---
id: "40532"
name: Religious Freedom Byway
distance: "195"
duration: Allow 5 hours to drive the byway.
description: This byway, with several branches that reach toward the Potomac River, incorporates many of the nation's oldest churches, the site of the first Roman Catholic Mass held in English-speaking America, and Maryland's colonial capital, Historic St. Mary's City.
path:
  - "}iajFnkbuMJ|CZtDXpBjAxFp@~BtAfDrAxBlCbDnBfDfApCnAnEh@~CfBxN`Cf]r@lHnAdJjCzKfLx`@`M|j@|AjFtA~CvFtHxIlK~DrEtAzApB~A~@l@bDdAdPrBfElAxC|A`CbBxAvApBlCrA~BbClGjZr`ArCrGxBzDfHxKhBlEhAhEp@jE`@`GHlESrFW~CkGnd@o@xDsBzSwB~WcDfWiDdZcAnHsAtNK~CBzCZrHd@xDf@`CzBxIb@xBNbCHxDdApJlBhNl@lCf@~A`AxBhDzGjArCRt@F|@G`Ai@`Eu@vBiC~CcEtDgGdC}A~@iA~@sBhCo@jAyAzDcA~C_@jC_@vQOdBmCtHsCpFoAzCsBfGsAxF}@bGU`HyAtNnBrBvAn@nB@pH_@lEEhDa@pDq@lGeCjHaC~BSnNKxDSbDm@pGcBlD{AxEgDjG_F^Jt@lBrBdIhAbC|BdD`FrFjPtJvElB`KjCxAz@h@j@Xj@^lAF`AArBy@jLAlAJfD@TDn@ZvCNnAdBbG^jA|@rBbUpZd@~@lFtNfBrDrClE|Yja@jMnMvCfDrGfGnM~HxBfBbBlBzB~EzAfBnElBvB|AhB`Cd@~@bA~DfC@`MdAfD@lEe@rHyB|EaA|CQxBBzD`@vNpE`B^~CXhEKpAM~Bk@hSyFrCyApDkCx@iAf@_BPeA^{HZmDrAsIhAyFdBgGlB{ENeAEaBSqB_CsRgCmH_@_COgDUoPJeBX{BvHea@n@qE\\mAlBeCdGoGfFkD\\Yn@_A~AiDhJmVvHyTf@cAfBgBhBg@jL}Bxa@qL|Cq@t@E|BDhTlC~BJh@A`j@hpBz~@veDlAlHV~CJnCBlE[pJsPv{Ao@hEo@fC}@bC{@fB}AxBqKpMyQ`V}PbTuQhVeLbN}FrG{CjEqC`DyBxB_RnOiAhAqFdEcBfB_EdDwAxAuKxI{BzB{H`GgKnI_FhDiCz@uBXcCDmCSc@Mey@sJ_^yEcc@gFekAcOeF_@sCEoCJwHz@kn@tIwFj@aMdBcFx@clC~\\wE\\}CCoBPqGgAuMwGwQwGsOmGoUgIyq@cXuPaF_DkA_DaB{BkBqCmCgCmDkBsDgXus@cDpBkChAmAPkHBqEKgAKqDy@eFyAiCeBmGsH}BuBqG{DkDqC}A{CwBmGaBeE}AgFi@gDWkFW_NDeC\\eBdF{MjIuUd@{CHyAA_DMcBiAeFeOqe@{Km_@sFuPcUwu@qEgNmEiO_ByE}A{CoB}CsB{BmC_C}EsCuCgA{g@cM{CsAwA}@sDgDgCqD}AwCoIgTmBoDcCqDy@_AmUcQgHuEcIeDuHyBmCaA_EoBgCaBgEmDiFgGaFaJwCgIeAgEgDeSwGec@_CyN}Kot@EOgBiLmBaMkByLkB{Lo@mDq@kDaCaJEgANm@^k@fKaKvDsEzAaC|MoXdM_QdC}D`AaC|@yEp@aJb@sCx@sCjBeDdBiBtBwAdCaAlAWtDSjSg@bCYjBm@lBqAhC{C`AeBfCqGvBmDlA_B~DuDdFaDpr@e^fCgB^]rBsChBaDlUyp@z@{CZkB\\gCDqAHwIEoTI_BkAyH]sCcKkaB]mHwE_v@EeDDaAb@sD|Eq@xCMhMeCnFQvE\\fDMfI`@|BEbCU~C_AbDe@jGuCpAk@r@Uh@Ob@Qd@M~CeA`@OhAe@p@_@fAi@r@a@lBiBlCiCRU`@o@fAsB|@mAnCeBpBuBrEwDtBsAhAa@zCeBn@e@lAe@dE{@pHc@vBm@~BaAdA}@`D}CbBqAx@_AnE_I|\\{PM}GMiB|@U^g@x@_HvFJxD^vFzAlB|@nF`Dt@PjB@`J{@vEkAbDeA|ASbH[rB_@lTgJhCk@nTmDvAK|AFbG|@dS`CtKbAxAB~@Gj@StCaDxAsCr@yDV_@v@^bBbChAvAtElEjFxFzEnDjB~CrB`BxEjDjBv@v@NjCUjCEzHRxOlDxDrD`CfDdCjAfBfGd@~@j@r@fA^d@?rC_ALMrDcYTeFR}IIeDS{CiA{KEyAHkF^aHCaFyCsk@ByANs@R_@h@q@p@a@rAShEYfCq@fGyBrEsCfDsCvIiLh@yBNaDWcYKkEtFNlFKnF[vEi@fJoBfF}AlF{BvEeC`ImFlImHld@_b@vIxC~A^|BF`H[rBXbCnA`MfIrBdAxAV`C@bH_@hDB`KdBnPvEfGrA~`@pAvFXxAp@jNtOfC`CnAp@hBt@pBd@vNjCrRrElHc@`MoFdAYp@In@Jd@^j@LVBp@QbCaCjAyA~@sBbBgGnEaGp@e@Jm@x@_Bb@]h@OlD@hIg@iDw|AiAi]B{KJuBh@mGvCoRxDfAx@j@pInIvGzDb@JrHGhMeDfH_ChBu@bCqBlEmE|BsDZeAHs@NuCXeBn@sBz@_B|@eA~MuKnCmBfCkApI{BlN_GjG{BnI_CfOyFf@[`@[h@g@~@{@xKcLbW}Z|BeBjAk@rA[tBK`A?|HlArB?vCg@hAk@tBaBfAqA|GcKn@}Ab@eBTaBN{BNoONcEh@wDx@qD~@eC|BcEjBwBzD{C|AgAdCqAlCs@`BKnDJhR~BlCK|Bm@`Ai@~AmAra@m]|DwD~@sAxAcD`GyMbBmEx@gD|Ge]h@mEx@yNDaE[{F?sE^cLJyAd@kCv@{BdAmBdOmQlAkA~BsAlCo@~@IzG\\dCQnKgChCy@|@k@nByArR}VtB_C|AgAbCeA`IoB~Ak@`FyCrBeBtBsBzEmH~AsB~AiA|Aq@nB]jCBrLrCrBN`BCd[yCrGy@dCe@hBs@~AcAbAaArAwB|DcItCeFfC{DfC{E~@_Dl@uDh@eCxAeD|F{JrJaMjB{ClAgD~H_[rBmGbCeFlBmDpl@DjBW~@m@r@eAvCcIxAeDlAaC`EkGpCmDrAgAxAy@|CaAbAKjCCjCXZXrIpDzGfD"
  - yjajFf_buMKu@Y{AiAqDcByCsCyCcGoC{FkDgM}Ji@q@c@^U?gGaCoBe@eK@iCGgT{BqLiAcBGu@DcBl@mGzDoJ|FoBn@M@s@DuBD}FRoFPG?k@AqEJmHl@a@FaBA}Fm@yNz@_F?gDEiAg@gCeCmGiIkDaF{B_E}DsJ}BmEuBaCmBsAsCaBHWn@a@d@u@XiAXsD^gJdAyLASw@o@_@IKCKIIWCGAGEAI@CDCFCb@
  - _zhhFbomsM`C`K}c@pSc@C{Aj@mDlBkBjCyEnJWPw@xBo@z@}F|De\~U_OtMoPbQWViAZqAAcTyAgPsAwAg@_SqJ_OwEgSqN_BOeA^qHzEcExDgAxAaBrEg@t@eAx@s\nU_h@r]iAp@_AR}f@aCiAMu@w@]u@eU_l@aEpCyT|MqAdAuCtEm@rAcFzN{A`FgAdFuBbMq@rCqPtp@uBxHuH|O}BlDkOnPmBlA}HpDmA~@_A~@gBzCeDhIqB~DsCdEwIvKmGxKyC~DqCrA_B^_e@tEuKv@iUT