Outdoor Expo organizations: Appalachian Mountain Club Audubon Naturalist Society Canoe Cruisers Association Leisure World of Virginia Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy National Park Service Potomac Appalachian Trail Club Potomac Conservancy Potomac Heritage Trail Association Sierra Club Metropolitan Regional Outings Program

Directions: The National Trails Day celebration will take place near the community of Lansdowne east of the town of Leesburg. To reach Elizabeth Mills Riverfront Park and outdoor expo from Leesburg Pike (Route 7), drive north on Belmont Ridge Road until you cross Riverside Parkway. Stay straight as the road becomes Upper Belmont Place. Turn left at Belmont Ridge Middle School and park at the Kiss and Go lot adjacent to the school. Shuttle buses will drive visitors to the new park and expo. For information contact the Potomac Heritage Trail Association at www.potomactrail.org or call 703-430-0568.

The event will run rain or shine

Food and Drink Available

   Bring your family where a splendid time is guaranteed for all!

This event is sponsored by the Potomac Heritage Trail Association and the Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services.

This beautiful Loudoun County Park and trail will stretch for over four miles along Goose Creek and the magnificent Potomac River. Highlights of the event include a ribbon cutting ceremony with Northern Virginia political leaders and an outdoor expo with several major wilderness organizations. Enjoy live folk music, food and beverage, and a bird and wildlife demonstration with the Audubon Naturalist Society and Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy. The National Park Service will talk about the history and natural history of the Potomac River, while the Potomac Conservancy will have a tree planting ceremony as well as interpretive displays for children. Outdoor activities include canoeing on Goose Creek and the Potomac River with the Canoe Cruisers Association, as well as hikes along the Potomac River with the Appalachian Mountain Club and Sierra Club Metropolitan Washington Regional Outings Program. The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club will demonstrate trail construction techniques, while the Potomac Heritage Trail Association will offer a display of future plans for the Potomac Heritage Trail.

When completed, the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail will stretch for over 700 miles through Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Beginning at the Forks of the Ohio in Pittsburgh, the trail travels through the Allegheny Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay on both shores of the Potomac. Just a few of the highlights include Great Allegheny Passage, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, Harpers Ferry, Great Falls, Mount Vernon, Tidewater Virginia, and of course the nation’s capital at Washington D.C. Historical interpretation will be an important part of the traveling experience with the Potomac River standing at the very heart of American history. The story of Native Americans, colonial America, the Civil War, and the modern era will all be told. George Washington is the true father of the Potomac Heritage Trail with his entire life centering on our national river from his birth at Wakefield to his final resting place at Mount Vernon.

The Potomac Heritage Trail will pass through an almost endless array of natural parks and preserves. The trail will be perfect for hikers, bikers, paddlers, horseback riders, and anyone who enjoys the outdoors. The trail is perfect for both families with small children, as well as long distance hikers looking for a day on the trail. It can be safe to say that exploring the Potomac Heritage Trail will become one of America’s greatest experiences.

Glenn Gillis
703-430-0568
glennpotomacfalls@yahoo.com

Download an Event Flyer (PDF document)

Download the Event Guide (Word document)