Potomac Heritage

https://www.nps.gov/pohe/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictured_Rocks_National_Lakeshore 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 and upper southeastern regions of the United States that will connect various trails and historic sites in the states of Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia. The trail network includes 710 miles (1,140 km) of existing and planned sections, tracing the outstanding 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 Potomac River corridor is rich in both history and recreation, offering a chance to both explore your heritage and choose your adventure along the way. Start your journey here! The administrative office for the NPS Potomac Heritage NST is located at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park headquarters. Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center - Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park The Great Falls Tavern (also historically known as the Crommelin House) originally functioned as one of the many lockhouses along the canal and serviced thousands of cargo and excursion boats that passed through Lock 20 on the way to and from Cumberland, MD and Georgetown in Washington, DC. Today the Great Falls Tavern remains a hub of activity as it acts as one of C&O Canal National Historical Park's visitor centers. Here, visitors can get information about the park's programs, hiking trails, and history. From Washington DC: Take M Street to fork. Follow either MacArthur Blvd, the right fork or take Canal Road, the fork to the left. MacArthur Blvd.: Follow MacArthur until the entrance to the Great Falls section of the park, approximately 8 miles. Canal Road: Follow to Chain Bridge. At stop light continue straight. Canal Road changes into Clara Barton Parkway. Follow Clara Barton Parkway to the end. At the stop sign, turn left onto MacArthur Blvd., and follow it for 3.5 miles until it ends at the park. Williamsport Visitor Center - Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park The Cushwa Basin Visitor Center in Williamsport is located at mile 99.8 along the C&O Canal towpath in Washington County, MD. Situated at the confluence of the Conococheague Creek and the Potomac River, Williamsport was first settled in 1740. A half-mile rewatered section of canal leads through the turning basin, under the only railroad lift bridge on the canal, and continues to Lockhouse 44 and the adjacent lock. The Conocheague Aqueduct is located across from the turning basin. Alternate Parking at C&O Canal Park Headquarters (142 W Potomac St, Williamsport, MD) and Lock 44 (at the end of Main St, Williamsport, MD). Potomac River sunset over a river Watch the sunset over the Potomac River Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) A bicycle sits on a bright summer day overlooking the rolling mountains in the distance. Great Allegheny Passage is a bicyclist enthusiasts' dream come true! Chesapeake and Ohio Canal blue flowers bloom next to a trail Bluebells flowering on the towpath Memorials for the Future Memorials for the Future, is a competition that aims to rethink the way we develop and experience memorials in Washington, D.C. Memorials for the Future Logo National Park Getaway: Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail is comprised of a developing network of locally managed, land and water trails between the mouth of the Potomac River and the Allegheny Highlands. The trail passes through portions of five regions with distinct physical features and landscapes in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. Residents and visitors can explore a variety of historic and natural landscapes within the trail corridor.    Hiker next to a mile post on a wooded trail Ten Tips for Visiting Fort Washington Park Follow these tips to make your visit to Fort Washington Park memorable. The grassy fort in front of a river Ten Tips for Visiting Piscataway Park Make the most of your visit to Piscataway Park with these ten tips. A river at sunset Ten Tips for Visiting Oxon Cove Park Planning a visit to Oxon Cove Park and Oxon Hill Farm? Follow these ten tips for a fantastic farm day! A brown and white cow in a field Sea Level Rise in the DC Area Learn about current and projected rates of sea level rise in the greater DC area, based on local water level data collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) A tall white cylinder attached to a wooden pier with Hains Point in the background. The Modern Civil Rights Movement in the National Capital Area The national capital area’s everyday people contributed to the overall success of the modern Civil Rights Movement. From students to pastors, lawyers to teachers, parents and every-day people planned efforts between the 1950s to the 1960s to eliminate segregation and the discrimination. Civil Rights leaders surrounded by journalists and media. Top 10 Tips for Biking the C&O Canal Biking etiquette tips Reflecting on 55 years of the National Trails System Act: A Journey Through the Establishment of National Scenic and Historic Trails In celebration of the 55th anniversary of the National Trails System Act, learn more about these significant trails and their history. Series: A Timeline of Resistance: The Perseverance of African Americans from the Revolutionary War to the Civil Rights Era The story of African American’s fight for equality did not begin or end with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. In the National Capital Area, dedicated activism and self-determination has been documented since the Revolutionary War through the present day. This series consists of six articles that outline distinct timelines of resistance and activism in the fight for freedom. A young African American girl gazes at the camera holding a banner for the March on Washington

