Potomac Heritage Trail Explained

Potomac Heritage Trail
Website:	Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
Length Mi:	710
Use:	Hiking, bicycling
Season:	Year-round
Surface:	Gravel, asphalt, and natural surfaces

The Potomac Heritage Trail, also known as the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail or the PHT, is a designated National Scenic Trail corridor spanning parts of the mid-Atlantic region of the United States that will connect various trails and historic sites in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. The trail network includes 710miles of existing and planned sections,^[1] tracing the natural, historical, and cultural features of the Potomac River corridor, the upper Ohio River watershed in Pennsylvania and western Maryland, and a portion of the Rappahannock River watershed in Virginia. The trail is managed by the National Park Service and is one of three National Trails that are official NPS units.^[2]

Unlike many long-distance hiking trails such as the Appalachian Trail, the Potomac Heritage Trail is an informal route with numerous side trails and alternatives, some in parallel on each side of the river. Currently, many of these are separate, connected to the others only by roads.^{[3] [4]} The PHT crosses the Appalachian Trail near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and is concurrent with the American Discovery Trail along the portion of the C&O Canal Towpath between Oldtown, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.

Initial sections

Three substantial sections of the trail were in existence when the Potomac Heritage Trail officially became a National Scenic Trail in 1983. These trails range from hiking-only to multi-use, illustrating the variety of the PHT route.

• The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath, which runs 184.5miles along the Maryland side of the Potomac River between Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland.^[5]
• The Mount Vernon Trail in Virginia, which runs 18miles between Rosslyn and Mount Vernon, parallel to the Potomac River.^[6]
• The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, running for 70miles in Pennsylvania between Ohiopyle State Park and the Conemaugh Gorge near Johnstown.^[7]

Completed and planned sections

Upon its completion, the Potomac Heritage Trail will consist of the following sections:

• The 70miles Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, within Laurel Ridge State Park in Pennsylvania.
• A 73miles section of the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP), between Cumberland, Maryland and Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania.
• The 184.5miles C&O Canal Towpath within the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, in Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
• A 15miles linear park system in Loudoun County, Virginia.
• 7.7miles of trails within Riverbend Park, Great Falls Park, and Scott's Run Nature Preserve in Fairfax County, Virginia.
• Two partially completed routes within the District of Columbia  - the 23miles Fort Circle Parks Trail, part of the Civil War Defenses of Washington, and a multi-use route between Georgetown and Oxon Cove Park.
• The paved shared use 18.5miles Mount Vernon Trail and a 9.6miles gravel trail in and around Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia, mostly alongside the George Washington Memorial Parkway.^{[8] [9]}
• The 23miles Alexandria Heritage Trail in Alexandria, Virginia.
• A 27miles biking trail in Prince George's County, Maryland.
• A 1miles trail in Piscataway Park in Prince George's County, Maryland.
• A 2miles route within the Nanjemoy Natural Resource Management Area in Charles County, Maryland.
• A biking trail in Charles and St. Mary's counties in Maryland.
• Two 4.5miles routes in Prince William Forest Park and a partially completed 8miles route, between Leesylvania State Park and Belmont Bay, in Prince William County, Virginia.
• The Government Island Trail, the planned 5miles Historic Falmouth-Ferry Farm Trail, and the Aquia Creek Water Trail, all in Stafford County, Virginia.
• The Northern Neck Heritage Trail Bicycling Route Network in Westmoreland, Northumberland, Lancaster, and Richmond counties, all in Virginia.

External links

Trails/Parks of PHNST

• Great Allegheny Passage
• C&O Canal Bicycling Guide
• Mt. Vernon Trail, Arlington/Alexandria/Mt Vernon, VA
• Great Falls Park, MD/VA
• Riverbend Park, Great Falls, VA
• Algonkian Park, VA
• Red Rock Wilderness Regional Park, VA
• Balls Bluff Regional Park, VA
• Occoquan Regional Park, VA
• Laurel Hill Greenway, Lorton, VA
• Prince William Forest Park, VA
• Leesylvania State Park, VA
• Piscataway Park/Trail, MD
• Fort Foote Park, MD

Groups

• Potomac Heritage Trail
• National Park Service site
• Potomac Heritage Trail Association
• C&O Canal Association
• Allegheny Trail Alliance
• Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club
• Southern Prince George's Trail Coalition
• Great Falls Trail Blazers
• Fairfax Trails and Streams
• Potomac Appalachian Trail Club
• Friends of Dahlgren Heritage Rail Trail, King George Co, Virginia
• Accokeek Foundation

Notes and References

1. Web site: Hiking . David . Lillard . Ed . Talone . Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail - DC, MD, PA, VA . National Park Service . October 24, 2016.
2. Web site: Basic Information . Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail - DC, MD, PA, VA . National Park Service . October 24, 2016.
3. Book: Lillard . David Edwin . Ed . Talone . 2006 . Potomac Heritage Trail: A Hiker's Guide . Great Allegheny Press . West Newton, Pennsylvania . 0-9717475-5-5.
4. Book: High, Mike . 2000 . The C&O Canal Companion . Johns Hopkins University Press . Baltimore and London . 978-0-8018-6602-9.
5. Web site: 2006. A Development and Managment [sic] Plan for the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail in Virginia. National Park Service.
6. Web site: Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. 2022-02-06. National Park Foundation. en.
7. Web site: National Scenic Trails in PA. 2022-02-06. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. en-US.
8. (1) Web site: Mount Vernon Trail . . United States Department of the Interior. 2015-06-23.
   (2) Web site: Mount Vernon Trail . AllTrails . January 20, 2020.
   (3) Web site: Map of the Mount Vernon Trail . AllTrails . January 20, 2020.
   (4) Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20190516075000/http://bikewashington.org/trails/vernon/index.php . May 16, 2019 . The Mount Vernon Trail . Washington DC Multi-Use Trails . Bike Washington.org . 2012-01-02.
   (5) Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20190517132157/https://www.traillink.com/trail/mount-vernon-trail/ . May 17, 2019 . Mount Vernon Trail, Virginia . TrailLink.com: Virginia Bike Trails . . 2012-01-02.
   (6) Web site: Mount Vernon Trail – Northern Virginia's Scenic Trail . Cooper . Rachel . About.com: Washington, D.C. . June 3, 2019 . . 2012-01-02.
9. (1) Web site: Potomac Heritage Trail (PHT) . George Washington Memorial Parkway, Virginia . March 2009 . United States Department of the Interior. January 20, 2020.
   (2) Web site: Potomac Heritage Trail . AllTrails . January 20, 2020.
   (3) Web site: Map of the Potomac Heritage Trail . AllTrails . January 20, 2020.
   (4) Web site: Map of the Potomac Heritage Trail . . January 20, 2020.