Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
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!
About under an hour from Washington and 1 hours from Baltimore by car.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
It is generally free to use the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail; however, some local, state, or federal parks may charge a fee, require reservations, or require permits for parking, camping, or entrance along various sections of the Trail.
Hours
| Always open | Daily · All Day |
Visitor centers
- Williamsport Visitor Center - Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park ↗Passport stamp
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.
- Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center - Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park ↗Passport stamp
The Great Falls Tavern originally functioned as one of the many lockhouses along the canal and serviced thousands of boats that passed through Lock 20 on the way to and from Cumberland, MD and Georgetown in Washington, DC.
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
- Volunteer to complete the PHT in Northern Virginia
Volunteers are essential to complete the PHT network in Northern Virginia.
Opens on the Park Service site - Explore the Civil War Defenses of Washington Hiker-Biker Trail1-5 Hours
Hike or bike the 7-mile trail from Fort Stanton to Fort Mahan and take in scenery that ranges from urban greenspaces to forest ecosystems, all while recreating through a historic landscape.
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 - Bike the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail in Prince William Forest Park1-3 Hours
Discover Northern Virginia's best kept secret and bike along the park’s Scenic Drive.
Opens on the Park Service site - Skiing and Snowshoeing the C&O Canal Towpath
During the winter months, the C&O Canal may accumulate enough snow for winter activities like skiing and snowshoeing. Visitors can step out onto the towpath and enjoy a short or multi-mile journey along the historic canal
Opens on the Park Service site - Explore the Trails at Meadowood1-4 Hours
Hike, Bike, and Horseback Ride at Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area.
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 12Hide
- Skiing and Snowshoeing the Great Allegheny Passage
Although it is not groomed for cross-country skiing, the Great Allegheny Passage offers a beautiful winter landscape for snowshoers and cross-country skiers.
Opens on the Park Service site - Bicycle Confluence to Big Savage Mountain1-2 Days
To reach Big Savage Mountain on the Eastern Continental Divide loop, bicycle 46 miles from Confluence (GAP Mile 61.3) to Frostburg (GAP Mile 15.5) on the Great Allegheny Passage, then 8+ miles on-road to the northern trailhead for the Big Savage…
Opens on the Park Service site - Bicycle the Great Allegheny Passage1-3 Days
The 70-mile section of the GAP between Cumberland, Maryland, and Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania, is popular for bicycling.
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 - Take the Scenic Route on the Potomac Heritage Trail1-8 Hours
There are many places to access the Potomac Heritage Trail, including many connector trails from county parks.
Opens on the Park Service site - Wildlife Watching - Oldtown C&O Canal2-4 Hours
Head down the C&O Canal NHP towpath in Oldtown, Maryland into a rare ecosystem mirroring that of the West. Spot a variety of wildlife and dragonfly species in this secluded hotspot.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
News
- NPS Invites Public Input for the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail Comprehensive Plan ↗2026-05-07
The National Park Service is creating the first Comprehensive Plan for the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, a major step toward strengthening connections across this regionally significant trail network.
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 Mid-Atlantic
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBald Eagle 23× · Red Fox 13× · Osprey 6× · Belted Kingfisher 3× · Eastern Fox Squirrel 3× · Red Junglefowl 2× · Mute Swan 2×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 0 birds, 1 mammalsHide
Small mammalsEastern Gray Squirrel
Activities
Activity guides for this park Camping in the national parks · Canoeing and kayaking in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
Questions people ask
Does Potomac Heritage charge an entrance fee?
No. Potomac Heritage is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
Is Potomac Heritage 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.
Nearby units
