In September 2016, I snuck away for a long weekend to ride the 150 miles (240 km) from Cumberland, Maryland north to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania along the “Great Allegheny Passage”, a historical transportation route through the Allegheny mountains.
The text for this post was written in 2026 based on the 2016 trip and photos.
It was originally used by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad, the Union Railroad, and the Western Maryland Railway.
I started by driving to Pittsburgh and connecting with a shuttle service that took me and my bike the two-hour drive to Cumberland. I found what appeared to be a safe place to park the car for a few days near Station Square in Pittsburgh. I arranged the shuttle to pick me up at 2pm so that I had enough time to set up my bike in Cumberland and start my ride.
The first part of the ride follows the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad up the hill to Frostburg. While the tourist railway wasn’t running on the day I was riding, it parallels the rail trail, including through Helmstetter’s Horseshoe Curve and 275m Brush Tunnel. The ride to Frostburg was about 26km.
I stayed overnight in Frostburg, camping at the Tunnel Hotel Lodging & Campground where I had made a reservation. I was the only person staying overnight. The older couple who owned the place explained that it was hard times – the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad which normally turned around right outside their restaurant had been closed for a year due to a washout. I walked into town for dinner.
The next morning I was back on the rail trail continuing up hill to the border between Pennsylvania and Maryland – the Mason–Dixon line separating the ‘north’ from the ‘south’. The views started to open but heavy fog and clouds blocked the mountains (here is what normally looks like).
A highlight is the 1km long Big Savage Tunnel. Fortunately, there are lights to make the ride doable. Shortly after the tunnel I crossed over the eastern continental divide. The rest of the ride was generally downhill.
The route meandered down the Casselman River where one of the biggest bridges on the trip crossed the valley – the 600m long Salisbury Viaduct.
There were beautiful sections along the Casselman River, and particularly remote kilometers along the Youghiogheny River. I cycled through the towns of Meyersdale and Confluence.
I didn’t have a plan for where to spend the night but ended up in the little town of Ohiopyle and decided it was far enough – about 97 km. I looked at trying to camp in my tent at the Ohiopyle State Park but there was a huge hill to get to it. So instead I stayed at the Ohiopyle Suites with its shower and bed!
I checked out the natural water slides rock feature just south of town but decided against visiting Fallingwater, the national architectural landmark designed by Frank Lloyd Wright just up the hill.
The next morning I rode what I think was the most beautiful section – very quiet riding along the Youghiogheny River. I discovered immediately leaving town that there was a shortcut to the State Park campground that would have bypassed most of the hill that had stopped me the night before, as well as a huge bridge, the Ohiopyle High Bridge – next time!
I had left very early and stopped for a homemade breakfast at the side of the trail.
The CSX mainline was usually on the other side of the valley from the trail but while often heard, was rarely seen. Some of the towns allowed me to see the tracks and grab a snack.
As the day went on, I did look at some of the campgrounds. But it was still early in the day and I was making good time. I decided to just press on to Pittsburgh.
The route passed a bunch of big steel plants on the approach to the city, starting in McKeesport.
I decided to end my ride at the Point State Park Fountain where the Allegheny River meets the Monongahela River which I had been following since it was joined by the Youghiogheny. This made for a 125k ride from Ohiopyle – a long ride!
I loaded my bike back in the car and headed home — a late drive (after a long day of cycling), but I made it.