}CR_LjBaBPmDKmSsCsH_@iLY}CW_FgBaN{B{H_CkHqC_As@iIuJ{CmEsAmCwDmJyF{HmB{EaCuHu@wAyB{BsVcT}EkEcCmDgEcJk@iAiAuAeIeGeQkQ}AkBeBgB}BsCUc@CMAMAc@Ei@Iu@GMGEGASB[^ULwSvWqDfHsAhEi@~C[dDO`D?vCJvDh@dFvFd`@h@bIHxEErFOjEq@hI[zBu@xD}@dD}B`GuBrE}BfE_E~EyM|LaLfJqJdHwEzCex@jg@at@xc@}FzDsCrDiAdBmDbKoSjeAgEvSiSlfAu@fIc@rKExGLpHv@tM`@bDpAbIjJpg@t@rFh@`IH`GItH[fFe@pEmAtGcCvI{GnPsi@dpAiAhDcCdJ{A`Iq@lE[zCm@tJO|FEbKb@nYThJXfGx@tItAfIj@fCnBpH|Lxa@dN~`@fDxItAzC|BhEhCrDbApAbFfFbCzCbAbBlAbCxAvEh@lCjAnKdIeAtFg@rLQ?~LOhJlJlHfFjCvDbA`EJxI{ApC_@fN}@|@H
  - kxdiFxossMX_@@B@@J@D?D?BAHGBEBG@O?G?CAGd@s@p@aALc@hBsC~AsCh@cAxCsGxCkIvEkQlBiGxEwM|DgJlF{KpE}H|DcGvCyDjBmB`FuDxFeCnc@aP`H_DbCyAfFuDnDgDbCkCr]ge@jOiTnPcUbDmF|BuErA_DvWsr@pB_FDMBIHODEXw@lBiEh@aBn@_DfDcXd@{CxAoH|BqJp@yBxGwO|@{FLgCEeDgDc_@GoC@sB|Bwb@b@oFpAmLhAgGfGiSv@iFT_E?_COoFMwA[uIHmCTcCvImi@r@uCbDsI~IwSjD{GvFmJdNaLlAsArTe_@~A_DpFuKj@gB?Sx@mCp@sCdKie@f@oC^yCfAaLp@uDhAsE|EgQxA{EzEaNbCuHtNtB~CAxBQpCBNLnEr@fMxCv@gG`@sBq@QWBc@H]D_@@?iBImAOw@Wg@y@g@aFw@p@{IpEe]Cw@LIHyATwAb@y@TUvE{El@o@F[bEkGpDaHzAkDlDiJlB_ElBeC~A{A|AkAzO{GxCgAndAkf@nMaF~N{EhMsHtEmD|CmD|FyJnA{Al@_AtPcOfSiTrIaKnC_EfCiE`IoPlCcHtAoGtFm_@t@gFh@yGNmFDmF_@m^DcERyB^iC|XmrA^eCr@iHx@aLBeDI{Co@iMSmHGuQLmNDgE`@oKdDme@B{Fc@uLo@{LHy@HMNKxF@bBSlBs@xRuLnBeA~Ak@fB[~BUbTYbD_@hdAsZbc@mKjSmFvFmAvDk@lDGzBDjCTxDt@pKtCzDlAjRfIn@PzBXbDWl@O`KmEvBYvACbC\fHhCrDr@dEP|Os@lCD|Dj@nExAvChB~ApA`A`AlBlC`BbDrAlDtRvq@rAxC|C`FtB~BzFfGvA|AdDjDlA~@jBhAlD`AxBLvBGhDw@bBy@rA_AxA}A|o@m}@~Xy_@dAmApEkE~BsA|BiArUyJ|FeEbDuC|A_BhDgEpGmJ~AgDhCgJvAyCtO}SvJgMzDcDd@QbOeBz@e@fKoMfCsCnTcSbMmNz@{AbCuHzFaMnDuIpHcUbCwGpIySx@yCbBgBbAw@lHsEbCgAj@e@rAmD`BeCnEsD|B_BDA
  - wpxhFbm{rMnA{@zDr@xG^fFjBbTvInAp@lAdArG|HlArBd@hAZzAPpBd@hSHhBTfBnDdMl@`BlAvA~@f@~@Rt`@tGvBn@~@b@nBtAv@t@lI~J|BtBhStN~P`L|@z@p@tAd@|A`DbVNpBxAr^\rAt@~AjBjBnG`Ed@RrCl@~n@rIzAj@hCrAvAjAbDrDhBlAjNfFvBl@`BRfB?hAMx@YrDsB
