Every rider on the Great Allegheny Passage sees the same mile marker as they roll into town. 61.5. It is the geographic center of the trail, the halfway point between Pittsburgh and Cumberland, Maryland, and the one stop where a town was basically built for cyclists without knowing it yet. This guide is for anyone riding into Confluence for the first time or the tenth.
The Basics
- Distance from Pittsburgh: 61.5 miles southeast
- Distance from Cumberland, MD: 88.5 miles northwest
- Elevation: Gentle. You are never climbing much.
- Surface: Crushed limestone, rideable on any hybrid, gravel, or mountain bike. Road bikes fine with 32mm tires.
Where to Park and Start
The Confluence trailhead is right at the town square. Free parking, bathrooms, water, and a map board. Confluence Cyclery on the square handles repairs, tune-ups, and rentals if your ride needs attention.
Where to Sleep
- Smith House Inn is the cyclist favorite. Restored 1920 bungalow, ten-minute walk to the trailhead.
- River’s Edge B&B is on the water, also close.
- Outflow Campground is the tent and RV option on Yough Lake.
Where to Eat
Breakfast at Mitches. Lunch at Riverside Pizza or back at Mitches. Dinner at Pamela’s Pints and Provisions or Trailhead Brewing. Sunday brunch at River’s Edge Cafe starting at 11 AM. Coffee and pastry at Tissue Farm any time of day. All within five minutes of the trailhead.
The Ride
- Confluence to Ohiopyle: 11 miles one way. The prettiest stretch of the whole GAP. Youghiogheny on your right, cliffs on your left, old railroad tunnels, Ohiopyle Falls at the end.
- Confluence to Rockwood: 18 miles the other way. Reasonable lunch-and-turn-around.
- Confluence to Meyersdale: 32 miles. Climbs gently through the Casselman Valley. Big Savage Tunnel waits further on.
Logistics
Bag shuttles between inns on the GAP are handled by Sunshine Luggage Shuttle, a local operator who has been doing it since 2012. Worth every dollar if you are doing inn-to-inn.
A Note on Water and Weather
There are long stretches of the GAP with no services between towns. Confluence is the restock. Top off bottles, refill snacks, use the real bathroom. You will thank yourself thirty minutes down the trail.
More trip planning? Pair this with our 48-hour Confluence itinerary and our guide to the Connellsville to Confluence ride.