Pennsylvania

Maryland & Penn.: A Bike Trek on the Great Allegheny Passage

Program No. 22004RJ
Get ready for a fully-supported week of bicycling, trail towns and outdoor adventure as you join local experts to cycle the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage in the Laurel Highlands.

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We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. Learn more

Protecting the Environment

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more

Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.

DATES & PRICES

Bike Not Incl.Bike IncludedE-Bike Included
Bring your own bicycle.
A bicycle will be provided.
An e-bike will be provided.
Filling Fast!
Jun 1 - Jun 7, 2024
Bike Not Included 1,799
Bike Included 2,029
 
Jun 29 - Jul 5, 2024
Bike Not Included 1,799
Bike Included 2,029
 
Filling Fast!
Aug 10 - Aug 16, 2024
Bike Not Included 1,799
Bike Included 2,029
 
Sep 7 - Sep 13, 2024
Bike Not Included 1,799
Bike Included 2,029
 
May 31 - Jun 6, 2025
Bike Not Included 1,749
Bike Included 1,999
E-Bike Included 2,249
Full Inventory
Jun 28 - Jul 4, 2025
Bike Not Included 1,749
Bike Included 1,999
E-Bike Included 2,249
Full Inventory
Aug 9 - Aug 15, 2025
Bike Not Included 1,749
Bike Included 1,999
E-Bike Included 2,249
Sep 6 - Sep 12, 2025
Bike Not Included 1,749
Bike Included 1,999
E-Bike Included 2,249

DATES & PRICES

Bike Not Incl.Bike IncludedE-Bike Included
Bring your own bicycle.
A bicycle will be provided.
An e-bike will be provided.
Filling Fast!
Jun 1 - Jun 7, 2024
Bike Not Included 2,219
Bike Included 2,449
 
Jun 29 - Jul 5, 2024
Bike Not Included 2,219
Bike Included 2,449
 
Filling Fast!
Aug 10 - Aug 16, 2024
Bike Not Included 2,219
Bike Included 2,449
 
Sep 7 - Sep 13, 2024
Bike Not Included 2,219
Bike Included 2,449
 
Filling Fast!
May 31 - Jun 6, 2025
Bike Not Included 2,179
Bike Included 2,429
E-Bike Included 2,689
Filling Fast!
Full Inventory
Jun 28 - Jul 4, 2025
Bike Not Included 2,179
Bike Included 2,429
E-Bike Included 2,689
Filling Fast!
Full Inventory
Aug 9 - Aug 15, 2025
Bike Not Included 2,179
Bike Included 2,429
E-Bike Included 2,689
Filling Fast!
Sep 6 - Sep 12, 2025
Bike Not Included 2,179
Bike Included 2,429
E-Bike Included 2,689

At a Glance

The Great Allegheny Passage stretches 150 miles across some of the most beautiful scenery in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Join us for a biking adventure along this famed route as you cross the Mason-Dixon line with hosts who share their knowledge of the rich history and natural resources of the Laurel Highlands. Over the course of a week, cover the passage from Maryland to Pittsburgh, and discover the region’s flowing rivers, noted landmarks, and historic small towns.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Biking up to 32 miles a day on flat, packed limestone trails.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

What You'll Learn

  • Cruise through isolated forests, parks, farms, and charming towns with plenty of bridges, tunnels, and wildlife, including a day in the urban Pittsburgh area.
  • Ride through Ohiopyle State Park, the historic coal patch town of Whitsett and the 3,294’ long Big Savage Tunnel.
  • In Pittsburgh, enjoy the spectacular view of one of the country’s most beautiful skylines from the top of Mount Washington, then travel down the Duquesne Incline, a 200-year old commuter cable car before some urban riding for half of a day.

