Photo by Graham Cullen Brunswick City Council member Walt Stull and Katherine Iacovelli, chairwoman of Brunswick’s Economic Development Commission, stand along the C&O Canal next to a visitor sign informing tourists of services in Brunswick.

There's a coffee shop and diner within walking distance, there are antique shops for browsing, there's an art gallery and a bookstore, and a museum dedicated to local railroad lore.

Point of Rocks also has some services that hikers and bikers could tap into. While smaller than Brunswick , Point of Rocks is home to one of the most photographed train stations in the region.

Now there's a resource that could help those communities appeal to these people. Trail Towns is a program along the Great Allegheny Passage designed to inject some economic life into communities that have seen better days.

"Try to imagine you're on the canal and you're coming into Brunswick for the first time," said Cathy McCollum, director of Trail Towns. "The whole concept is to connect the community with the trail-user market."

Many of these people have some leisure time, appreciate history, and are at least willing to stop into a local restaurant for a meal, she said. "They want the entire experience," she said.

It's important that the community look clean and look like it's growing, she said. "Do you tell the history of your community?" she asked. "Do you have brochures? Do you have bike racks?"

"Trail Towns has already proven they can get people off the trails into the towns and spending money, and Brunswick is all for that," said Katherine Iacovelli, chairwoman of Brunswick 's Economic Development Commission. Iacovelli and City Councilman Walt Stull have been working to bring Trail Towns to Brunswick .

Lee Bailey, who owns River and Trail Outfitters in Brunswick and Knoxville, said he's renting more and more bikes to people who want to ride on the canal.

"Our task is to have some sort of interpretive displays," said Pepper Scotto, representing Point of Rocks . Point of Rocks has a convenience store and a couple of small restaurants that could appeal to C&O visitors.

"There's a vibrant business community here," said Linda Boxx, president of the board of directors of the Great Allegheny Passage. Communities along the 150-mile Pittsburgh-to-Cumberland rail trail have used Trail Towns to help expand and open businesses that cater to tourists who use the trails.

It's also helped the communities put up signs directing tourists to services in their towns.

The National Park Service forbids businesses from advertising in the park, but Brunswick officials are trying to figure out a way to put up signs on the edge of the park. The Brunswick Train Station, its parking lot and a series of railroad tracks separates Brunswick from the canal. It's less than a quarter-mile from the canal to Potomac Street, Brunswick 's main thoroughfare.

"What we've done along the Passage is create a sign design manual, where each community uses the same kiosk system," Boxx said. "They promote themselves collectively."

The Great Allegheny Passage, or GAP, as it is known, has become an international tourism destination, Boxx said.

In December 2006, the C&O Canal and the GAP were connected in Cumberland. One of the major tourist destinations along the GAP is Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater.

Bike trips from Washington to Pittsburgh and the reverse are becoming more and more common, said Curt Gaul, West District Ranger for the C&O Canal National Historical Park.

"Their park experience is only going to be increased by the quality of services provided in towns along the canal," he said.

Visitors are planning six- to seven-day bike rides from spring through fall along the 335-mile trail, he said.

"The longer people are on the trail, the more services they are going to need," he said.