Neighborhood Heritage Trails

DC Mayor Vincent Gray poses with fellow H Streeters Preston Herald, Jr., and Marquis Lyons at the unveiling of Hub, Home, Heart: Greater H Street NE Heritage Trail, September 15, 2012.  [Photo courtesy the DC Government's website.]

Cultural Tourism DC's Neighborhood Heritage Trails are the official walking trails of Washington, DC. Take a stroll through DC history when you follow one our our self-guided walking trails. Each trail sign combines stories, historic photos, and maps. Explore, shop, exercise, and enjoy a bite to eat -- all at your own pace.  Download a copy of our brochure describing all of our heritage Trails.

"It's amazing how much one can learn by just walking around. And Cultural Tourism DC gets it done on that front. If you've ever seen the signs around town, then you know what I'm talking about. My basic advice is to read every single one you see. You will learn a lot. There's a new one up along H Street and it's all the rage - so much so that even NBC4's Pat Collins showed up for a tour recently. The Post's Emily Wax chronicles how this historical walkway came to be in Northeast."
-The Root DC

Access the Downtown Heritage Trail and Greater U Street Heritage Trail on your mobile device! The mobile app, which features location-aware maps, historic images, and 1st-person interviews with a wide range of notable DC residents, is available on iPhones, Androids, and any smartphones with a full Internet browser. Visitors can simply go to http://dc.toursphere.com to access the app.

Cultural Tourism DC Audio Journeys are now available for the Downtown Heritage Trail and the Greater U Street Heritage Trail! These free tours take listeners by the ear and leads them through the streets of Washington, telling the city’s great stories in dramatic fashion.

Roads to Diversity: Adams Morgan Heritage Trail

Tour of Duty: Barracks Row Heritage Trail

Battleground to Community: Brightwood Heritage Trail

Cultural Convergence: Columbia Heights Heritage Trail

A Self-Reliant People: Greater Deanwood Heritage Trail

Civil War to Civil Rights: Downtown Heritage Trail - Download free audio tour

Make No Little Plans: Federal Triangle Heritage Trail

Hub, Home, Heart: Greater H Street NE Heritage Trail

The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail corridor is filled with history, culture and outdoor adventure. The Trail network embraces both shores of the tidal Potomac River; the escarpment within the Nation’s capital; and trails within the Piedmont and the Blue Ridge; and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath. Bridging the Eastern Continental Divide, the Great Allegheny Passage traverses the Allegheny Plateau to connect with the Forks of the Ohio and the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail.

Three of Cultural Tourism DC’s Neighbor Heritage Trails are found along the Potomac Heritage Trail route: Deanwood, Brightwood, and Southwest.