PA Statewide Major Greenway Status

On March 11, Cindy Adams Dunn, secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), joined trail supporters and government officials at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve to announce the official designation of the 9/11 National Memorial Trail as a Statewide Major Greenway.

Watch the Full Ceremony

 The trail traverses 903 miles and spans 25 counties in Pennsylvania, including 16 local trails. One of these trails is the Delaware Canal State Park Towpath, recently named Pennsylvania’s 2022 Trail of the Year. The 9/11 National Memorial Trail serves as a tribute to the fallen heroes and first responders who committed their lives and perished during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
 
“We at DCNR are proud to designate the 9/11 National Memorial Trail as a Statewide Major Greenway,” Dunn said. “It is impossible to understate the meaning this trail has for Pennsylvania and our nation as a whole. This designation is also important for our department’s mission of closing priority trail gaps, as they form the major arteries of the statewide land and water trail network, which benefits recreation, health, transportation, economy, tourism, and other benefits to residents throughout the Commonwealth.”
 
“The designation affirms our strong partnership with DCNR and allows us to access additional grants and support,” said Tom Baxter, president of the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance.
 
“The trail and this special designation allows Pennsylvanians to harness the great outdoors, forever commemorate our heroes, and memorialize the innocent lives that our nation lost on 9/11,” said U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Bucks County.

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