How to Find the Source of the Potomac River
It should be noted that there are actually two branches of the Potomac River. While the source of the southern branch is near Petersburg, West Virginia and joins the Potomac near Old Town, Maryland, the northern branch is the more significant. In the early history of the United States, Lord Fairfax of England sent surveyors up the Potomac River to its northernmost source, its headwaters. There he declared all points east to be his land. The boundary line can be seen on any Maryland map as the southernmost point of the Maryland panhandle.
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Instructions
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Find the Town Silver Lake on the West Virginia map. The town is located 164 miles west of Washington, D.C. and accessible off I-68, south, on US Highway 219.
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Drive up the crest, south of town and follow directional signs to the Fairfax Stone and the headwaters of the Potomac. There will be wind turbines on the horizon. Take a left turn at the gravel pit.
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Take the narrow road west for two miles. The road ends at a paved circle.
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Walk down the ridge to the Fairfax Stone. A large granite boulder with an aqua colored metal plate describing its historical significance. The boulder was obviously placed by state officials using heavy equipment. The Lord Fairfax surveyors surely placed a much smaller stone.
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Note that the ravine just below the stone is the source of the Potomac. In the spring and early summer, the brook bubbles from the mountainside and begins its run to the Chesapeake and Atlantic. In autumn, the brook is muddy, with little flow, and various pools of water. Also, in the spring, the adjacent clearing is covered in wildflowers. During autumn, the leaves are changing and many have fallen, carpeting the creek bed.
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Take a few steps from the bank, run and jump the Potomac. Anyone who lives down river of this location and is aware of the river’s natural and historical relevance will appreciate this effort. Rather, take a coin, preferably a dollar, and toss it across, similar to the Washington legend and then retrieve the dollar.
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Explore downstream if visiting in autumn. Since there is no trail, use the creek bed and a GPS device as a guide. Within a mile, the stream will gain some strength. Return to your automobile.
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Tips & Warnings
Make camping reservations at any of the area campgrounds. Campgrounds tend to be less full during weekdays. Hotel accommodations of every price range are available in Cumberland, Maryland, roughly an hour away.
Visit Blackwater State Park, located just south in Thomas, West Virginia.
Resources
- Photo Credit James Barnett
