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Maryland trails · Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

A 119.6-mile section of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail in Maryland, with 605 ft of climbing. The full trail runs about 710 miles. Reaches Little Pool and other lake/spring/summit destinations. Managed by the National Park Service.

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Length
119.6 mi
Elevation gain
605 ft
Difficulty
Moderate
Max grade
43%
Steepest mile
+359 ft
Tread at ≥10% grade
0.7 mi
Shape
point-to-point
Bikes
yes
Horses
yes
Managed by
National Park Service

Elevation profile

288 – 630 ft115294357718599113

Most of the climbing sits in the final third — 73% of the ascent, between mile 79.7 and mile 119.6. It gives back about 465 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.

Reaches

Heads up

Stream ford: expect at least one unbridged crossing.

Getting there

Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail access — water. 39.64812, -78.76396 · directions

Daylight at the trailhead

On August 31, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:14 a.m., the sun rises at 6:41 a.m. and sets at 7:48 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 8:15 p.m. (EDT) — 13 h 06 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 119.6-mile route works out to roughly 44 h 36 min of walking — more than a single day of daylight here, so plan it as an overnight or hike it in sections.

Loop options

Nearby trails