Rail biking involves pedaling on railroad tracks and is a unique way to explore the outdoors.

Rail biking was on my radar for some time, but I waited to plan the activity until some friends of ours from Wisconsin came to visit in the summer of 2023. Our friends had wanted to try rail biking too and their family is also trying to get to all 50 states. I thought this would be a fun way to explore Maryland, a state they hadn’t yet visited as a family.

When I told my family we were taking our friends rail biking, my parents and sister’s family wanted to join in, quickly putting our number at 16 ranging from ages 5 months to 70 years. While it can feel overwhelming to plan an activity for a group this large, this was fairly simple to plan, and I was pleased this was an activity everyone seemed to enjoy.

Since I had my own questions going into this rail biking, I figured I would share a closer look at our experience with some tips I learned.

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Tracks and Yaks – Frostburg, MD

We completed our tour with Tracks and Yaks beginning in Frostburg, Maryland. These are the same tracks where we also enjoyed a ride on the Polar Express on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. The tracks follow along the Great Allegheny Passage through the beautiful Allegany Mountains.

If you have time before and after your tour, Frostburg is an adorable walkable town to explore. In the past, we have enjoyed stops at Clatter Cafe and Frostburg Freeze, and I’ve been wanting to visit Mountain City Coffeehouse & Creamery, Main Street Books, and the Frostburg Museum just for a few ideas. I’m sure there’s a lot more to explore.

You will report to the Frostburg Train Depot. Below is a picture of the train station when we did the Polar Express. There is some parking around the station, but if there is a crowd, you might have to access some overflow parking down by the GAP trail. So you might want to allow yourself some extra time during arrival. At the train station, you can check in, use the restroom, look through the gift shop, and hang out for a bit because there are games available like checkers.

Queen City Excursion

There are several excursions to choose from. For example, you can rail bike into Cumberland and ride the train back, you can combine a rail bike ride with a kayak float down the Potomac River, and you can rail bike and then enjoy a bonfire to name a few.

We chose the Queen City Excursion. This tour involved a 2-hour rail bike ride to Cumberland (about 15 miles). Then, we were given time to have lunch and explore Canal Place and a shuttle picked us up and took us back to Frostburg.

Although I know many in our group would have loved to take the train back, the train left immediately upon arrival into Cumberland, and I wanted to allow our friends to feel like they were spending some time in Maryland. Plus, I just love Downtown Cumberland. I love the topography and the historical feel. Plus, it has some nice walkable areas to explore with lots of shops and eateries.

What to Expect

Weather

These tours go rain or shine. So be sure to be prepared for inclement weather. I imagine with the elevation it’s probably a little cooler up there and might have some more active weather patterns. Luckily, we had sunny weather on a hot summer day. We were sure to wear sunscreen and pack water with us. I would love to check this out in the fall when the leaves are changing.

Riding Together

Our group of 16 was placed in groups of 4 in quad bikes one after the other. I think at some points in the ride we had the option of linking together here and there, but we just rode in groups of four and were able to socialize at certain stops along the ride.

Taking the Kids

The elementary, middle, and high school-aged kids in our group participated with no problem. My concern was how my little kids would do. We took our kids ages 5 years, 3 years, and 5 months old.

I was surprised to hear this activity is for all ages. Babies can ride the rail bike in a child carrier on an adult. We love our Sunveno Child Carrier, especially with the bolster the baby sits on. It seems it is unavailable so here here is something similar. Our baby really enjoyed looking around. My husband wore her and had to open his legs slightly to pedal around the child carrier, but he rocked it!

My 3-year-old and 5-year-old wore harnesses. I was worried about them riding for two hours. They got a little antsy toward the end, but special snacks and gummies pulled them through. They could not reach the pedals with their feet, so they just enjoyed the ride.

I would suggest avoiding taking kids who are squirmy and who might try to get out of their seats. For me, I don’t think I would take a kid any younger than my three-year-old, so I would probably avoid the age when a child is too big for a child carrier and any younger than being able to sit still for two hours. Based on my kids, that would lead me to avoid ages about 12-18 months to 3 years old, but that could be different for everyone. If you are worried about your child sitting still, I’d either pick a shorter tour or wait until the kids are a little older.

What We Packed

As mentioned before, we definitely made sure to wear sunscreen and pack water.

There was a small basket in between seats for some personal belongings where we put water bottles. I would hesitate to put anything valuable like wallets and phones because the ride can get a little bumpy and the items in the basket were bouncing around.

I packed some diapers, wipers, and special treats for my kids in my Patagonia cross-body bag, and put water bottles in the baskets between the seats. The more secure the better so I would suggest cross-body bags, fanny packs, etc. And I think the smaller the better so you don’t have something too bulky while you are trying to pedal.

I knew I would be taking pictures and video, so I’m glad I brought a lanyard holder to secure my phone as I feel like I could have easily dropped it.

Some people put backpacks over the back of the seat. But, I would make sure the straps can fasten around the seat because I feel like a bag can easily fall off. If you wear a hat, I would make sure it is secure to your head. For example, we love Sunday Afternoon Sun Hats that have an adjustable strap that goes under the chin.

The Ride

We were definitely heating up sitting idle in the sun. But as we got moving, there was a nice breeze and a lot of shade that cooled us off.

The riders can control stopping the rail bikes which was necessary at some road crossings. But, there was staff that guided us through several crossings. The road crossings weren’t major road crossings, more like some back country roads.

The first part of the ride from Frostburg actually felt like a slight downhill and was a very nice coast. Then, a large middle section of the ride required consistent pedaling.

It was fun to parallel the Great Allegheny Passage and wave to bike riders. The views of the mountains were beautiful and it was fun to ride over some bridges and through a tunnel.

The last mile or two required some effort pedaling into Downtown Cumberland so I’m glad we had at least two adult pedalers in the quad with my younger children to get us into town.

Canal Place – Downtown Cumberland

Once we reached Canal Place, we were able to use the restroom in the train station for the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.

Canal Place is a fun walkable area to explore in Downtown Maryland. This is also the junction of the Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Towpath.

After the restroom, we headed straight for lunch and enjoyed delicious food and outdoor patio seating at the Crabby Pig. I believe Maryland’s state food is crabs (blue crabs specifically I think) and the Crabby Pig offered some crab items on the menu.

There are other shops and eateries to explore in this walkable area.

After lunch, we probably had about a half hour to kill before the shuttle picked us up and took us back to Frostburg. Some members of our group grabbed ice cream and the rest of us headed for the playground where we all eventually met up. But, here are some other ideas to explore in Canal Place.

Nearby Attractions

I hope you found this brief overview of rail biking helpful. If you check it out, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@adventureswkelly) or leave a comment. I’d love to hear about or see your adventures rail biking!