Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail 10 ish to 15 Plus-Woodcock Hollow to Frostburg
During this part of the trail, your legs will be giving out as you are doing a slow and steady climb into the clouds. Any mileage that you thing that you can do will go down completely.
The upside is the beautiful views of the mountain across from the trails, looking down on Mt. Savage the town, a waterfall (small but still), train trestles, and Frostburg. It is also the place that the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad stops following the trail.
9 ish to 10-Woodcock Hollow Parking Area
The parking area for Woodcock Hollow is just that. A parking area with a bathroom and a picnic area. But it is a nice place to take a break before heading straight uphill with a slow climb.
But around that corner….
A waterfall…Not a big one…
A train crossing…
But then an opening to a beautiful view to the mountain across the way…
And the valley below…
And mile 10.
Mile 10-A great walk on mountain high with brief areas of wall of forested rocks
The trail walks you along these walls of forested rock walls.
The trail curves around but with view that are ever changing
Long side the trail wild flowers with a little bee at the top getting his supper.
Through the trees you can see the valley below but only just because the trees are so thick…
The trees seem to change in this area…
The new tree type is just outstanding to look at…
And once again, you have completed another mile on the trail…
Mile 11-Mt. Savage, old telegraph poles, and rock walls
As you past the 11 mile marker, the mountains across come into view…
A few rocks are along side to rest and relax for a moment and take in the view….
The village of Mt Savage beginnings with a farm along side the trail and the graveyard in the background.
Then you get to this view area of the village below…
Incremental beautiful village which looks like it comes out of the Sound of Music….
Then back to the trail with nature all around….
I love the rock walls…
For me, a deer looking down on the trail…
My favorite part is the trees coming out of the rock walls….
Towers of strength and the givers of life…
The amazing lengths a tree will go through to live and grow strong…
Opening up to a straight trail…
To cross a road which goes down to Mt. Savage….
Along side below is the old telegram lines once used to send communications around the nation.
Opening to a bit of a straight way…But look at that sky….
Then back into a turn with rocky walls and beautiful trees…
Which bring you to mile 12.
Brief History
Mt. Savage was once the fifth largest city in Maryland but today has a population of less then a thousand people. Returning to it’s roots as a sleepy little farm town.
In 1736, the land surveyor, Thomas Savage, named the mountain top Mount Savage. Bring in pioneers to settle to the landscape and show a way through the mountains and on to the West.
In 1774, Archibald Arnold established Arnold’s Settlement on top of the Mount Savage. The Arnold family helped built the community and both the family and the community would change with the times. The family would open a hotel for the pioneers moving west but always buying a bit more and more land on top of the mountain.
Around 1844, Mt. Savage was put on the map as the headquarters of Mount Savage Railroad which later became Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad with the first iron rail in the United States.
Mt. Savage was a culture melting pot of the day bring together business men and worker for the industries of the area including two brick factories, a locomotive factory, iron factories, and countless other smaller factories. Eckhart Mines which was not far away was a leader of bituminous coal mining.
By 1852, the iron works was considered the largest in the United States but all this would slip away as Pennsylvania and the Great Lakes region opened up their factories. Only the item left was the brick factories that finally closed in the late 20th century.
And Mt. Savage has turned back into it’s original past, a sleepy little farm settlement which was started by the Archibald Arnold family in 1736. The town still survives and so does the Arnold family with Glen Savage Dairy Farm a self-sustaining farm. Moving full circle back to the towns beginning.
Mile 12-A nice country walk
This next mile is just a nice walk in the country.
A few turns and bends but just a nice little walk…
With trees with exposed roots…
A train road thing comes into view…
Opening to a street which has very little traffic.
Beautiful little woods on both sides…
A few turns above the mountain tops…
A bit of a stream…If you listen carefully, can here water as you are walking along the trail…
A bit of a straight away….
Then a turn to the left and back into the walled rocks…And Mile 13.
Mile 13-A traffic bridge, access off the trail, and a little waterfall
This area is just a bit of a straight shot with a few turns…
The traffic bridge is just down the way and a side trail which can take you up to the road…
About here you are in people back yards for a bit…
On the left side of the trail, a little waterfall…
Just another leisurely stroll in the country.
But around this corner, Mile 14 awaits you!
Mile 14-The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad split following the trail, train trestle above, and a valley of rocks!
Right down the way, the Western Maryland Scenic Railway splits from the trail to only be seen on the side and it’s final stop is just up from the Frostburg GAP parking area.
The trail looks naked without the railroad tracks but the trail must go on!!!!
Just around the corner is a foot bridge with a train bridge just down from it…
The train is above on this hillside looking down on you as it passes by….
A corridor of rocks and another train bridge awaits you at the other side.
At the end…
But in between are these wonderful items….
Looking back is just as cool….
Just down the way and around the corner…
Mile 15
Mile 15-Frostburg
Mile 15 is just starting but Frostburg is about half of a mile up…
Just around this corner…
Frostburg
Up this hill will take you up to the train station, museums, hotels, and Fat Boys Pizza.
This is a great little town that is asking you to stick around and make a day out of it.
In addition, the next 6 miles is straight uphill. Deal is 4 miles past that and does not have anything in it. If you have been coming from Cumberland, then you will be exhausted at this point. As most of the 16 miles have been mostly uphill as the elevation at Cumberland was 620 feet and Frostburg is 1,832 feet, i.e. 1,212 feet.
To the East Continental Divide which is about 6 miles up the hill, you will reach 2,392 feet, i.e. 560 feet more, before you start to go back down to 2,106 feet in Meyersdale.
Anyone that is very smart would start the trail in Deal and go to Cumberland. Then get a ride back to Deal and head to Pittsburgh. Mostly downhill the whole trip.