Tucked between three different states at the meeting point of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, Harpers Ferry is one place where nature and history come together. With a four day Labor Day weekend in 2022, we made this our first stop on a quick, West Virginia roadtrip.

Recognized as a National Historic Park by the National Park Service, it’s pretty easy to understand why, and it all began with George Washington. Washington saw Harpers Ferry as a great location to ship goods from as well as also creating an armory to manufacture weapons. This armory would go on to have major relevance years later. Thomas Jefferson is another notable person who saw value in the area. Jefferson was in awe of the scenery of the land being surrounded by the two rivers. One of the landmarks, which we’ll talk about later on, is named after Jefferson.

Eventually, as it got closer to the Civil War years (1861-1865), Harpers Ferry came into focus thanks to an abolitionist named John Brown. In an effort to get weapons into the hands of the slaves, Brown led the raid of the aforementioned armory over the course of three days in 1859. Brown and his followers ended up having to barricade themselves in what was at the time, the Armory’s fire engine and guard house. Brown was caught, convicted of murder and then finally hanged but this event was a major foreshadowing for what was to come.

Finally, during the Civil War, Harpers Ferry became the location of the largest Union surrender of the war. Harpers Ferry was a prominent location that was fought over between the Confederate and Union armies multiple times thanks to the armory. Led by General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, the Confederate army captured over 12,000 Union troops.

Two things to note before continuing. First is there is a fee to enter the park. If you have the Interagency America the Beautiful Pass, you’re covered. Don’t be like us and forget to bring it on the trip with you. We had to get the standard pass, which was around $10.

Second, in Harpers Ferry itself, there is a very limited amount of parking. Instead, you can park at the Visitor Center and then catch the shuttle bus to Lower Town. We did this and it was very straightforward and easy. There are more than enough spots so you’ll have no problem with parking.

With all the history in Harpers Ferry, let’s start with the most famous hike, the Maryland Heights Trail.

This hike stands out because you can cover two different states in just about four and half miles. Starting in West Virginia, the trail takes you across the Potomac River via the Winchester and Potomac Railroad Bridge and into Maryland. The actual viewpoint overlooking Harpers Ferry is on the Maryland side.

For about the first mile, the trail is flat and easygoing as you begin in West Virginia and cross the bridge into Maryland. Once across, you’ll find yourself walking alongside Harpers Ferry Road, so keep an eye out for traffic as you’ll need to cross the road to continue. From there, the trail becomes a much different experience, going from a nice stroll to a steep incline hike. We were honestly surprised by the steepness of the trail but based on AllTrails reviews, it seems a lot of people agree.

When on this trail, there are plenty of opportunities to see aspects of Civil War history. On the trail itself, you’ll be able to pass by the area that was once the location of the Naval Battery. More just a viewpoint at this point in time but still pretty cool. Soon after that, the Stone Fort Trail will connect. This loop will add about a little less than two miles but will take you past two batteries and a campground used during the war as well as the Stone Fort.

Finally, after a little over two miles, you’ll get to the viewpoint overlooking Harpers Ferry. Let me just say it was completely worth all the effort as you can see all of Lower Town, the two rivers, two bridges and beyond.

Having seen this exact picture on social media numerous times, finally getting to see it in person was actually a really cool experience. I usually feel like things don’t normally live up to the hype you can create for it in your own mind, but in this case, I truly think it was exactly what I expected. If you’re in Harpers Ferry and enjoy hiking, this is the hike to do and you won’t regret it!

Aside from hiking, there are spots all over Lower Town with historical significance and tremendous views. Here are some of our favorites:

As mentioned previously, there is one monument in Harpers Ferry named after Thomas Jefferson. That is the Jefferson Rock. A short walk from town along the Appalachian Trail, which runs through Harpers Ferry, leads you to this rock and viewpoint. It’s been made famous because Jefferson once described the view from here as “Worth a voyage across the Atlantic”. That’s some high praise. You can’t walk on the rock as it is unstable and four pillars were added to help hold the rock in place.

Still standing to this day, what was once the firehouse of Harpers Ferry has now become a museum to remember the efforts of John Brown on those three days in 1859. It’s the site in which Brown and his followers barricaded themselves before ultimately being captured and killed.

The fort isn’t standing in it’s original spot as years after the war, it was sold and transported to Chicago where it was displayed. Eventually it was returned to Harpers Ferry.

A short walk up the hill near the fort is the monument dedicated to John Brown. This monument is standing in the original location of the fort and is overlooking the current location.

Two rivers and three states all in one location. Standing in West Virginia, you’ll be looking at Maryland to the left and Virginia to the right while the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers come together right in front of you. It is a very scenic, easily accessible viewpoint.

We spent about a day and a half in Harpers Ferry and really feel we made the most of our time. With the main goal of hiking to the viewpoint on the Maryland Heights Trail, we also saw and learned some Civil War history which is always worth it. You can easily spend a day or more depending on your goals and definitely think Harpers Ferry is worth the visit. I’m not sure when or if we’ll be back but I’m glad we were able to experience it for ourselves!