  - "}jkhF~z`rMGwAGy@MeCK}CEuBCgCAgAFgFBeCAqFAi@?aAGmCG_BUqFo@}OI{JB{EDqB^yFpH_n@LY~@mJBWTwBD_At@uHRsBf@oFZ_Dn@gGXiCFe@nAsHlBsIr@kCnAgD`IuPpJeTx@gC|BsJdAsCvB_ExDmG~CwFpAcDpAcE`@_BZkCJiCG_Dy@aODmD^gCxMkf@~@aFXeDnBag@rBcz@NqB^mDfCoMhEcRz@iCzAyBtBsAvNkG|IeChEm@ta@iEvDWbC?vF^ba@lGpJlAtEPzIWrAFz@TjD`BpKlGbB~AfE`FdBrArCl@|BHxBU`DcArByAj@u@nAiB~@aCdc@ayAtAmEpAmD|@sBhCgEnMiQbCqCzCkCvCsBz`@qT`PcJhFeEvHiIjBeB`@]dAu@tJ{EfKkHfB_AbAg@f@U|@]zVsIjEeCzCmCvJ{Kd@s@rCgCrByAfCsAhEwAfDm@lIs@rEk@|Bg@xCmAjBeAfByAvAyApGgIlCaC~\\aVhJgGnBu@hBe@jCYrKk@|BY|By@rU{O|K_GJCx@]l@W~Bo@h@U^Cl@KbNqDxBcAxBiBbGgHfAaArIgFvCgAhGqAjYyEpDUjACjLd@xAPdItAnQlBzCGtB]jAa@lBeAdC{BvQuTrIiM|BsBhB_AvBe@fBMbQKdBWhA[jBy@~AmAlAqAfGiIbAwBlHya@h@_CnAaDzBaE`FuKf@mA~AeGNy@B_Cs@mJx@YfUsE`e@eU`As@x@qAd@mAZcH`Ag_@Fg@FYHSNWNQNMNIrMwEbLgF~@SrC?xQxAlB?nC]lu@sU`AEj@FfO~Eb@JfBI"
  - gj|gFxshqMtDxEjJ`R\h@b@f@d@^`@Vf@V`Bh@hAx@bAjAn@xA^rA`K~i@vGvVhBzFjI|[x@fCT~BB`D
websites:
  - url: https://www.visitmaryland.org/scenic-byways/religious-freedom-tour
    name: Maryland Travel Guide
attractions:
  - url: https://destinationsouthernmaryland.com/discover/birthplace-of-religious-freedom/the-religious-freedom-national-scenic-byway/
    name: Southern Maryland Heritage Area
designations:
  - National Scenic Byway
  - Maryland State Scenic Byway
states:
  - MD
ll:
  - -77.022159
  - 38.514393
bounds:
  - - -77.25672900024313
    - 38.040043
  - - -76.3211590002876
    - 38.58404900036106

---

This byway, with several branches that reach toward the Potomac River, incorporates many of the nation's oldest churches, the site of the first Roman Catholic Mass held in English-speaking America, and Maryland's colonial capital, Historic St. Mary's City.

For some travelers, it is a spiritual pilgrimage; others simply admire the history. Either way, it is an inspirational journey through beautiful countryside, allowing you to commune with nature while traveling into the heart of the Southern Maryland Heritage Area.