The Details

Date/Time:

Thursday October 15th, 2026 8:00 AM → Saturday October 18th, 2026 4:00 PM (stay up to date in the Signal group for time changes)

Days/Nights:

4 days/3 nights

Start/End Location:

Georgetown Waterfront, Washington D.C. → Cumberland, MD

Total Mileage:

190+ miles

Cost to Participate:

Camping Admission: $205 (early bird) $215 (regular)

Type of Adventure:

Unsupported, group bikepacking along the canal to 3 hiker-biker campsites with non-potable water, portapotties, and picnic tables. There is no electricity at these sites so pack battery packs and a water filter. We will aim to bike between 45-50 miles a day!

If, during the trip, people want to book their own lodging elsewhere because they don't want to stay at the primitive hiker-biker sites, they can, but that is up to you!

(check out a park map here)

Terrain:

The entire C&O Canal is slightly chunky/loosely packed flat gravel. When it rains it can get quite muddy so bring fenders. A gravel bike is ideal for this path, but just know that most bikes can have adjustments made to better fit your trip (such as swapping out for thicker tires if you have a road bike). There is pavement for the first few miles of the trail. This is a continuous path, so there are no shortcuts on the route! You will have to bike every mile to complete the route- there is the Marc Train and Amtrak along the way for emergencies, but do not bet on them because they are infrequent and not plentiful.

Difficulty:

Intermediate. While the terrain and elevation profile is largely easy to ride on, we will be biking for +/-5 hours each day. Decent fitness is required for this trip- this is not a race, but with lunch, rest and refill stops planned along the way, a 10mph pace with all these stops included will result in about 7 hours of moving day.

Gear Required:

You should expect to carry everything that you think you will need on your bike for this trip. That includes, but is not limited to, a fully functioning bike, a tent, biking clothes and camping clothes, food and water, spare bike parts and tools, a water filter, a bike with tires & parts suitable for gravel etc… There is no perfect equation to determine what gear you will need for a trip, because each individual has a variety of preferences, ranging from ultralight to fully loaded setups, or converted road bikes to heavy duty gravel/mtb bikes. Please refer to the links included throughout this page, my Good To Know page, this website, and my YouTube channel for information and advice.

FAQ

What will our lodging be for this trip? We will be staying at historic campsites with non-potable water, a porta-pottie, and a picnic table. During rain, they can get quite soggy/muddy. The Potomac River and the C&O Canal sit on either side of your campsite. You can check out the map here and recent YouTube videos of my trips along the canal here and here. 

We will aim to bike 45-50 miles a day. There are plenty of campsites along the trail, first come first serve. We will aim for campsites Calico Rocks or Bald Eagle (day 1),  Cumberland Valley/Jordan Junction (day 2), Indigo Neck/Devils neck (day 3), Cumberland (day 4). I plan to lead a second bikepacking trip immediately after this one, so your options for going home from this trip include: 1. Booking a shuttle with WheelzUp Adventures as a group/individually to make to Washington D.C. the same day you arrive to Cumberland 2. reserve a hotel and take the Amtrak home the next day or 3. reserve a hotel and book a shuttle with Wheelzup the next day 4. join me on the following trip!

How Do I Know If My Bikepacking Rig Will Work? Please reference the informational videos on this playlist I made to help you prepare for the trip, as well as a brief overview of a bikepacking workshop I led here.

Can I Rent a Bike/Gear? Short answer- no. This trip is dependent on you packing/bringing your own bike and gear. I will send out a gear/equipment list before departure to all registrants. I do have a limited bike/gear supply closet, so if there is something you need, I might be able to offer a bit of help! I have two functional (not fantastic) bikes available for use: one for someone about 5'1"-5'4", and another for someone 5'5"-5'9". I also have a small selection of bikepacking bags as well. If you are looking to borrow gear, I’d ask around in your community/local shops/friends first.

Who Is This Trip Targeted For? Anyone can join, but this route is specifically suitable for beginner/intermediate cyclists/bikepackers, or people who simply want a bit of a chiller bikepacking trip, one with more downtime to enjoy the surroundings, but still some hours of pedaling to get a sweat going.

What Happens If It Rains? Unless there is torrential downpour and a gigantic storm looming, this event is rain or shine, so pack accordingly! Remember, it gets muddy here.

How Do I Get To/From The Event? You can take the Amtrak or fly into Washington D.C. the day before if you are coming from a further destination. The Amtrack/Marc (for Maryland folks) can take you to Union Station where you can ride about 3 miles to the Georgetown Waterfront Park. If you plan on driving in, I have no idea where you should park your car in D.C. (if you find a good solution please let me know so I can share with others)! From Baltimore, I catch the 8am Marc train to D.C. before the start of a tour.

I plan to lead a second bikepacking trip immediately after this one, so your options for going home from this trip include: 1. Booking a shuttle with WheelzUp Adventures as a group/individually to make it back to Washington D.C. the same day you arrive to Cumberland 2. reserve a hotel and take the Amtrak home the next day or 3. reserve a hotel and book a shuttle with Wheelzup the next day 4. join me on the following trip immediately after this one! 

What is your refund policy? If you cancel your trip 5+ weeks before our departure date, then you will get a full refund. If you are a no show or cancel less than two weeks before departure date, you will not get a refund (unless special circumstances occur).

What are the chances/conditions that this trip will be canceled? All trips require a minimum of 5 guests to sign up. If fewer than 5 guests sign up, then the trip will be canceled and I will refund all tickets. I recommend booking a refundable Amtrak/flight/hotel ticket depending on how you plan to get to/from the event.

Do you have any other videos to help me know what this event may look like? Yes! Please check out past group trips here for videos, here for general pictures, and other videos such as biking across the United States, New Zealand, and other adventures.