Spent 4 hours on a 2 mile detour near Harper's Ferry

Thought I could save time by taking the C&O Canal towpath instead of the Appalachian Trail connector, but that detour cost me 4 hours of backtracking because a bridge was out at mile 62. I ended up hiking an extra 6 miles in the rain just to get back on the AT. Has anyone else found a reliable way to check trail conditions before heading out?

2 comments

2 Comments

coleman.seth2d ago

Did you check the National Park Service alerts page before you left? Tbh they update that site pretty regularly for closures like bridge washouts along the towpath. Honestly I always scan it quick before any section hike, saves me headaches down the line.

morgan.mary1d ago

Last year I pulled up to Great Falls parking lot, 7am, ready to hike. Saw three cars turned around in the lot. Nobody said a word. Walked down to the towpath and sure enough, a whole section was gone, just a rope across the trail. Had to drive 40 minutes to another access point. @coleman.seth is right, it's a quick check that saves you. I bookmarked the NPS alerts page on my phone now, right next to the weather radar.