BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

You could camp on the gap. There are 3 free campsites that are within 40 miles of pittsburgh. Dravo Cemetery, Cedar Creek Park, and round bottom.

Roundbottom is more like ~50 miles from Pittsburgh, starting at the point. Even a hair over I believe.

Cedar Creek is just about 40. Dravo Cemetery 25 or so.

All of those campsites are totally awesome, with Roundbottom being the one most off the beaten path with the only access being by trail and limited improvements there. No water at Roundbottom due to mine pollution, so bring it in from Cedar Creek. In my experience the water outlets get turned off sometime in November and back on in March/April thugh you may get lucky and find one still operating year round.

You still have to deal with the section of 837 that goes up from Homestead and past Kennywood but you can now duck into Duquesne and head straight down the main drag, picking up the trail at the bottom of the hill where 837 gets really fast and scary and leading you across a dedicated bike/ped bridge into McKeesport and beyond. Luckily the piece of 837 you now have to content with is the least scary part of it, with decent shoulders asie form a spot here or there.

I have stayed at both cedar creek and dravo campgrounds. Like brad said they are awesome. I stayed at dravo during the g20 and it was great, but when i was there earlier in the summer it was over run with bugs. Most likely because the tent sites are covered by a lot of trees and closer to the river then at cedar creek. Even tho I haven't tried out roundbottom yet id still have to say my favorite is cedar creek. They have running water and nice sites with the sandbox things for setting up your tent on. If no one is around you can shower under the faucets too Not to mention its only about 5 miles from west newton. Check out the bike shop with the diner above it. They make their chips in house and are really affordable.

As far as the ride out there. 837 is scary. I had a few close calls with cars getting way to close last summer. apparently there are better ways to ride like brad talked about but I don't know them. Is there anyone that wants to guide my gf and I out to the trailhead one of these days before summer starts? Also we will be heading out camping as soon as the weather is nice enough if anyone is interested in coming along.

There is a litttle dirt "seaprate track for each tire" road to Dravo, but it would be prety hard to get access there. I think it's to the point where if you had to call an ambulance for some reason, they would use the trail.

It's 22 1/4 miles from my house in Oakland, so I can attest to the "25 miles from the point."

837 is a bear.

For a gonzo overnight, you could go to Crooked Creek Reservoir camp site, but that is about 55 miles from town (+/- 10 miles). I wouldn't want beginners on that trip.

You could follow Swans famous Potato Run Rd ride and take a turnoff to Raccoon State park. I think that would be about 30 miles. The distance could vary a lot from this estimate depending on where camping in Raccon is. (um... IS there camping in Raccon?)

The roads might be OK on the Weekend, except for one harrowing 1/4 mile on the shoulder of 22-30. If you left at dawn and passed Robinson Towne Centre (gag me) before prime shopping time, you would be better off.

Mick

Mick where is this crooked creek place? I'd love a new campground to check out this summer and 50-60 miles is a good distance for me. Sounds like a nice place for fishing too

@Willie: Crooked Creek off of PA Rt 66, about 4 miles south of Ford City.

I've never ridden out there, and the the bike route is different from how you would drive. There are Swan rides that go pretty close, though and I think some are three star rides.

The park is a Corps of Engineers park so they have "No life guard. Swim at your own risk." With the exception of early June, the rangers are astonishly tolerant of late night swims in the lovely swimming area. I think in June, they worry about HS kids and beer.

Mick

There is definitely camping at Raccoon park, some typical "car camping sites" as well a primitive sites. There are even some NICE 3-sided wooden shelter type things that are supposed to be for backpacking only, but maybe if you pose as a backpacker and ask nice...

I'm not sure how you would get beginners out that way though, some pretty serious climbing and roads. Eh, could be done. And could avoid Robbin'some Towne Ctr.

Sorry for asking but what is a SWAN ride?

Oscar Swan

Great book, usually stocked at finer local bookstores.

Thanks Reddan. I should have posted that.

Sometimes, I find Swan's book to be seriously irritating.

