About 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!
Plan a Visit
Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.
Weather & Conditions
Weather associated with the PHT network is typical of a temperate climate, with four distinct seasons and variable precipitation throughout the year. Temperatures can vary from a high of 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer to 0 degrees in the winter.
NPS Reference Location
Park state / territory membership: District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.
Operating Hours
The Trail is open year-round, weather permitting. Our partners who manage specific sections of the trails may have seasonal openings and closings. Please refer to our Operating Hours & Seasons page for more information.
Activities
Getting There
The administrative office for the NPS Potomac Heritage NST is located at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park headquarters.
View Official DirectionsContact & Address
The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.
Topics & Themes
Things To Do
Volunteer to complete the PHT in Northern Virginia
Volunteers are essential to complete the PHT network in Northern Virginia.
Explore the Civil War Defenses of Washington Hiker-Biker Trail
Hike or bike the 7-mile trail from Fort Stanton to Fort Mahan and take in scenery that ranges from urban…
Multi-Park Loop
Park your car and stretch your legs! Visit four different National Parks in Washington, DC and begin logging miles on…
Bike the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail in Prince William Forest Park
Discover Northern Virginia's best kept secret and bike along the park’s Scenic Drive.
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…
Explore the Trails at Meadowood
Hike, Bike, and Horseback Ride at Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area.
More Things to Do
Additional activities and experiences from the National Park Service.
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.…
Bicycle Confluence to Big Savage Mountain
To reach Big Savage Mountain on the Eastern Continental Divide loop, bicycle 46 miles from Confluence (GAP Mile 61.3) to Frostburg (GAP…
Bicycle the Great Allegheny Passage
The 70-mile section of the GAP between Cumberland, Maryland, and Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania, is popular for bicycling.
Boating in Rock Creek Park
Rent kayaks, canoes and stand up paddle boards from one of two boat houses along the Potomac River.
Take the Scenic Route on the Potomac Heritage Trail
There are many places to access the Potomac Heritage Trail, including many connector trails from county parks.
Wildlife Watching - Oldtown C&O Canal
Head down the C&O Canal NHP towpath in Oldtown, Maryland into a rare ecosystem mirroring that of the West. Spot a variety…
Take a Boat Ride on the Canal
Today, visitors can enjoy life on the canal during a free replica canal launch boat program at Williamsport. During the late 19th…
Wildlife Watching - Riverbend Park
Step onto the Potomac Heritage Trail at Riverbend Park and look out for bald eagles, osprey, belted kingfishers, mergansers, and more!
Wildlife Watching - Government Island
Located in Stafford, VA, this section of trail offers a boardwalk through a freshwater wetland and marsh habitat and a loop around…
Wildlife Watching - Point Lookout State Park
At the terminus of the PHT lays Point Lookout, a Maryland State Park known for its history, but also its birding. Birding…
Become an Oxon Hill Farm Junior Ranger
Oxon Hill Farm Junior Ranger Program
Take a walk through time to the bank of the Potomac River
Take a two-mile walk from the parking area to access the shoreline of the Potomac River to relax along the river, search…
Showing 18 of 53 NPS Things to Do records available for Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.
Visitor Centers
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…
Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center - Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
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…
Nearby National Park Service Sites
These sites are ordered by straight-line distance between NPS reference coordinates. This is useful for comparison, but it is not road mileage. Trails, parkways, rivers, and distributed units may extend far from their reference point.
Nearby Cities for Trip Planning
These cities are ordered by straight-line distance from the NPS reference coordinate. They are comparison starting points, not official park gateways or road-distance estimates. Trails and other distributed units may extend far beyond this reference point.
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