Schuylkill River Trail 
Valley Forge, Penn., to Philadelphia, Penn.
22 miles one way (asphalt and gravel)
For a quick pedal through history, look no farther than the Schuylkill River Trail, a path that runs along the axis of American independence from Philadelphia to Valley Forge, where George Washington's Continental Army spent the frigid winter of 1777-1778. Winding along the banks of the Schuylkill River, the asphalt-and-gravel trail travels 22 miles on an abandoned section of the Pennsylvania Railroad line; if the Schuylkill River Trail Initiative has its way, the trail will soon shadow all 140 miles of the Schuylkill River. For a shorter trip, explore the segment that runs along Schuylkill Banks in downtown Philadelphia. From there, it's a short ride to Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and the "Rocky" steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
MORE INFO: The Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area

Capital Crescent Trail
Washington, D.C., to Silver Spring, Md.
11 miles one way (paved)
Though it once served as the Georgetown branch of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, the Capital Crescent Trail is now one of the busiest rail trails in the nation, providing a route for commuters shuttling between Washington, D.C., and the district's Maryland suburbs. Paved except for a temporary gravel path between Bethesda and Rosemary Springs, the 11-mile trail has been under construction since the late 1980s, when the Montgomery County Government and the National Park Service began purchasing major rights-of-way. Current plans for a light rail line connecting D.C.'s subway lines might put rails back alongside a short segment of the trail by 2016. But until then, enjoy the trail's 3 winding miles alongside the Potomac River and a jaunt across the 80-foot-high Rock Creek Trestle, which spans the Rock Creek Valley. For a longer trip, connect with the 14-mile-long Rock Creek Trail, or the 184.5 mile-long Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath.
MORE INFO: Coalition for the Capital Crescent Trail

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