A beautiful place I recently explored is Harpers Ferry National Park located in West Virginia. It is full of beautiful hikes and history! Harper’s Ferry is in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains with the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers flowing through it. Some of these hiking trails are the old routes that soldiers used during the Civil War, which I found to be quite interesting! Keep reading to find out why our travel guide makes for The Perfect Day Trip to Harpers Ferry!
First Things First, Parking.
When you first get to the park you will have to pay to park. I suggest going earlier in the morning because it fills up as the day goes on. We arrived around 8 am and there were plenty of spots still available. When we went the parking was $20 per car and you could pay online or there was a park ranger you could pay with as well. This park does accept the Annual National Park pass if you have that to use!
Getting Ready for your Adventure!
Before our hike we decided to grab a quick breakfast. Across the street from the main park parking lot is the little town of Harpers Ferry. There is a staircase that takes you straight up the hill to the main street. The main street is full of little shops and different restaurants to choose from. We tried this adorable coffee shop, Battle Grounds Bakery & Coffee, and they sold the yummiest breakfast sandwiches and pastries! The coffee was delicious and there was a huge variety of drinks they could make you. And the pastries…. my oh my those were delicious and FRESH baked. I got this yummy blueberry pound bread that's gluten free… YES this little coffee shop offers different yummy gluten free options too!
Must Do Hikes
After we were all fueled up we started on our almost 7 mile hiking adventure. We hiked two different trails that intertwined with each other. We first hiked up to the Stone Fort. Fun fact, this hiking path was the same path soldiers used as a defense ground during the Civil War and then later used as a storage area throughout the war.
Then we continued our hike on the Maryland Heights Trail. According to the National Park website this hike is ranked to be moderate to strenuous. This hike is a steep incline in parts but worth the hike! It takes you out to a beautiful overlook of the entire town of Harpers Ferry. We stopped at the top and enjoyed some snacks and rehydrated ourselves. For most of the hike you are hiking in and out of trees so a good majority is shaded which is also a huge bonus on a hot summer day.
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The Town of Harpers Ferry
Once we reached the town again it was time to get some food! We walked up those same set of stairs back onto the main street. We stumbled upon the Rabbit Hole GastroPub, we picked it because it had a nice deck to sit outside and eat. I ordered this massive burger and fries, it was very yummy and filling!
After our well deserved lunch we walked around the little town and stumbled upon this rock staircase up to a beautiful church and cemetery. The cemetery had some statues honoring soldiers from the civil war. We eventually wondered our way to Jefferson’s Rock. It was exactly what it sounds like, it was a rock that Thomas Jefferson stood at.
Then to end our day of adventure through Harpers Ferry we stopped and got ice cream!! A very cooling treat after a long day of many many steps. There are a handful of ice cream shops throughout Harpers Ferry. We stopped and read the menu of most of them looking for different flavors and eventually settled on one that had coffee shakes and m&m’s. The ice cream was just a cherry on top to The Perfect Day Trip to Harpers Ferry!
If you have the chance to visit Harpers Ferry, you totally should! It is a beautiful little town with lots to offer and a place I will most definitely be going back to! For more National Park travel guides check out our Travel page!