Potomac Heritage

National Park Service U.S. Depdrtment of the lnterior Potomac Heritage Trail George Washington Memorial Parkway #& *@_ wtre K'ffi ',t?.' e& .,#l6e Wild Discoveries Within the Beltway Bridge at Lirtle Falls ott tlte Potor t nc. ab ot' e G e orget ozt t t. The.first bridge rloss tlrc Potonnc Rit.'er, at tJte cut'rertt locatiort of Chain Bridge. Painted b,- Beuiarnin Latrobe, March 1798. cotu'tex, of the Nlaryl an d Hi st ori c al S o ci e t1'. Points of lnterest The Potornac Heritage Trail (PHT) u-inds for 10 miies along the Potomac fur'er^ througft -steep. rockr hill-side,s. tbrested stream I'al1er s and r eals of hrstori. Fol centunes, \atir-e Antericans ln'ed and traded along this route. Captain John Smith explored Ihe arca in 1608. George \\ ashington envisioned this part of the Potomac as the beginning of a "great The PHT rs a segment of the Potomac Heritage \ational Scenic Trail (PH\ST). The PH\ST is a 125-mile corridor of trails benr-een the Chesapeake Bav and -\lleghenr Highlands. For more informatitrn avenue into the Vlestern Countrr,." The rivcr u,as the dividing line beti,r,een North and South during the Civil rWar. Quarries, mills, and farms along the Potomac helped create a strong local economy and provided material for the development of \X/ashington, DC. Tbda1., the area serves as a haven for wlldlife and outdoor recreation, preserved within the George Washington Memorial Parkway. E-mail: phnst@ np s. gov, lWeb : uuu.np s. goa / p oh e about the PH\ST. contact: Potomac Heritage National Scenic tail P.O. Box B, Harpers Ferry, \(V 25425 For information on local projects and activities, contact the Potomac Heritage Trail Association at l-888-223-4093, by e-mail at info@potomactrail.org, or vislt their website at www.potomactrail.org. Mile-O: At the trailhead, George Masc"rn IY the Mile-4.9: Above Chain Bridge are the preserved author of the Virginla Bill of Rights, ran a ferryboat business to Georgetorvn. His son, John. built a home on the island in the 1790s. The \llson fam j\- ,rs ned U.S. Armv in 1861 to defend the bridge. Todav it is earthr'vorks of Ft. Marc1,, which was built bv the onc of the t'eu' remainins eramnles of the 58 folts much ot the land \.ou \\'11i hrke on. Mile-l: Looking out towards the river, you can see Three Sisters Island, the focus of a Native Amerlcan story crafted to warn children of the deceptivelv calm Potomac River currents. Legend has it that the sisters disobeyed their father and tried to cross the river to vislt an enemv tribe. The strong current capsized their r.essel and the sisters drowned in a rvhirlpool. A great storm raged and the rockf islands appeared the follorving dav. Some people belier,e that rvhen the skies are dark and stormr,-. _vou can still Mile-1.7: Just bevond \l'indi-Run lies the rust\' MiIe-8.2: Hiking along the floodplain, \.ou cross remains of 19th-centurl boiiels used to quarr\' Potomac blue stone. The dln of erplosions, the sounds of hammels on steel drill bars and the tou ns are gone, but historr is preserved in cifl'buildings constructed from this stone. Turker-Run and Dead Run (mile 9.-1). tu'o of the healthiest streams in the region. Carefullv turn a rock oter and look closeh.ior larvae of caddisflr. mar-flr'and stoneflr. These insects are intolerant to pollution and are considered biological rndicators Located between Theodore Roosevelt Island and I-495 (at the American Legion Bridge), the PHT is administered by: George \Tashington Memorial Parkway c/o Tirrkey Run Park, Virginia District Ranger Mclean, YA 22lUl 7 03-289 -2500 toutut.nps.goa l*Dmp 7 supports a diversitv of plants and animals. The water gauge (mile 7.2) recorded the river levels from the hear the sistels crving. mouth of Pimmit Run at Chain Blidge. In August 181.1, President James Nladison's panicked staff hid the Declaration of Independence rn flour sacks in this mill as British soldiers invaded the crn'and burned the \X,rhlte House. I Mile-7: Tirrkey Run Park, a 700-acre area, 1930s to the 1960s. The highest recording 