in Hancock or the CandleLight Inn in Williamsport, to restaurants that are used to sweaty and tired bicyclists dropping in, including Weaver’ s in Hancock and the Desert Rose Café in Williamsport. Camping is available on both trails but fills up quickly in summer, so be sure and check the respective websites for availability. Safety rules for each trail can be found on their respective websites.
Bicyclists should carry plenty of water and, ideally, a simple repair kit. If there is a problem, the C & O Bike Shop in Hancock or River City Cycles in Williamsport are happy to help. Both shops also rent bicycles, which is great way to sample biking before committing to the purchase of a bike.
In addition to the WMRT and the C & O Canal towpath, Washington County offers many other trails, including routes that feature orchards and farmland, scenic views and Antietam National Battlefield.“ Bicycle Tours of Washington County” is a first-rate guide produced by the Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau( CVB) in cooperation with the Cumberland Valley Cycling Club.“ Take a Bike Ride in Hagerstown” is the City of Hagerstown’ s excellent guide, produced in conjunction with the CVB. Both guides are free and available at the Visitor Welcome Center in downtown Hagerstown, or at area bike shops.
Bikers seeking further adventures can extend the journey by cycling the Great Allegheny Passage, which joins the C & O Canal at Cumberland and ends in Homestead, Pa., near Pittsburgh, 141 miles later, for a 325-mile ride from Washington, D. C. Like the WMRT, it’ s built mainly on abandoned rail beds and is considered a bit easier than the C & O Canal towpath, with a nearly level, packed limestone surface.
With such a wealth of bicycling possibilities in the area, isn’ t it time to go check the tires and fill the water bottle? §
MAY 4: GUIDED BIKE TOUR C & O Canal Bicycle Shop, Hancock, 10 a. m. Learn about trail flora and fauna as Fort Frederick State Park staff leads a tour along the Western Maryland Rail Trail. The guided ride is about 22 miles at a leisurely pace. Call 301- 842-2155 or visit www. dnr. state. md. us / publiclands / western / fortfrederick. asp.
74 May / June 2013 Hagerstown: The Best of Life in Washington County & Beyond