sunset over a river
Watch the sunset over the Potomac River NPS Photo / Steve Dean

Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

Federal Recreation Area · District of Columbia · National Park Service

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 your visit

Know before you go

Phone
301-739-4200
Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

Directions on Google Maps →

What's here

Highlights: Architecture and Building · American Revolution · Farming and Agriculture · Forts · Military · Artillery · Armories · Battlefields · Transportation · Canals · Tunnels · Trains and Railroads · Animals · Forests and Woodlands · River and Riparian · Scenic Views · Watersheds

Activities & features: Biking · Camping · Hiking · Paddling · Junior Ranger Program · Wildlife Watching

Photos

  • A bicycle sits on a bright summer day overlooking the rolling mountains in the distance.
    NPS Photo
  • blue flowers bloom next to a trail
    NPS Photo / Stephanie Spencer

Nearby parks

Parks of District of Columbia

African American Civil War MemorialWashington MonumentRock Creek ParkFranklin Delano Roosevelt MemorialCivil War Defenses of WashingtonWorld War I MemorialTheodore Roosevelt IslandGeorge Washington Memorial ParkwayPennsylvania AvenueCarter G. Woodson Home National Historic SiteKorean War Veterans MemorialThomas Jefferson MemorialThe White House and President's ParkCapitol Hill ParksMary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic SiteConstitution GardensFord's Theatre National Historic SiteFort Dupont ParkMartin Luther King, Jr. MemorialFrederick Douglass National Historic SiteKenilworth Park & Aquatic GardensBelmont-Paul Women's Equality National MonumentDwight D. Eisenhower MemorialLBJ Memorial Grove on the PotomacLincoln MemorialChesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical ParkVietnam Veterans MemorialWorld War II MemorialNational Mall and Memorial ParksAnacostia ParkNational Capital Parks-East

32 parks mapped in District of Columbia

You're looking at Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail — the gold marker.

Every dot is a park. Tap one to jump to it.

Browse all District of Columbia parks →

Sources: National Park Service · updated 2026-08-12