Potomac Heritage Trail Family Adventure Guide
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Potomac Heritage Trail Family NT VE UR D E A Guide Page intentionally left blank. Potomac Heritage Trail Family Adventure Guide Produced by the National Park Service Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail Office and Harpers Ferry Center U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, DC North PITTSBURGH llegheny A R iver McKEESPORT Laurel Highlands r e iv R UNIONTOWN MORGANTOWN P L A T E A U N Y G H E L E y A L n Laurel Highlands e h Hiking Trail OHIOPYLE g o i SEWARD h g u Great Allegheny o Y W E S T JOHNSTOWN Passage and V I R G I N I A CONFLUENCE r Ca e sselman Ri iv ver R y n ROCKWOOD e h Eastern Continental og hi ug Great Allegheny Yo Passage McHENRY ivide tal D Deep Eastern Continental nen Divide Loop onti Divide Loop n C Creek MEYERSDALE ter Lake Eas Fairfax P E N N S Y LVA N I A Stone Nor th Branch FROSTBURG P o t om ac CUMBERLAND R iver E Y A L L MARYLAND V N D P A o t E o Chesapeake and Ohio D G m I a c R River omac Pot B ranch South Canal Towpath River HANCOCK r ive R n po ca Ca Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath e u Cree k ag he nococ Co W E S T WINCHESTER V I R G I N I A HAGERSTOWN il ra c T ni Sce SHEPHERDSTOWN ional Nat achian pal Ap Washington, DC FRONT ROYAL Sh enan HARPERS FERRY doa h E R iv er rail G chia ic T P ala n National S cen o D App t I o R m er nocacy Riv a BRUNSWICK Mo c E SHENANDOAH U R L i FREDERICK NATIONAL PARK B v e r LEESBURG M A R Y L A N D Potomac Heritage Trail D M O P I E N T Northern Virginia V I R G I N I A Potomac Heritage Trail DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BALTIMORE FREDERICKSBURG L P L A I N T A ANNAPOLIS A S M A R Y L A N D Y O B A C Southern Maryland Potomac K E Heritage Trail Bicycling Route E A P COLONIAL A S Northern Neck BEACH E P H o t C o m a c of Virginia Northern Neck Heritage Trail R i Trail Extent Bicycling Route v e r K C V I R G I N I A E N PENNSYLVANIA OHIO r e v i N NJ R k R WASHINGTON DC c o DEL E n MD n POINT LOOKOUT WEST a h H VIRGINIA a p p T a R R VIRGINIA Southern Maryland O SMITH POINT N 0 10 20 30 Kilometers 0 10 20 30 Miles Hike, Bike, Paddle, and Explore the Potomac Heritage Trail Few trails link land, water, and history as well as the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. When he founded the Patowmack Canal Company in 1784, George Washington envisioned a corridor of commerce linking the Chesapeake Bay to the Ohio River. His dream was partially realized when the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal reached Cumberland. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad soon replaced the canal and completed the connection to Ohio at Wheeling. At over 900 miles, the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail network links people and places from the tidal Potomac to the Allegheny Plateau. From plateaus and plains to ridges and valleys, family fun meets fascinating learning opportunities along the Potomac. Choose a region to explore on foot, bicycle, horse, or by boat and connect with history and nature along the way. Page Explore by Region 5 Laurel Highlands 9 Great Allegheny Passage and Eastern Continental Divide Loop 13 Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath 17 Washington, DC 21 Northern Virginia 25 Northern Neck of Virginia 29 Southern Maryland 32 More Information 3 0 10 Miles North PITTSBURGH Fort Pitt Museum llegheny A R iver McKEESPORT Laurel Highlands Trail NPS r e iv R y n e h g o UNIONTOWN i h g u o Trailside shelter Y NPS OHIOPYLE Ferncliff Peninsula Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail Ohiopyle State Park Fallingwater SEWARD Visitor Center Fort Necessity JOHNSTOWN National Battlefield Visitor Center Laurel Ridge CONFLUENCE State Park Office W E S T r Ca e sselman Ri iv ver R y V I R G I N I A n ROCKWOOD e h og hi Great Allegheny ug Yo Passage McHENRY Deep Eastern Continental Creek Divide Loop MEYERSDALE Lake Fairfax Stone Nor th Branch FROSTBURG P o to ma Laurel Ridge State Park c CUMBERLAND River NPS Canal Place Visitor Center MARYLAND P o t o m Green Ridge a State Forest c P E N N S Y LVA N I A Trail System River tomac h Po h B ranc Sout Paw Paw River HANCOCK Bends Hancock Visitor Center 4 ail Tr ora uscar T e u Cree k ag he nococ Co W E S T Williamsport Visitor Center WINCHESTER V I R G I N I A HAGERSTOWN il ra Antietam c T ni National Sce Battlefield al SHEPHERDSTOWN ation chian N ala Harpers Ferry National Historical Park pp Visitor Center A FRONT ROYAL S E henan HARPERS FERRY doa G h D R iv I er rail R chia ic T P ala n National S cen o Brunswick SHENANDOAH App t NATIONAL PAR o Visitor Center m iver E BRUNSWICK nocacy R U a Mo L c B PURCELLVILLE R i FREDERICK v Washington and e Old