28.6 feet - was in Nlarch 1936. At that Ievel, the urater ll'ou1d have been abclut 15 feet above the trail. A short distance from the gauge is a soapstone quarrv and a quartz outcrop. Native Americans living in or trar-eling through this area mav har,e used both, as thcv t'ere valuable commodrties. Nfife-4.1: A gristmili once opcrated ncar tlic r and 9i cattene: ihat once encrrcieci and protecred \\ashington during the Civil \\:ar. National Park Service staff and Potomac Appalachian Tiail Club (PATC) volunteers maintain the PHT. For more information about PAIC, contact: Potomac Appalachian Trail Club 7 03-242-0693, ext. t2 wlow.patc.net ol'good $ater qualin. As vou u,alk in the footsteps of Native Amelicans. explorers and laborers, help ensure that futule generations can rvalk rn vours bv protecting the traiL and its resources. PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND ENJOY! . Pack out everything you brought into the park. . Keep )rour pet on a leash & clean up after it. . Please do not pick any plants or remove any animals or culturai artifacts. . No bicycles are permitted on the trail. . Beware of poison iv"v, stinging nettles, and ticks. Potomac Heritage Trail (PHT) LEGEND & E m B Access Points Park Headquarte15, George Washrngton Memorial Parkway Parking Re.troom5 (Seasonal) lelephone _*_*_r*11'LE Potomac Heritaoe Trail (8lue Bla:e) and Distance Marker T.ails Besides walking the PHT from one end to the other, you may access the trail at several other points for shorter hikes. The following descriptions will help you find the trailheads. Live Oak Drive Limited parking is available in the residential cul-de-sac at the end of Live Oak Drive. PHT starts at the lower. rlght side of the cul-de-sac and descends to the rir.er bank. ,rr*i/ Turkey Run Park The park is accessibie from both north- and southbound Tu r key Run Fark George \Washington Memorial Parkway (G\flMP). Park in one of three parking lots. Yellow-blazed traiis leading to the PHT on the river bank go north 0.3 miles (upriver) from lot C1. t bo* d* Fort Marcy The parking lot is only accessible from the northbound side of G\7MR which means entering GS7MP northbound lanes at the Key Bridge/Rosslyn interchange (or from further south). The PHT diagonally crosses through the parking lot. North Glebe Road at Route '123 Park on west side of N. Glebe under the bridge for GWMP. Towpath and PHT Circuit Hike (9.2 miles): Cross Chain Bridge; descend stairs to C&O Canal Towpath. Head downriver to Key Bridge, go up stairs and across Kev Bridge. Thke paved path from Lynn Street which goes over GV/MP to the parking area for fll"" n^rln Gltb. Ao.d N. Glebe Road. 6ult Eranci Xaluta Crnlcr Gulf Branch Park on shoulder of 36th Road at intersection of Nelson Streer. A 0.4 mile traii starts at 36th Road and descends to, and follows, Gulf Branch to reach PHT. Option: park at Gulf Branch Nature Center (Arlington County) and hike 0.8 miles to PHT. E ffi Da Poto Donaldson Run Use one of the parking lots near the turn-around at the end of Marcey Road in Potomac Overlook Park. Hike on the paved driveway, 0.2 mile, leading to the Nature Center (on your right). At 0.1 mile, pass the Nature Center, bear left on a trail which descends to and follows Donaldson Run. Total distance to PHT is 0.7 miles. The final, steep descent under the bridge may be slippery in wet weather. g ts Ne lr;e C$.lir Drive FtI a Windy Run -S7indy Due to a major rockslide, the Run access is closed until furtirer notice. CaIl the National Park Service for more infor.rnation at703-289-2500. Theodore Roosevelt Island At Theodore Roosevelt Island, the PHT starts at the west end of the parking lot. There is ample parking, but the lot is only accessible from the northbound side of G\7MP. Hikers may also reach the site by foot from Rossiyn by following a paved path that starts at Lynn Street, next to the Rosslyn exit of westbound I-66. The path crosses GS(/MP via a pedestrian/bike bridge. 0 Sor.lyn L.lro t oua4 EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA