Potomac Heritage Trail

Contact: phnst@nps.gov
Phone: Visitor Information 202-619-7222 <br> Visitor Information 301-739-4200 <br> Visitor Information 703-289-2500 <br> Visitor Information 412-455-3744 <br> Visitor Information Recorded Message 888-ATA-BIKE

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Citizens in the Potomac Heritage Trail corridor are rediscovering history and reclaiming access to rivers and other outdoor places. The designation of a Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail corridor in 1983, an amendment to the National Trails System Act, is being used by communities in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia and Pennsylvania to develop and make connections among trails, historic sites and a range of recreational and educational opportunities.

Four trails are currently recognized as segments of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail: - the 184.5-mile C & O Canal Towpath between Georgetown (in the District of Columbia) and Cumberland, Md., managed by Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park;

- the 17-mile Mount Vernon Trail in northern Virginia, managed by George Washington Memorial Parkway;

- the 70-mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail between Ohiopyle and Seward, Penn., managed by Laurel Ridge State Park, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; and

- the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage between Cumberland, Md., and Ohiopyle and between Pittsburgh, Penn., and Ohiopyle, managed by an alliance of organizations and agencies.

Many other existing and planned trails--in southern Maryland, Northern Virginia, the Northern Neck, and District of Columbia--contribute to the concept of the National Scenic Trail.

More info at http://www.nps.gov/pohe

West Virginia Park

Exploring the Appalachian Trail: Hikes in the Virginias (Book) by David Lillard and Gwyn Hicks

Exploring the Appalachian Trail: Hikes in the Virginias (Book) by David Lillard and Gwyn Hicks

Price: $19.95*
(Online Sports)

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Part of a 5-book series covering day hikes and a few overnighters on the Appalachian Trail. This one has 45 hikes in Virginia and West Virginia. Includes topo maps, elevation profiles, route difficulty, natural and historic features. 416 pages.


Merchant: Online Sports


Atlas & Gazetteer: West Virginia

Atlas & Gazetteer: West Virginia

Price: $19.95*
(Online Sports)

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These over-size maps offer full state coverage of things important to outdoor users, such as back roads, dirt roads and trails, hidden lakes and streams, boat ramps, public lands, trailheads, campsites, and unique natural features. Most atlases have elevation contours.


Merchant: Online Sports