Nice rides

There are lots of trail towns these days, usually bisected or encircled by unused railroad beds converted to recreational routes for hikers and bikers. It turns out that Cumberland is at the top of the heap.

The former mule towpath that was used to pull cargo boats and runs the length of the C&O National Historical Park from Georgetown to the Queen City and the Great Allegheny Passage that winds its way between Cumberland and Pittsburgh have both earned top spots in USA Today’s 2021 10 Best Readers’ Choice travel awards for the top 10 Best Recreational Trails in North America.

That’s not just the United States we’re talking about here, but the entire continent.

Not bad, not bad at all.

Both passageways were nominated by urban planning experts who were asked to select the top 20 best trails.

The public had the final say in the end, voting on the best trail from the top 20 during a fourweek online contest.

Restrictions imposed over the past year because of COVID-19 spurred some Americans who normally wouldn’t walk or ride a bicycle for the fun of it to spend time outdoors doing one or the other — or both.

“Over the last year, COVID-19 has unveiled the true potential and value of a community’s access to natural resources and outdoor recreation. Both of these trail systems saw nearly a 50% increase in visitor traffic in 2020,” Ashli Workman, director of tourism for Allegany County, said in a recent story in the Times-News. “It is an incredible honor that Allegany County is home to two of the top 10 trails in North America, and it is a testament to the growing popularity of outdoor recreation nationwide.”

The C&O Canal towpath is 184.5 miles mostly of gravel and dirt, the length of the national park that is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The 150-mile GAP was the first route to earn a spot in the National Rail-Trail Hall of Fame. Allegany County is home to approximately 70 miles of the two trail systems, which merge in Cumberland to create a 330-mile continuous trail from the Steel City to Washington.

Other winners include Chuck Huckleberry Loop, Tucson, Arizona; Virginia Creeper Trail, Abingdon to Damascus, Virginia; Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, Austin, Texas; Swamp Rabbit Trail, Greenville, South Carolina; Ke Ala Hele Makalae, Kauai, Hawaii; Buffalo Bayou, Houston, Texas; Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail, Sacramento, Calif; and Katy Trail, Machens to Clinton, Missouri.

If you park downtown and walk in either direction from the Western Maryland Railway Station, you will find joggers, serious runners, walkers and bikers in all shapes, sizes and age groups. It’s not unusual to see couples holding hands as they stroll or whole families riding together.

We are quick to applaud projects funded by taxpayers that citizens are allowed to use for free. Our top-rated trails are two of them.