In 1983, Congress amended the National Trails System Act, designating a corridor between the Chesapeake Bay and the Laurel Highlands in the upper Ohio River basin of western Pennsylvania for a "Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail." To date, three trails have been recognized as "official" segments: the 184.5-mile C&O Canal Towpath, administered by the C&O Canal National Historical Park; the 17-mile Mount Vernon Trail, administered by George Washington Memorial Parkway; and the 75-mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The Secretary of the Interior was authorized to recognize additional components of the Trail upon application from the states or local government agencies if such segments would be managed at no expense to the United States.

Today, the concept of a Potomac Heritage Trail (PHNST) is supported by citizen's organizations, towns, cities, county tourism offices, regional park and planning agencies, state agencies, and the National Park Service and other federal agencies. The PHNST corridor designation provides an opportunity to create and maintain thematic and physical connections between and among local trail networks and associated educational and outdoor recreational resources; it is one of twenty-two national scenic and historic trails and trail corridors in the United States, and provides a window into the complexity of eastern biological communities and places synonymous with the history, culture, and evolution of the United States.

Ultimate realization of the PHNST concept would include continuous recreational trails in counties adjacent to the Potomac River, and a network of side trails connecting to other scenic and historic resources in the corridor. This evolving network of trails provides a framework to tell the many stories of each region in the corridor to residents and visitors alike. Thus, the Potomac Heritage Trail would have many partners and many points of entry and exit, all in support of a consistently high-quality recreational and interpretive experience for people of all ages, abilities and interests.

While this concept has been eagerly embraced by numerous local and regional agencies and organizations, there are significant portions of the corridor that are not served by properly designated and managed trails and that have yet to explore how they might take advantage of the PHNST legislation. For a local trail to become designated as an official segment of the PHNST, a local government, state agency or other responsible entity must guarantee its long-term viability through development of a management plan. The organizational effort and financial commitment necessary to develop a credible management plan generally requires a sustained campaign by local supporters.

The Potomac Trail Council lends its full support to several critical program and project areas related to the federally designated Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (PHNST). In the last year there has been a great deal of forward movement toward the realization of this project but much more work is needed. We are well into route planning with local groups and governments along the length of the trail and in some places we are ready to add more trail segments and critical linkages, like bridges, to parts of the trail already in place. Continued success in making progress depends on continued support for this project from the Department of Interior other federal agencies, corporate organizations, foundations and others that are able to help support trail planning and construction.