Paw Paw Tunnel – Paw Paw Tunnel loop from Paw Paw

Routes

Bike touring routes & trails

Paw Paw Tunnel – Paw Paw Tunnel loop from Paw Paw

Moderate

3.1

(11)

riders

Paw Paw Tunnel – Paw Paw Tunnel loop from Paw Paw

03:59

43.4km

190m

Cycling

Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: August 29, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

241 m

Paw Paw, WV Visitors Center

Highlight • Rest Area

Small welcome center. Has three picnic tables, water inside and information about the town.

Tip by

4.25 km

Treed Section of the C&O Canal Towpath

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

This section of the C&O Canal Towpath takes you (briefly) away from the water through a nice, treed section of forest on a pleasant, wide, generally smooth gravel path.

Tip by

17.6 km

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

Lake

18.4 km

Oldtown Toll Bridge, crosses the Potomac into WV

Highlight • Bridge

38.7 km

View of the Potomac River

Highlight • Viewpoint

The Potomac River stretches 405 miles and crosses the borders of four states (Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland). Aside from simply being nice to look at, the river is …

Tip by

38.8 km

Sorrel Ridge Campsite

Highlight • Rest Area

40.5 km

Paw Paw Tunnel

Highlight (Segment) • Monument

The Paw Paw Tunnel is an engineering marvel along the C&O Canal, built to avoid constructing six miles of canal along the river. Work began in 1836, but labor disputes, …

Tip by

41.4 km

Paw Paw Tunnel

Highlight • Structure

The Paw Paw Tunnel was constructed over 14 years, and in effort to save 6 miles of construction, is located in a place of steep, rocky terrain. This proved to …

Tip by

43.4 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types