Hike #20 - Maryland Heights Trail (Harpers Ferry National Historical Park)
Hike #20 took me to Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, to a trail that I’ve been wanting to check out since the beginning of this challenge: The Maryland Heights Trail.
· Fast hike facts:
1. Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
2. Maryland Heights Trail
3. 39.478214667101675, -77.72614025413515
4. 5 Miles
5. ~ 2.5 Hours
The first thing that I want to address regarding this hike is parking and the entry fee. There is a $20 fee to park a personal vehicle and access the park. I hiked this trail on Labor Day, so naturally the park was packed with people, making parking a bit of a challenge. The closest parking lot is right in the heart of Harpers Ferry and is within walking distance of the Maryland Heights trailhead. This parking lot was full when I arrived, but a ranger promptly gave us directions to a further lot at the Harper’s Ferry Visitors Center where a shuttle picked up guests every 15 minutes and took them to and from Harpers Ferry proper. The $20 entry fee covers parking and the shuttle service which was very convenient and operated fairly late into the evening.
Accessing the main trailhead itself can be a bit confusing, but to reach it you will have to walk along the railroad bridge that connects the Town of Harpers Ferry to the Maryland side of the park. This bridge crosses the Upper Potomac River with a catwalk that runs parallel to the train tracks themselves, making it safe to cross. The views from the bridge alone are worth the crossing! Once you cross, you’ll take the gravel path that runs parallel to the river up-channel to a small stone bridge that will spit you out right at the trailhead.
This trail was steep and crowded, but I think my hiking partner and I could have avoided the crowds simply by arriving earlier and/or hiking probably any day other than Labor Day. None-the-less, it was a beautiful trail. There were plenty of places to rest in the shade on the way up and the trail transitioned from wide to narrow in some places making it fairly easy to navigate the large crowds.
There are a few trails that branch off of the main access trail, allowing you to extend your hike by a few miles if you want more of a challenge. But, the main overlook is about 2.5 miles into the hike and is worth every second of the climb. Harpers Ferry from above is breathtaking. The way that the river can be seen winding around the town makes this view truly unique and makes you want to check out the town itself even more after your descent.
This overlook is extremely popular and was very crowded with lots of people taking turns to get photos along the edge. Be sure to watch kids and pets at this point because it is an exposed cliff face.
I would consider this hike to be moderate because of the incline. But if you keep a good pace and rest when you need to it’s a really enjoyable climb.
After making your way back down, there are an abundance of restaurants to grab a bite to eat or enjoy post-hike beer.
Directions to the trailhead can be found on All Trails or using the coordinates above!
If you want to find out more about this trail or Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in general, check out:
https://www.nps.gov/hafe/index.htm
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