The Mount Vernon Trail in Virginia has been named the 2026 Hall of Fame Trail by the Rails to Trails Conservancy. The 18.5-mile path received 58 percent of the public vote during a voting period held between August 5 and August 16.
The trail was selected alongside two other national nominees, the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail and the Historic Battlefield Trail in Texas. The national organization has recognized multiuse trails through its Hall of Fame program since 2007, evaluating paths on historical significance, accessibility, management, and community impact.
Originating in the early 1970s through community advocacy led by Alexandria residents Ellen Pickering and Barbara Lynch, the trail now serves as a key segment of the Capital Trails Network. The developing network aims to connect more than 1,000 miles of trails across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, with nearly 53 percent of the project completed.
Running between Theodore Roosevelt Island and George Washington’s estate at Mount Vernon, the paved route links several historic and ecological landmarks. Sites along the path include Old Town Alexandria, Jones Point Park, the Lyndon B. Johnson Memorial Grove, and the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve.
The trail’s stewardship continues through the volunteer organization Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail, which conducts weekly maintenance events and manages facility upgrades. The path also provides commuter access and recreation across the greater Washington metropolitan region.
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