The September 11th National Memorial Trail (also known as the 9/11 Trail or 9/11 NMT) is a network of trails and roadways connecting the three national memorials dedicated to those who lost their lives in the September 11 attacks: the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, and the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City.
The trail serves as a "triangle of remembrance," passing through six Mid-Atlantic states and Washington, D.C. It was officially designated by Congress when President Joe Biden signed H.R. 2278 on October 14, 2021.
Just five days after the September 11 attacks, on September 16, 2001, David Brickley proposed a "continuously linked multi-purpose, non-motorized trail" to honor those who lost their lives and connect the three attack sites.
The September 11th National Patriot Trail Alliance was formally established in October 2002, with the goal of developing a trail connecting the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Flight 93 crash site. In January 2009, the organization was renamed to the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance to reflect its evolving mission.
Brickley, a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates and veteran, served as the Alliance's founding president until transitioning to President Emeritus. The current President is Jeffery McCauley, with Matt Harris serving as Board Chair.
Rather than building an entirely new trail, the Alliance worked to connect existing regional trails into a unified route. Initial route mapping began in 2003 with planner Doug Pickford, establishing an original route of approximately 940 miles by 2005. The trail was designed to pass through historic corridors including:
In 2009, the Virginia General Assembly passed Senate Joint Resolution 498, commending the Alliance. In 2011, the Alliance received IRS tax-exempt status and was honored by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy with a Trail Champions Award. In 2012, Deborah Borza, mother of Flight 93 hero Deora Frances Bodley and an avid cyclist, joined the board of directors.
A major breakthrough came in September 2015 when CSX donated 130 acres of abandoned railroad corridor for a 10-mile trail section from Garrett through Berlin to the Flight 93 National Memorial.
In April 2021, a purpose-built section was completed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, becoming the first trail segment constructed specifically for the 9/11 National Memorial TrailâÂÂsplitting from the Great Allegheny Passage at the Garrett trailhead.
On September 11, 2019, Senate Resolution 267, sponsored by Senators Pat Toomey (PA), Mark Warner (VA), and Bob Casey Jr. (PA), passed unanimously, recognizing the trail "as an important trail and greenway."
In May 2021, Brickley testified before the House Committee on Natural Resources regarding H.R. 2278. The House unanimously passed the bill on July 29, 2021, with a 423-0 vote. The Senate passed it unanimously on October 1, 2021.
On October 14, 2021, President Biden signed H.R. 2278 in the Oval Office, officially designating the September 11th National Memorial Trail.
In March 2022, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources designated the Pennsylvania portion of the trail as a Statewide Major Greenway.
In June 2022, the first 9/11 National Memorial Trail Tour commencedâÂÂa 27-day, 1,200-mile ride with over 20 cyclists, becoming the largest group to ever ride the entirety of the alignment.
The trail forms a triangular route connecting the three memorial sites. At its inception, approximately 55% of the route followed existing off-road trails with 45% on existing roadways. The route is divided into three legs:
Approximately from Arlington, Virginia to Shanksville, Pennsylvania:
Approximately from Shanksville, Pennsylvania to New York City:
Approximately from New York City to Arlington, Virginia via the East Coast Greenway:
The trail passes three official state September 11 memorials:
In addition to the three national memorials, the trail passes numerous historic sites and National Park Service units:
The trail offers an interactive map on its official website allowing visitors to:
The trail is marked with distinctive green, blue, and white shields featuring "9-11 NMT" signage. In September 2025, the Shapiro Administration announced that Pennsylvania's Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) were working to install nearly 750 wayfinding signs across 25 counties and 129 municipalities, with a goal to complete signage before the 25th anniversary of 9/11 in 2026.
The September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance organizes annual events including:
The trail is managed by the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in New Eagle, Pennsylvania. The Alliance was granted federal tax-exempt status by the IRS in January 2011.
The organization works with local, state, and federal governments, as well as partner trail organizations, to develop and maintain the trail network. It is governed by a board of directors that includes trail professionals, government representatives, and family members of those who perished on September 11, 2001.