Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail triangular sign logo features a blue river winding through black hills with a white silhouette of the capital building in the center-right of the image.

 

Established: March 28, 1983
Managing Nonprofit: Potomac Heritage Trail Association
Managing Agency: National Park Service

 

Close-up map of the PHNST featuring the trail highlighted in pink

Map of the PHNST is a screenshot from the PNTS Interactive Map of the National Trails System.

The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (PHNST) offers numerous outdoor recreation opportunities whether you prefer to hike, bike, or paddle the Potomac and Youghiogheny Rivers. The network of trails that together form the PHNST include the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, part of the Great Allegheny Passage, the Mount Vernon Trail, and more. The Trail also connects with the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route, and the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail.

Northwestern Terminus: Laurel Ridge State Park, Pennsylvania

Southeastern Terminus: The mouth of the Potomac River, Virginia

The PHNST passes through three states: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington D.C.