September 11th National Memorial Trail explained

September 11th National Memorial Trail, also known as the 9/11 Trail, is a network of trails and roadways nearly long connecting the Flight 93 National Memorial, the Pentagon Memorial, and the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.^[1] It is tribute to those who perished in September 11, 2001 attacks and to those who responded to them.

The dedication was initiated by an act of Congress.^[2] President Joe Biden signed H.R. 2278, officially designating the trail route on October 13, 2021.

The triangular-shaped trail - to the sites of the memorials in Arlington, Virginia and New York City, and near Shanksville, Pennsylvania - passes through six Mid-Atlantic states and Washington, D.C.^[3] At its inception it incorporated 55% off-road trails and 45% existing roadways.^[4] A 1.5 mile purpose built section was added thereafter.

Existing trails along the route

Clockwise from the Pentagon the triangular 9/11 Trail incorporates many sections of existing trais, as well as overlapping segments of the East Coast Greenway.

• Pentagon Memorial (VA)
  • Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (DC,MD)
  • Great Allegheny Passage (MD, PA)
  • September 11th National Memorial Trail (first purpose-built section - 1.5 miles)^{[5] [6]}
• Flight 93 National Memorial (PA)
  • • • Lehigh Gorge Trail (PA)
  • Sussex Branch Trail (NJ)^[7]
  • Paulinskill Valley Trail (NJ)^[8]
  • Patriots' Path (NJ)
  • Lenape Trail (NJ)
  • Essex - Hudson Greenway (NJ) (future)^[9]
  • Hudson River Waterfront Walkway (NJ)
    • Empty Sky, the official New Jersey 9/11 memorial
  • Hudson River Greenway (NY)
• National September 11 Memorial & Museum (NY)
  • East Coast Greenway (NJ)
  • Rahway River Parkway (NJ)
  • Middlesex Greenway (NJ)
  • D&R Canal Trail (NJ)
  • Delaware Canal State Park Trail (PA)
    • • Garden of Reflection, the official Pennsylvania 9/11 memorial^[10]
  • Delaware and Lehigh Trail (PA)
  • US 202 Parkway Trail (PA)
  • Schuylkill River Trail (PA)^[11]
  • Northern Delaware Greenway (DE)
  • Jack A. Markell Trail (DE)
  • Battery Park Trail (DE)
  • James F. Hall Trail (DE)
  • Torey C. Brown Rail Trail (MD)
  • Jones Falls Trail (MD)
    • 9/11 Memorial of Maryland
  • Gwynns Falls Trail (MD)
  • Middle Branch Trail (MD)
  • BWI Trail
  • Overstreet Connector Trail (MD)
  • Baltimore and Annapolis Trail (MD)
  • Spa Creek Trail (MD)
  • Poplar Trail (MD)
  • South Shore Trail (MD)
  • Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Trail (MD)
  • Anacostia Riverwalk Trail (DC)
  • National Mall (DC)

See also

• List of long-distance trails in the United States
• Memorials and services for the September 11 attacks
• National Trails System
• List of BicyclePA bicycle routes

External links

• 911 Trail.org
• History

Notes and References

1. Web site: September 11th National Memorial Trail - American Trails. www.americantrails.org.
2. Web site: H.R.2278 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): To designate the September 11th National Memorial Trail Route, and for other purposes. | Congress.gov | Library of Congress.
3. Web site: DMV. 9/11 TRAIL.
4. Web site: National 9/11 Memorial Trail. Allegany County, The Mountain Side of Maryland.
5. Web site: Expansion in Somerset County, PA. 9/11 TRAIL.
6. Web site: Ribbon cut on new 1.5-mile section of 9/11 National Memorial Trail in Somerset. Mary Ann. Thomas. May 1, 2021. TribLIVE.com.
7. News: Vitale . Vincent . January 4, 2022 . Take a Walk on The September 11th National Memorial Trail In Randolph . TAPinto.
8. Web site: Connecting and Commemorating: The 9/11 Trail. The Nature Conservancy.
9. News: Zeitlinger . Ron . September 15, 2022 . Essex-Hudson Greenway advocates laud NJ purchase of abandoned rail line to create 9-mile park . The Jersey Journal.
10. Web site: A TRIBUTE TO FALLEN HEROES: September 11th National Memorial Trail in Pennsylvania designated as a Statewide Major Greenway. March 15, 2022.
11. Web site: Stretch of 9/11 National Memorial Trail passes through Montgomery County. November 28, 2021.