Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail is part of the National Trails System. It is not a park unit.
People first arrived in the Chesapeake Bay during the last ice age. As glaciers melted, diverse societies learned to thrive in a world of water. When Englishman Captain John Smith explored the Bay in 1608, he documented hundreds of American Indian communities. Today, sites on his map are archeological treasures and sacred sites for tribal citizens. Come join us on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay!
About under an hour from Baltimore and 1.5 hours from Washington by car.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Trail Operating Hours | Daily · All Day |
Visitor centers
- Zimmerman Center for Heritage ↗Passport stamp
The Zimmerman Center for Heritage sits on the banks of the Susquehanna River and is part of the Susquehanna National Heritage Area. The Susquehanna River has long been a gateway to exploration and a corridor of culture and commerce.
- Historic Jamestowne - Trail Headquarters ↗Passport stamp
The trail shares a headquarters with Historic Jamestowne, an historic site and visitors center managed by Colonial National Historical Park. Visitors to this coastal Virginia island can explore the site where English colonists built their first successful settlement.
No campgrounds, no webcams or events in Park Service data. What is here comes from the official page. The rest lives there.
Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the Park Service publishes the data.
Explore
Things to do
- Paddle the Sassafras River Water Trail
The Sassafras River Water Trail is a 22 mile-long route located in the Upper region of the Chesapeake Bay. The river trail offers several options for paddle trips in beautiful landscapes that are rich in history.
Opens on the Park Service site - Multi-Park Loop
Park your car and stretch your legs! Visit four different National Parks in Washington, DC and begin logging miles on seven different National Historic or National Scenic trails!
Opens on the Park Service site - Boating in Rock Creek Park
Rent kayaks, canoes and stand up paddle boards from one of two boat houses along the Potomac River.
Opens on the Park Service site - Paddle the Baltimore Blueway1-6 Hours
Choose from 30 miles of trails in the Inner Harbor, Outer Harbor, Middle Branch, and Patapsco River. Imagine yourself gliding alongside historic ships, seeing the skyline from the water, and paddling around Fort McHenry. Take a selfie with Mr.
Opens on the Park Service site - Bicycle to a marina from Reedville, Virginia1-2 Days
Bicycle from Reedville, an historic village at the northeastern part of the Northern Neck of Virginia, to a marina for a fishing trip or charter tour on the Potomac and Chesapeake Bay.
Opens on the Park Service site - Bicycle between Point Lookout and Leonardtown, MD4-10 Hours
Bicycling on a section of the Southern Maryland PHT On-Road Bicycling Route between Point Lookout and Leondardtown, MD
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 12Hide
- Explore the tidal Potomac from the Northern Neck by boat2-8 Hours
Through the watermen’s heritage tour program, visitors to Tidewater Virginia, including the Northern Neck, can experience the time-honored history and traditions of working watermen through a customized tour.
Opens on the Park Service site - Explore by bicycle from Westmoreland State Park1 Day
With Westmoreland State Park as a base, ride a loop connected with the Northern Neck Heritage Trail to explore Stratford Hall, the birthplace of George Washington, Colonial Beach, wineries, historic sites and the Potomac River shoreline.
Opens on the Park Service site - Paddle the Potomac River
Beginning at Jennings Randolph Lake to the mouth of the Potomac, you may choose to paddle the 355 miles to the Chesapeake Bay or take a single or multi-day trip; all will give you a different view of the ways that previous residents used the river…
Opens on the Park Service site - Paddle the Patuxent River Water Trail
The Patuxent River Water Trail offers visitors the opportunity to paddle the river, camp along its banks and visit its numerous parks, historic sites, sanctuaries and wildlife areas.
Opens on the Park Service site - Paddle the Anacostia Water Trail1-6 Hours
Discover the natural abundance of the Anacostia River as it threads through the heart of Washington, DC. Watch birds on Kingman Island or dock at the National Arboretum and roam the forest.
Opens on the Park Service site - Paddle Mattaponi Creek2 Hours
This 3.5 mile journey along Mattaponi Creek departs from Selby's Landing within Patuxent River Park.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for the South
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Camping in the national parks · Canoeing and kayaking in the national parks · Fishing in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
Questions people ask
Does Captain John Smith Chesapeake charge an entrance fee?
No. Captain John Smith Chesapeake is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
Is Captain John Smith Chesapeake open year-round?
Yes. The grounds are open 24 hours a day, year-round.
Source: National Park Service
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
