Information Panel: The Clara Barton Trail
in Maryland · centroid 7 mi from Washington
Did you know a heroine lived right here in Glen Echo, Maryland? Fearless, selfless, and determined, Clara Barton dedicated her life to helping others. Known as the "Angel of the Battlefield" during the Civil War and founder of the American Red Cross, Clara Barton broke away from the traditional roles set for women.
On the front lines of change, she overcame many obstacles and refused to give up hope. She made a difference around the world at a time when women could not vote, own property, or have a bank account. To learn more about Clara Barton's work, follow the footsteps along the Clara Barton Trail.
Clara Barton's house was a home for her and her staff as well as a warehouse and headquarters for the American Red Cross. Clara Barton National Historic Site honors her life and work. Miss Barton's story comes alive here.
- States
- Maryland
- Trail type
- National Historic Site trail
- Centroid nearest city
- Washington, DC · 7 mi · ~10 min drive
- Centroid coords
- 38.9678°, -77.1395°
About Clara Barton National Historic Site
This trail is inside Clara Barton National Historic Site, a national historic site managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.
Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/information-panel-the-clara-barton-trail.htm
Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/clba/index.htm
Plan your hike
Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.
Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.
When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.
If you've hiked Information Panel: The Clara Barton Trail and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.
Stay nearby
Other trails within 50 miles
Capital Crescent Trail terminus
6 miles from this trail's centroid
Olmsted Island and Overlook Trail
6 miles from this trail's centroid
Mount Vernon Trail North Terminus
6 miles from this trail's centroid
Information Panel: Explore A Trail Network
7 miles from this trail's centroid
Information Panel: The Path to Freedom
7 miles from this trail's centroid
Filene Center Loop picnic area
7 miles from this trail's centroid
Sources
Trail data on this page is compiled from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the maintaining organisation's public-facing materials, and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA where excerpts are quoted). Distance, terminus, and descriptive text for nationally-designated trails are hand-curated from federal land-manager websites and trail-association sources. We do not modify the underlying data; this page presents what is already publicly recorded. To suggest corrections, see our methodology page.