Hike to Maryland Heights

Harpers Ferry National Historic Park not only offers great views, but there’s a ton of history. The park covers over 4,000 acres at the border of Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia. It’s also where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers converge and the midpoint and headquarters of the AT (Appalachian Trail). Maryland Heights is the highest mountain that overlooks Harper’s Ferry, offering spectacular views.

Distance:  3-4 miles or 5-6 depending on where you start

Elevation Gain: ~1,600

Difficulty: Moderate-Strenuous

Trailhead Location: Harper’s Ferry Road

We camped for the weekend at Harper’s Ferry Campground right on the Potomac River. The campground was great, except the freight trains came by every hour, sometimes more, including in the middle of the night making it really difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Which is probably why we had a late morning and got to the trailhead later than we were anticipating.

Parking near the trailhead is extremely limited on weekends. We did not get there early enough (probably around 10) and we only found spots because we got really lucky. We had 2 cars since we had our dog with us and just as we were about to give up, 2 people ended up leaving. You can also park at the visitor’s center in Lower Town and walk to the trailhead by crossing the bridge over the Potomac. Walk upstream on the C&O Canal path for 0.3 miles and then cross a footbridge over the canal to Harper’s Ferry Rd. This probably adds about 1 mile RT to your hike.

This is not a trail to choose if you are looking for solitude. It’s a relatively short hike that rewards you with amazing views, so understandably so, it draws large crowds, especially on nice days and weekends.

We had our dog, Cici, with us, who doesn’t have that much experience hiking and we also wanted to have some time to spend in the town of Harper’s Ferry, so we decided to just do the 3 mile Overlook Cliff Trail. Even though it’s short, the trail is pretty steep. We ended up having to carry Cici’s bags on the way out. But we’ll take that over having to carry her (she’s 110 pounds)!

If you choose to add on the Stone Fort Trail, you will see Civil War artillery batteries and the Civil War Stone Fort. This hike is a favorite for locals and definitely a must-do if you’re in the area.