Nemacolin's Path

Nemacolin's Trail, or less often Nemacolin's Path, was an ancient Native American trail that crossed the great barrier of the Allegheny Mountains via the Cumberland Narrows Mountain pass, connecting the watersheds of the Potomac River and the Monongahela River in the present-day United States of America.

During 1749 and 1750, the Delaware Indian chief Nemacolin and Maryland frontiersman Thomas Cresap supervised improving the trail for the Ohio Company, at the behest of Christopher Gist.

Crossing the Allegheny divide was a major task well into the 19th century, requiring much planning, time and effort.

Except for using the Cumberland Narrows, travelers would have to go hundreds of miles to the north or south to get through the mountains, as the ridgelines are oriented north-south and are nearly impassable.

Nemacolin's Trail became the gateway by which settlers in Conestoga wagons or stage coaches reached the lands west of the Appalachian mountains.

General Braddock's March (points 1–10) follows or parallels (and improves upon) Chief Nemacolin's Trail from the Potomac River to the Monogahela. The route from the summit to Redstone Creek , which could be used by wagons, was bypassed by Braddock. At the summit near the top of the watershed of the Youghigheny, Braddock's Expedition diverted from the Nemacolin Trail for an overland approach on Ft. Dusquesne that would not require crossing the Allegheny, Youghigheny, or Monongahela rivers. His route was not usable by wagons and still is not today.