Trip Basics: Trail Surface
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- Between Pittsburgh PA and Cumberland, MD, the trails of the
Great Allegheny Passageare built on railroad grades (relatively flat, although
steadily uphill for most of the first two days). The surface of these trails is
mostly smooth-packed crushed limestone, with some asphalt.
- The C&O Canal Towpath between Cumberland,
MD, and Washington, DC, is mostly a two-track dirt trail. Some areas are packed
pea gravel. The grade is mostly flat with a steady drop from Cumberland to DC.
- Leaving Pittsburgh, we do about twenty miles on the roads (with some hills), and
we also have some small road segments (8 to 15 miles) on days three and four.
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