HARPER'S FERRY NATIONAL PARK

"This scene is worth a voyage across the Atlantic" - Thomas Jefferson

Harper's Ferry is a historically significant village at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers.  It was an early center of transportation and industry.  Today it is a National Park, a historic gem of beauty which the Fat Bald White Guy and his Faithful Hiking Companion visited on a warm July afternoon.

Arriving a day early, we were able to explore the village at the end of the day virtually alone. The steeple of the St. Peter's Roman Catholic church immediately grasped our attention as it sits as a competing architectural reflection with the surrounding natural beauty.  We set out to explore this church first.  The church was originally constructed in 1836 and rebuilt in 1896.

The winding rock staircase up to the church looks much the same as it did in 1892.  At the top of the stairs was a beautiful summer flower with the Maryland Heights in the background.

At the plaza in front of the church, we spotted a uniquely contrasting scene with the ornate lamp through which the surrounding town and countryside can be seen.

Above St. Peter's are the ruins of St. John's Episcopal Church which no doubt in its day had the best view of the confluence of the two rivers. 

Further up the path from the ruins is the famous Jefferson rock.  This picture is taken from TripAdvisor. 

Harper's Ferry is famous for John Brown's Raid. In 1859, Abolitionists led by John Brown, raided the Federal Arsenal to secure weapons hoping to incite a slave rebellion. Unsuccessful, John Brown retreated to a firehouse where his band held out until a detachment of soldiers led by Col. Robert E. Lee and Lt. JEB Stuart overcame his resistance. Brown was hanged for treason but not before he made a prophetic statement: "I John Brown am quite certain that crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood."

The firehouse, located across the street from the John Brown Museum, is a replica of the original building. It is the size of a residential garage, far from an imposing fort that history books have represented.

Harper's Ferry has been not only a center of industry, but it has been and remains a transportation hub for the region.  Parallel to the two rivers are the remnants of an elaborate canal system which permitted the navigation of the rocky shoals of the two rivers but also provided water power to various mills in the 19th and early 20th century.

Crossing the Potomac River into Maryland active trains use a tunnel constructed in 1931 beneath the imposing Maryland Heights. Parallel to these tracks is an old railroad trestle now used by pedestrians.

Great views of the river and surrounding countryside can be seen from this trestle.  Both rivers are very scenic and are used for kayaking and tubing.

 Above the railroad trestles is the imposing rockface of the Maryland Heights.  This mountain rises over 2,000 feet above the river.  It has been the site of a rugged civil war battle. It has one of the most imposing ghost signs advertising an early 20th-century talcum powder.

The town also features a railway station and you can even catch a train to Martinsburg from here.





This is a really neat town.  From the streetscapes, the history, the architecture, the rivers, and the mountains, the National Park is a nice place to visit. There is even a thriving commercial area where you have have a choice between ice cream, craft beers, and trendy restaurants.

While waiting for a shuttle bus to take us to the parking lot, we spied some people high up on the rockface of the Maryland Heights.  A trail to the top?  Yes, indeed!  There is a trail to an overlook and the view was one the Fat Bald White Guy had to see. So the next morning we got up early and took a hike up Maryland Heights.

The hike is often referenced as a 6.7-mile hike.  Turns out it is only a 4 mile out and back.  But 2 miles of this hike is along a very steep fire road.  Over 1500 feet uphill slog...but effort to view ratio is off the charts!  To access the trail you cross the pedestrian trestle and walk up the banks of the Potomac River for about 3/4 of a mile.  There is a well-marked trailhead across the road.

I have been on steep trails but can't recall one this long.  We took our time and took frequent stops to let our hearts stop beating overdrive.  About 1.5 miles into the trail, it leveled out to our great relief.  There is the foundation of a naval artillery battery.  Seems the Yanks rushed some big guns up from the Naval Yard in DC when Stonewall Jackson threatened Harper's Ferry.  Trouble was, Ole Stonewall and his mountain bred soldiers got their guns to the top of the mountain making the Yank's guns useless, but that is another story!

Past the naval battery, the trail returns to its steep climb.  We were told that this was the last ascent but we were not told that though short in length it was the steepest part of the trail.  Reaching the top was a welcome relief as the trail began a gentle descent.  To the overlook, we hoped...Turns out the overlook is about a quarter-mile down from the fire road.  Yep, after you climb uphill for a 1.25, you got to go descend another quarter-mile...which means you got another uphill slog when you leave!

But the views...that which you achieve too easily you esteem too lightly...once you get your first view of Harper's Ferry from the overlook, you realize the effort was worth it.

Nesting Peregrine Falcons limit the access to the rock outcroppings, but the view nonetheless is spectacular.  You can see the Shenandoah River as it snakes by the town flowing into the Potomac below.  We even caught a train chugging through the town.

The great expanse of the Potomac River can be viewed upstream and the downward flow of the Shenandoah can be seen as well.

And the steeple of the St. Peter's Church which caught our attention the moment we first set foot in Harper's Ferry again drew our attention from the Maryland Heights overlook.

What can be said about a visit to Harper's Ferry National Park?  First, one day is not enough time to take it all in.  Second, it is one of the most charming historical villages I have visited. Third, rating the trail:  Well marked and maintained fire road trail -9;  breathtaking scenery - 10; effort to view ratio...near perfect...overall 9+ rated trail.   All this being said, I wonder why it took me so long to visit?

"O Shenandoah, I long to hear you Away, you rolling river, O Shenandoah"