Potomac Heritage Trail

Initial sections

Three substantial sections of the trail were in existence when the Potomac Heritage Trail officially became a National Scenic Trail in 1983. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath runs 184.5 mi along the Maryland side of the Potomac River between Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland. The Mount Vernon Trail in Virginia runs 18 mi between Rosslyn and Mount Vernon, parallel to the Potomac River. The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail runs for 70 mi in Pennsylvania between Ohiopyle State Park and the Conemaugh Gorge near Johnstown.

Completed and planned sections

Upon its completion, the Potomac Heritage Trail will consist of the following sections: the 70 mi Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, within Laurel Ridge State Park in Pennsylvania; a 73 mi section of the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP), between Cumberland, Maryland and Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania; the 184.5 mi C&O Canal Towpath within the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, in Maryland, and Washington, D.C.; a 15 mi linear park system in Loudoun County, Virginia; 7.7 mi 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 23 mi 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 18.5 mi Mount Vernon Trail and a 9.6 mi gravel trail in and around Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia, mostly alongside the George Washington Memorial Parkway; the 23 mi Alexandria Heritage Trail in Alexandria, Virginia; a 27 mi biking trail in Prince George's County, Maryland; a 1 mi trail in Piscataway Park in Prince George's County, Maryland; a 2 mi 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 4.5 mi routes in Prince William Forest Park and a partially completed 8 mi route, between Leesylvania State Park and Belmont Bay, in Prince William County, Virginia; the Government Island Trail, the planned 5 mi Historic Falmouth-Ferry Farm Trail, and the Aquia Creek Water Trail, all in Stafford County, Virginia; and the Northern Neck Heritage Trail Bicycling Route Network in Westmoreland, Northumberland, Lancaster, and Richmond counties, all in Virginia.

Did You Know?

• The PHT crosses the Appalachian Trail near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
• The PHT is concurrent with the American Discovery Trail along the portion of the C&O Canal Towpath between Oldtown, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.