Dominion Trail r Monocacy LEESBURG National Battlefield M A R Y L A N D Whites Ferry Potomac Heritage Trail P la n n e d D M O N T P I E Riverbend Park V I R G I N I A Visitor Center Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center See Area Detail Below Potomac Heritage Trail Prince William Forest Park Visitor Center DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Pl an n e BALTIMORE Government d FREDERICKSBURG Island Stafford Visitor Center Smallwood State Park George Washington’s Ferry Farm Douglas Point Special Recreation Management Area L A I N A L P S T A Thomas Stone National Historic Site ANNAPOLIS O Caledon C State Park M A R Y L A N D AY B Zekiah George Washington Birthplace Swamp Southern Maryland Potomac K E Heritage Trail Bicycling Route National Monument E A Visitor Center P COLONIAL A BEACH S P l E a n P H n e o d t C o Westmoreland m State Park a c District of Columbia Area Detail Saint Clements Island State Park Northern Neck P l a n Stratford Hall Heritage Trail n e d R Bicycling Route i v e r K C E Historic St. Mary’s City V I R G I N I A N (visitor centers and museums) N r R e v i E R Rice’s Hotel/ H Hughlett’s Tavern k c T o n R POINT LOOKOUT n a h O a p N p a R Reedville SMITH POINT North PITTSBURGH Fort Pitt Museum Laurel Highlands llegheny A R iver McKEESPORT r e iv R y n e h g o UNIONTOWN i h g u o Y OHIOPYLE Ferncliff Peninsula Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail Ohiopyle State Park Fallingwater SEWARD Visitor Center Fort Necessity JOHNSTOWN National Battlefield Visitor Center Laurel Ridge CONFLUENCE State Park Office W E S T r Ca PA DEPT. OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION e sselman Ri iv ver Discoveries abound on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail. R y V I R G I N I A n ROCKWOOD e h og hi Great Allegheny ug Yo Passage McHENRY Deep Eastern Continental Laurel Highlands Highlights Creek Divide Loop MEYERSDALE Lake Hit the trail. Day hike through a Pennsylvania woodland paradise. Although the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail is 70 miles long, you can spend just a few hours on the route to enjoy fantastic forests, stream valleys, and high Fairfax mountain ridges. Follow the blazes along the way. Yellow marks the main Stone Nor th Branch trail and blue marks connector routes. FROSTBURG P o t om ac CUMBERLAND Sleep under the stars. For a longer trek, strap on a backpack. Identify R iver Canal Place Visitor Center rocks and plants along the way, or just find peace and quiet. Campsites offer MARYLAND chances to rest, stargaze, and enjoy the sounds of nature. Eight Adirondack- style shelters and tent areas—available by reservation—include water, fire P o t rings, and wood for campfires. Many areas are located within a mile or two o m Green Ridge of a trailhead, providing an easy introduction to backpacking. a State Forest c P E N N S Y LVA N I A Trail System River tomac h Po h B ranc Get wild about winter. Skiers and snowshoers can find year-round fun Sout at the Laurel Ridge Crosscountry Ski Center off Route 653. A groomed trail ver Paw Paw Ri HANCOCK system invites people of all abilities and ages to explore the ridge in winter. Bends Hancock Visitor Center 5 ail Tr ora uscar T e u Cree k ag he nococ Co W E S T Williamsport Visitor Center WINCHESTER V I R G I N I A HAGERSTOWN il ra Antietam c T ni National Sce Battlefield al SHEPHERDSTOWN ation chian N ala Harpers Ferry National Historical Park pp Visitor Center A FRONT ROYAL S E henan HARPERS FERRY doa G h D R iv I er rail R chia ic T P ala n National S cen o Brunswick SHENANDOAH App t NATIONAL PAR o Visitor Center m iver E BRUNSWICK nocacy R U a Mo L c B PURCELLVILLE R i FREDERICK v Washington and e Old Dominion Trail r Monocacy LEESBURG National Battlefield M A R Y L A N D Whites Ferry Potomac Heritage Trail P la n n e d D M O N T P I E Riverbend Park V I R G I N I A Visitor Center Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center See Area Detail Below Potomac Heritage Trail Prince William Forest Park Visitor Center DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Pl an n e BALTIMORE Government d FREDERICKSBURG Island Stafford Visitor Center Smallwood State Park George Washington’s Ferry Farm Douglas Point Special Recreation Management Area L A I N A L P S T A Thomas Stone National Historic Site ANNAPOLIS O Caledon C State Park M A R Y L A N D AY B Zekiah George Washington Birthplace Swamp Southern Maryland Potomac K E Heritage Trail Bicycling Route National Monument E A Visitor Center P COLONIAL A BEACH S P l E a n P H n e o d t C o Westmoreland m State Park a c District of Columbia Area Detail Saint Clements Island State Park Northern Neck P l a n Stratford Hall Heritage Trail n e d R Bicycling Route i v e r K C E Historic St.