Plan Your Own Loop Trip
As the Eastern Continental Divide Loop trail route is still under final negotiations the following planning information is preliminary and subject to change.  With this said the trail described in this Blog is there and ready for you to enjoy.  The easiest way logistically to "Do the Loop" is to rent a house or hotel room centrally and to do it in sequential day trips shuttling equipment as you go.  This allows you to sleep in the same bed every night and if you have family you will be home each day in early afternoon to share the vacation with them if they don't join you on the trail.

If you choose to do the trail sequentially with overnights along the route this is possible but you will either need to pre-set your equipment at trailheads locked to a tree or hire shuttle and/or guide services along the way to transport your equipment or to rent.  As this is a brand new endeavor service providers are few and those listed are new to the process and idea of Loopers.  Be patient and everyone will learn together towards making this a better experience for the next traveler.

Please note that some portions of this trail are remote with limited cell phone services, other sections require advanced skills to safely navigate the trail (such as the Upper Youghiogheny River).  Please be safe and stay within your skill level and physical abilities, guides are available to assist you if you don't already have the needed skills to safely travel route sections on your own. 

Trail Route Map

The map provided is a preliminary route map and is still in the process of being revised.  Map is for planning purposes only and should not be used for field navigation. (Click image to right for PDF of route map or use this link)

Detailed Route Itinerary

Day 1:
  • Start: Savage River Campground (Google Maps, Information)
  • Hike: Savage River Road (1.2 miles)
  • Paddle: Savage River Reservoir (2.6 miles) (Information)
  • Transition: Big Run State Park Campground (Google Maps, Information)
  • Hike: Monroe Run Hiking Trail (4.7 miles) (Trail Info)
  • Hike: New Germany then Frank Brenneman Roads (.65 miles)
  • Hike: Meadow Mountain Trail (3.6 miles)
  • End: Rt. 495 at Meadow Mountain Overlook Trail Trailhead (Google Maps)

Day 2:
  • Start: Rt. 495 at Meadow Mountain Overlook Trail Trailhead
  • Bike: Rt. 495 to Glendale Road to Compartment 77 Access Trail (4.5 miles) (Google Maps)
  • Bike: Compartment 77 Access Trail to Deep Creek State Park (3.2 miles) (Google Maps, Park Information, Park Trails)
            Need alternate route to Indian Turnip trail down mountain


  • Bike: State Park Road to Glendale Road to Rt. 219 (2.2 miles) (Google Maps)
  • Bike: Rt. 219 to Deep Creek Drive to Wisp Resort via Deep Creek Trail (8 miles) (Google Maps)   

ALTERNATE ROUTE - Note: Due to a lack of trail easement riders must access Hoyes Run via paved Hoyes Run Road and skip ski lift ride and mountain bike segment in Fork Run

  • Bike: Hoyes Run Road to Hoyes Run (connect via Marsh Hill Road left on Sang Run Road for .2 miles then left on Hoyes) (4 miles) (Google Maps)

  • End: Hoyes Run

Day 3:
  • Start: Hoyes Run River Access
  • Paddle: Youghiogheny River - Hoyes Run to Sang Run (2.5 miles)
  • Paddle: Youghiogheny River - Sang Run to Friendsville (with Outfitter - 9 miles) (River Map, AWA Description)
  • End: Friendsville, MD (Google Map)

Day 4:
  • Start: Friendsville, MD
  • Paddle: Youghiogheny River Friendsville to Yough Lake (1.8 miles)
  • Paddle: Yough Lake to Yough Lake Dam, Confluence, PA (12.1 miles) (Lake Information)
  • End: US Army Corp of Engineers, Yough Lake Dam, Confluence, PA (Google Map)

Day 5:
  • Start: Yough Lake Dam
  • Bike: Dam access road to PA 281, left to GAP trail (1.3 miles) (Google Map, Great Allegheny Passage Info)
  • Bike: GAP Trail - Confluence to Eastern Continental Divide (38 miles) (Google Map)
  • Bike: GAP trail to Big Savage Hiking Trail trailhead - South on McKenzie Hollow Road, left on Rt. 546 to T, left on Beall School Road to Big Savage Trail dirt access road to left (8.3 miles) (Google Map)
  • End: Big Savage Mountain Hiking Trail trailhead

Day 6:
  • Start: Big Savage Mountain Hiking Trail trailhead
  • Hike: Big Savage Mountain Hiking Trail to Savage River (17.1 miles) (Google Maps)
  • End: Savage River Campground

Outfitters Willing to Assist Loopers

As I said the ECDL is brand new so you may be the first to call one of the outfitters listed below for a shuttle or rental.  Each have been contacted, know about the trail and have expressed interest in working with trail users to get them where they are going:

  • Precision Rafting, Friendsville, MD - Upper Yough raft trips, Hoyes to Sang Run Scenic Floats and shuttle services in the Maryland portion of the trail.
  • Savage River Lodge, Finzel, MD - Interested in providing shuttles and guided hikes throughout the trail particularly for those who stay at the lodge (awesome food as well - Owner is the current President of Garrett Trails and helped design this trail)
  • High Mountain Sports, Deep Creek Lake - Bicycle rentals, repairs and supplies - Owner helped found Garrett Trails, is the current treasurer and was one of the lead individuals responsible for creating this trail)
  • All Earth Eco Tours, Friendsville, MD - Provides kayak tours on Savage River Reservoir and Guided Hiking on Big Savage and other segments of the ECDL.
  • Streams & Dreams B&B, Hoyes Run, MD - Interested in working with groups to provide shuttles and possibly float trips on the Hoyes to Sang Run section of the Youghiogheny.

Lodging and CampGrounds Along the Trail

Listed in order from starting point at Savage River Dam going clockwise around ECDL:

Disclaimer

The content provided on this page is to assist the public in finding resources and possible routes for traversing a path similar to the proposed Eastern Continental Divide Loop documented in the Do the Loop Blog posts.  As the plan for the trail is still in draft, travelers should treat these materials as informational and conceptual and personal responsibility should be taken to plan an appropriate route and challenge for your abilities.  Garrett Trails and its affiliates have made every effort to insure the accuracy of the information provided but content may become dated and changes on external websites are outside our control.  Please take personal responsibility to prepare for your trip and check distances and skill requirements with other sources prior to traveling the ECDL. 7/24/2015


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