The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail follows the routes Captain John Smith's explored in 1607-1609 as he mapped the Chesapeake and established relationships with the American Indians he met. Like the 16 other National Historic Trails, it takes trail travelers along a route of national historic significance.
The trail is a lasting legacy of the commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the establishment of Jamestown in 1607, the first permanent English settlement in North America. Smith led the colony and from Jamestown explored the Bay.
In 2006, in remarks he made when he introduced legislation to authorize the trail, then-U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes of Maryland said creating the trail "would be a tremendous way to celebrate an important part of our Nation's story"
In addition to recognizing Smith's exploration, he said the national trail, "would also give recognition to the Native American settlements, culture and natural history of the 17th-century Chesapeake. Similar in historic importance to the Lewis and Clark National Trail, this new historic water trail will inspire generations of Americans and visitors to follow Smith's journeys, to learn about the roots of our nation and to better understand the contributions of the Native Americans who lived within the Bay region."
Get out on the trail! Explore. See the region's remarkable maritime history and historic settlements, the watermen who work the bay and their culture, and the on-going efforts to restore and sustain the bay as the world's most productive estuary.