General Notes

The Retreat Difference: This is a Road Scholar Retreats program. Our Retreat programs offer a tranquil respite from daily life in locales that lend themselves to outdoor exploration, reflection, or study. The accommodations may be basic in nature, but the facilities offer communal spaces to gather and to relax. During the week, opportunities usually exist for some combination of light exercise, a locally sourced meal, or evening entertainment.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Profile Image
Bill Metzger
Bill Metzger, author of “The Great Allegheny Passage Companion,” knows more about railroads, geology, nature, industrial history, financial chicanery, and trail construction between Pittsburgh and Cumberland than anyone else — and no one can tell all the stories as well. Bill has been a long-distance bicyclist, a working railroader, a freelance photographer, author, and a mapmaker. He is a founding board member of the Allegheny Trail Alliance and the Montour Trail Council, and lives, works, and bikes in Confluence, Pennsylvania, with his wife Pam.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Mary Kaufman
Mary Kaufman View biography
Mary Kaufman holds degrees in journalism-professional writing and in communications-PR. She began her career at VisitPittsburgh and is the new program director at Laurelville. A Penn State Master Gardener, she finds meaning in volunteering, teaching, and gardening. Mary co-owns a small plant nursery and enjoys garden design, biking, hiking, yoga, reading, cooking, and being outdoors.
Profile Image of Bill Metzger
Bill Metzger View biography
Bill Metzger, author of “The Great Allegheny Passage Companion,” knows more about railroads, geology, nature, industrial history, financial chicanery, and trail construction between Pittsburgh and Cumberland than anyone else — and no one can tell all the stories as well. Bill has been a long-distance bicyclist, a working railroader, a freelance photographer, author, and a mapmaker. He is a founding board member of the Allegheny Trail Alliance and the Montour Trail Council, and lives, works, and bikes in Confluence, Pennsylvania, with his wife Pam.
Profile Image of Robin Albright
Robin Albright View biography
Robin Albright is a registered yoga teacher (RYT 200) from Pennsylvania who works full-time in higher education. She has been teaching yoga for three years and practicing it for more than 20. When she is not on the mat, she might be weight training, trail running and hiking, playing tennis, or spinning. She enjoys reading, attending concerts and music festivals, and playing with her dogs. She loves helping people develop strength and self-love with a mindful practice that threads together breathwork and physical postures.
Profile Image of Daniel Cocks
Daniel Cocks View biography
Daniel Cocks is Executive Director of the Fayette County Cultural Trust. One of their projects is the Connellsville Canteen, a reconstructed B&O (Baltimore & Ohio) Railroad Station that highlights the “canteen ladies” who fed the troops during World War II. The museum showcases thousands of WWII artifacts. It also features a display on the late John Woodruff, one of Connellsville's residents who won a gold medal during the 800 meter race in the 1936 Olympics. Another highlight is Harry Clark's Indian Creek Valley Railroad display.
Profile Image of Fred Zelt
Fred Zelt View biography
Fred Zelt is a Pittsburgh native with a BS in Earth Science from MIT and a PhD in Geology from Princeton. He retired from ExxonMobil after 30 years, returned to Pittsburgh, and started cycling hundreds of miles for charity. A certified League Cycling Instructor, he created and teaches a STEM and Cycling curriculum., Fred led 13 geology-themed outings as a volunteer with Pittsburgh nonprofit Venture Outdoors in 2021. He is leading a geology-themed ride on each of the 25 major bike trails in western Pennsylvania.
Profile Image of Suzanne Trussell
Suzanne Trussell View biography
Suzanne Trussell is an archaeologist and museum specialist with a B.A. in history and a M.A. in anthropology. She began her career in archaeology focusing on Latin America. She also worked several years in the American Southwest before returning to her hometown in Western Maryland and establishing Oxbow Cultural Research as a cultural resource management (CRM) firm. In addition to federally and state-reviewed cultural resource investigations, Trussell works with museums, nonprofits, and private landowners to study, display, and teach local Mid-Atlantic Appalachia history and prehistory.
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