a bus station and motels are available.
Williamsport
Town Hall, 301-223-7711 Safari
Campground , 800-558-2954, 301-223-7117.
Follow MD 68, 2 miles south from town square (full service campground)
$3.00/person. NOTE: During periods of heavy rain or high water
the trail may be submerged or very muddy between this point and 88.1. Alternative detour - follow MD 68 to MD 63
(southeast). Follow signs to Downstown. Turn right on Dam No. 4 Road. Follow this road to MP 84.5 on the canal.
(Detour about 10 miles)
CAMP DAY 2
99.3 Lock 44
End Williamsport Town Park. This
site was inspected by George Washington as a possible location for a new
national capital. General Braddock
crossed here on his way to Fort Pitt in 1755; the main body of the Confederate
Army crossed in June 1863 on their way to Gettysburg.
97.9 Pennsylvania Railroad trestle
95.2 Cumberland Valley Camping
94.4 Falling Waters Lee's defeated army held off Union attacks for eight days in July
1863 as his engineers built a bridge across a swollen Potomac. The remains of his entire army were able to
escape to Virginia.
93.9 Potomac Fish and Game Club. Pay phone available at the pavilion.
93.0 Lock 43
92.5 Midpoint of the C&O Canal
90.9 Opequon Junction Camping
90.2 Begin Dellinger Widewater CAUTION: The towpath may be submerged during
high water. Following periods of high
water the towpath will be extremely muddy for several days. Proceed with extreme caution.
89.6 End Dellinger Widewater
89.0 Lock 42
88.9 Lock 41
Begin Big Slackwater
88.1 Charles Mill (McMahons Mill) Groceries/Restaurants NOTE:
The next 3.6 miles of canal towpath are closed to bikes. Hikers are strongly encouraged to follow the
detour as well especially during high water.
DETOUR: Go 0.7 miles north on
Charles Mill Road (go up hill at the mill).
Go east (turn right) and travel 0.5 miles on Dellinger Road. Turn east (right) and proceed 3.8 miles on
Dam No. 4 Road until it meets the canal.
85.6 Guard Lock 4 End Big Slackwater area.
Begin rewatered section of the canal.
85.5 Big Slackwater Picnic Area
84.5 Dam 4
NOTE: The detour route rejoins the canal here.
82.7 Big Woods
Camping
80.9 Taylor's Landing (Mercersville) Trailside
store, refreshments, bike rentals, bike repairs.
80.3 Mondell Road Go 0.8 miles east to begin tour of Antietam Battlefield.
79.7 Horseshoe Bend Camping
79.4 End rewatered section
78.4 Lock 40
76.6 Snyder's Landing Groceries/Restaurants
Barron's C&O Canal Museum and Country Store. Refreshments, bike rentals, public phone.
75.8
Killiansburg Cave Women and children
took refuge here during the Civil War Battle of Antietam. CAUTION: These caves are dangerous. Explore only when properly equipped. An experienced guide is strongly recommended.
75.2 Killiansburg Cave Camping
74.0 Lock 39
72.8 Lock 38
72.7 Shepherdstown Groceries/Restaurants Shepardstown River Lock - Barge traffic from the Potomac entered the
canal at this point. Shepherdstown, WV
directly across the river and is accessible by crossing the bridge. A full range of businesses are
available. Sharpsburg, MD is east 2.5
miles on MD 34. Sharpsburg offers a variety of businesses
and is the center of the Antietam Battle area.
Superintendent,
C&O National Historical Park, PO Box 4, Sharpsburg, MD 21782
301-739-4200
71.8 Pack Horse Ford This was a major crossing for pioneers as early as 1720. During the Civil War the river was crossed
here by both Union and Confederate forces on numerous occasions. Lee's entire army retreated via this ford
after the Battle of Antietam.
70.8 Turning Basin Miller's Sawmill
Antietam Battlefield accessible 1.6 miles northeast on Miller's Sawmill
Road.