Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail
Journey through early American history and walk in the footsteps of our nation’s founding fathers as you explore the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route. This National Historic Trail commemorates over 680 miles of land and water trails followed by the allied armies of General George Washington and the French Lieutenant General Comte Jean de Rochambeau. During their 1781 march from Newport, Rhode Island to Yorktown, Virginia, the French army established an encampment on what is now the Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA). A segment of this trail connects with a BLM system of trails crossing the SRMA on the historic Mason Neck Peninsula, just a short drive from the nation’s capital. At Meadowood, the trail transects open meadows, enters into mature hardwood forests, and crosses riparian wetlands. While in the area, visit Gunston Hall, the home of Founding Father George Mason, a strong supporter of individual liberties and the author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights. Many of the concepts in that document found embodiment in the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights.
Phone
Geographic Coordinates
Directions
From Interstate 95 South: Exit 163 to Lorton. Turn left onto Lorton Rd, continue under second overpass and turn right onto Lorton Market St. Continue approximately 1.5 mile U.S. Route 1. Proceed straight through intersection with Route 1, when the road name changes to Gunston Rd. Continue for Ѕ miles; the Mason Neck Gateway is on the right. The trailhead for the route begins at the gateway.
From Interstate 95 North: Take exit 161 to Lorton, U.S. Route 1 North. Proceed about 1.5 miles to first stop light. Turn right onto Gunston Rd. Go about Ѕ miles, and the entrance on right.