As in, Directions for Ride A say, "see ride B." Ride B says, "see ride C," and so on for up to 6 or 7 levels - even with one of the Three Star rides as the starting point. Or "go along Rd X until you come to Rd Y", with no mention of whether that is 1/8 mile or 22 miles. "45 mile" rides that turn out to 24 miles.

On the other hand, nothing else comes close.

Pick any spot within 50 miles of Pittsburgh and Swan will give you at least 3 ways to bike there, if you are willing to search the book enough. And they are likely to be the 3 best ways.

I guessing most cities do not have a resource that could compare.

Mick

I actually find that element of Swan's book to be really interesting, and fun. It also gets you to do a bit of the route-finding work, especially when working with something like Google Maps.

what about that one on the allegheny passage that leads to the pizza oven? i cant remember which camp ground it is.

You might be talking about the big stone fireplace looking thing at cedar creek. If that not it id be really interested in seeing this pizza oven thing and even trying it out.

Also I just picked up the Swan book over at the mt washington library. Now I can get up to speed.

Did a Dravos and back (to PGH) ride last weekend (day only) and it was great. Would like to go farther from Pittsburgh and camp overnight, then back next day. Prefer not to camp alone. Anyone else also want to do a S24O? Would be fun to get a little group.

Very tempting. Thank you, @lori, for digging up this old thread.

I think a great destination for a S24O is Rockwood. Stay at the hostel (~$30) or HuskyHaven campground ($10, has showers). You might leave the vehicle and start at Ohiopyle (29 miles to Rockwood) or Confluence (18 miles from Rockwood). Another great destination for a S24O is Confluence. Stay at the Outflow Campground ($8 for bike campers, has showers). You could leave your vehicle and start at Rockwood (18 miles), or Connellsville (29 miles).

Cedar Creek Park is awesome. Never done Dravo or Roundbottom, yet. Still trying to figure out a better kayak pull out in West Newton. We did a bike/kayak ride yesterday, park the car in West Newton, pack the kayaks and ride to Cedar Creek Park and put in, float back down to West Newton (pull out right before the bridge and right under the parking lot for West Newton Bike Shop), go pick up bikes at Cedar Creek Park. Anyone know of a better parking/pull out in West Newton than the bank right under the West Newton Bike Shop? Had to bushwhack a bit to get to the steps, looking for a better transition from the river bank to where the car might be.

Thick is hosting the Swift Campout on June 25 to a MYSTERY LOCATION! https://www.facebook.com/events/712677902207438/

the water supply at Roundbottom is not very good.

^^ true, but there's easy/great water at Cedar Creek, so it's a good place to top up before you finish out the day. And an easy place to stop on the way back to do dishes if you're short on water, too. I tell ya, the GAP is kind of shockingly convenient.

Vannevar, Emma, Stu, and JZ: Thank you!! Reading your comments, I am **so** excited about doing S24Os from Pittsburgh! A bunch of good destinations for the overnight, and I'm grateful for your advice/info. Thank you, Emma, for the pointer to the Thick bike campout - I am super-interested in that. JZ: Your bike/kayak pull adventuring is inspiring, it seems really fun.

A few links on the "S24O" theme (which was coined by Grant Peterson of Rivendell Bikes) http://www.motherearthnews.com/green-transportation/bicycling/s240-bike-touring-ze0z1301zgar.aspx "The great thing about the S24O is that it minimizes any problems in planning, packing, weather, bike imperfections, or anything else that might wreck a long tour. If you mess up and forget to bring something, or if the weather turns foul, it’s OK, because everything will be back to normal tomorrow." https://www.rivbike.com/kb_results.asp?ID=36 "The S24O is like the movie Groundhog Day, because you get to refine your style over and over again, without major suffering or consequences. You can take notes in the evening about what you should've brought and what you didn't need to bring. After a few of these, you'll have a kit-of-gear that works for you, and how to modify it for conditions." https://www.rivbike.com/kb_results.asp?ID=37