So about the C&O canal towpath

[lordofthemark]

1. Thanks to those who suggested it to me. It just met my needs, and the scenery was beautiful.

2. It was nice not being passed, till I noticed all the narrow tired bikes were on the Capital Crescent Trail, and were passing me. Then some guys on mountain bikes passed me (on the towpath).

3. There seems to be a custom on the towpath that when there are joggers or walkers two abreast, and a cyclist calls a pass, they just move to the right but make no effort at all to go single file. Given the narrowness of the path, the puddles, the ruts, etc, this can make things somewhat unpleasant. I’m not sure if this is different from other trails, or just I never noticed it because on other trails (even the unpaved parts of the Accotink trail) the conditions were better.

4. So it seems there is NOT a connection from the towpath to Glen Echo Park? I had thought there was one. That was my goal – ended up at Lock 10 instead, where some nice walkers informed me that I’d passed it and was almost at the beltway.

5. I managed to a good distance for me (I had started at Rosslyn where I got off the 3A bus) and added to it by continuing from Georgetown down to the tidal basin (very crowded on Rock Creek Trail by the Kennedy Center) and then homeward across the Mason bridge to the Pentagon, for the 16B back to Annandale. Also managed a good speed (for me – don’t ask)

Topic

[txgoonie]

@lordofthemark 47825 wrote:

3. There seems to be a custom on the towpath that when there are joggers or walkers two abreast, and a cyclist calls a pass, they just move to the right but make no effort at all to go single file. Given the narrowness of the path, the puddles, the ruts, etc, this can make things somewhat unpleasant. I’m not sure if this is different from other trails, or just I never noticed it because on other trails (even the unpaved parts of the Accotink trail) the conditions were better.

I ride on the C&O a fair amount, and I don’t think the behavior toward pass calls is different than anywhere else. However, I will say that people out there generally are much less prepared for being passed than in other places. Walking two abreast — as you said — is very common. Dogs off leash are much more common. Large groups of disorganized people coming in from Great Falls become numerous this time of year. People treat it like a much more remote place than it really is unfortunately. They generally just don’t expect bikes to be cruising through there, and I pretty much always have to slow way down or downright stop till people get their heads out of their you-know-wheres. Best policy is to consider when it’ll be really busy and avoid it.

[Bilsko]

The towpath generally has less bike traffic than other trails around DC, and what traffic there is tends to be slower bikes with wider tires. Joggers/walkers/hikers tend to let down their guard a bit more and don’t expect bikes as much.

I remember an early morning ride last fall where I had big groups of runners (10-20 in a pack) where I had to be really patient to pass. Some of them were so oblivious that I had to shout (nay, yell) “HEAD’S UP!!!!” to get them out of the way – and those were the ones coming towards me.

There isn’t direct access to Glen Echo from the towpath, but you have a couple of options that will put you up onto the MacArthur Blvd sidepath and you can get to Glen Echo from there.
1. The bridge over Clara Barton will put you into the Brookmont neighborhood. From there, its a 10 minute ride up to G.E. NOTE: the trail (paved) from Ridge Drive down to the Bridge is pretty steep with a tight switchback. Best to walk it if you’re not comfortable with that type of riding.
2. Go further up the Towpath to here and there’s a trail and tunnel under the Clara Barton at Riverside Drive. It takes you up 79th Street to MacArthur. I can’t remember which lockhouse # it is.
3. Google Maps is indicating that there is a trail right behind Glen Echo, but I’ve never seen or tried it – might be worth exploring. Not sure if its a tunnel under Clara Barton? http://goo.gl/maps/T33GL
4. Looks like there’s also another access point right where the Cabin John Pkwy begins – I’m pretty sure that’s a hiking trail only: http://goo.gl/maps/9rT2v

[KLizotte]

One can easily access Glen Echo park from the MacArthur Blvd cycletrack. The entrance to Glen Echo is from MacArthur.

The easiest way to get to the MacArthur trail is from the Capital Crescent trail. If heading north on the CCT, you will see a paved path on your right soon after you pass the Dalecarlia Resevoir. Take that path (taking a right at the fork so that you go back under the CCT); it will take you up to MacArthur Blvd where you will have to cross at the lights. To your right you will see the beginning of the trail (you will be heading against traffic on a segregated pathway).

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The CCT-to-MacArthur pathway is a bit of a pain because it is steep and has a switchback. Because of this, you will see a short-cut dirt path on your left from the CCT. I generally take the paved path in order to protect the tree roots but to each his own.

P.S. If you stay on macArthur heading west, you can pick up the C&O trail at two places. I’m afraid I don’t remember the name or exact location of the first one you come across but the second one is easily found at the end of the cycletrack across from Old Angler’s Inn.

[bobco85]

@Bilsko 47901 wrote:

4. Looks like there’s also another access point right where the Cabin John Pkwy begins – I’m pretty sure that’s a hiking trail only: http://goo.gl/maps/9rT2v

Just to confirm: that’s definitely a hiking trail as it features many of those railroad tie kind of steps, although for someone on a MTB heading from MacArthur to C&O Towpath it would be fun (read: scary). I had to walk my hybrid bike to get up to MacArthur on this trail once and do not recommend it as a viable option from the C&O Towpath unless you want some cyclocross bike-lifting practice.

[Author]

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