National Park Service U.S. Depdrtment of the lnterior Potomac Heritage Trail George Washington Memorial Parkway #& *@_ wtre K'ffi ',t?.' e& .,#l6e Wild Discoveries Within the Beltway Bridge at Lirtle Falls ott tlte Potor t nc. ab ot' e G e orget ozt t t. The.first bridge rloss tlrc Potonnc Rit.'er, at tJte cut'rertt locatiort of Chain Bridge. Painted b,- Beuiarnin Latrobe, March 1798. cotu'tex, of the Nlaryl an d Hi st ori c al S o ci e t1'. Points of lnterest The Potornac Heritage Trail (PHT) u-inds for 10 miies along the Potomac fur'er^ througft -steep. rockr hill-side,s. tbrested stream I'al1er s and r eals of hrstori. Fol centunes, \atir-e Antericans ln'ed and traded along this route. Captain John Smith explored Ihe arca in 1608. George \\ ashington envisioned this part of the Potomac as the beginning of a "great The PHT rs a segment of the Potomac Heritage \ational Scenic Trail (PH\ST). The PH\ST is a 125-mile corridor of trails benr-een the Chesapeake Bav and -\lleghenr Highlands. For more informatitrn avenue into the Vlestern Countrr,." The rivcr u,as the dividing line beti,r,een North and South during the Civil rWar. Quarries, mills, and farms along the Potomac helped create a strong local economy and provided material for the development of \X/ashington, DC. Tbda1., the area serves as a haven for wlldlife and outdoor recreation, preserved within the George Washington Memorial Parkway. E-mail: phnst@ np s. gov, lWeb : uuu.np s. goa / p oh e about the PH\ST. contact: Potomac Heritage National Scenic tail P.O. Box B, Harpers Ferry, \(V 25425 For information on local projects and activities, contact the Potomac Heritage Trail Association at l-888-223-4093, by e-mail at info@potomactrail.org, or vislt their website at www.potomactrail.org. Mile-O: At the trailhead, George Masc"rn IY the Mile-4.9: Above Chain Bridge are the preserved author of the Virginla Bill of Rights, ran a ferryboat business to Georgetorvn. His son, John. built a home on the island in the 1790s. The \llson fam j\- ,rs ned U.S. Armv in 1861 to defend the bridge. Todav it is earthr'vorks of Ft. Marc1,, which was built bv the onc of the t'eu' remainins eramnles of the 58 folts much ot the land \.ou \\'11i hrke on. Mile-l: Looking out towards the river, you can see Three Sisters Island, the focus of a Native Amerlcan story crafted to warn children of the deceptivelv calm Potomac River currents. Legend has it that the sisters disobeyed their father and tried to cross the river to vislt an enemv tribe. The strong current capsized their r.essel and the sisters drowned in a rvhirlpool. A great storm raged and the rockf islands appeared the follorving dav. Some people belier,e that rvhen the skies are dark and stormr,-. _vou can still Mile-1.7: Just bevond \l'indi-Run lies the rust\' MiIe-8.2: Hiking along the floodplain, \.ou cross remains of 19th-centurl boiiels used to quarr\' Potomac blue stone. The dln of erplosions, the sounds of hammels on steel drill bars and the tou ns are gone, but historr is preserved in cifl'buildings constructed from this stone. Turker-Run and Dead Run (mile 9.-1). tu'o of the healthiest streams in the region. Carefullv turn a rock oter and look closeh.ior larvae of caddisflr. mar-flr'and stoneflr. These insects are intolerant to pollution and are considered biological rndicators Located between Theodore Roosevelt Island and I-495 (at the American Legion Bridge), the PHT is administered by: George \Tashington Memorial Parkway c/o Tirrkey Run Park, Virginia District Ranger Mclean, YA 22lUl 7 03-289 -2500 toutut.nps.goa l*Dmp 7 supports a diversitv of plants and animals. The water gauge (mile 7.2) recorded the river levels from the hear the sistels crving. mouth of Pimmit Run at Chain Blidge. In August 181.1, President James Nladison's panicked staff hid the Declaration of Independence rn flour sacks in this mill as British soldiers invaded the crn'and burned the \X,rhlte House. I Mile-7: Tirrkey Run Park, a 700-acre area, 1930s to the 1960s. The highest recording 28.6 feet - was in Nlarch 1936. At that Ievel, the urater ll'ou1d have been abclut 15 feet above the trail. A short distance from the gauge is a soapstone quarrv and a quartz outcrop. Native Americans living in or trar-eling through this area mav har,e used both, as thcv t'ere valuable commodrties. Nfife-4.1: A gristmili once opcrated ncar tlic r and 9i cattene: ihat once encrrcieci and protecred \\ashington during the Civil \\:ar. National Park Service staff and Potomac Appalachian Tiail Club (PATC) volunteers maintain the PHT. For more information about PAIC, contact: Potomac Appalachian Trail Club 7 03-242-0693, ext. t2 wlow.patc.net ol'good $ater qualin. As vou u,alk in the footsteps of Native Amelicans. explorers and laborers, help ensure that futule generations can rvalk rn vours bv protecting the traiL and its resources. PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND ENJOY! . Pack out everything you brought into the park. .