naviquan

Map of Maryland Heights with Summit and Overlook Cliffs trails

Directions to Harpers Ferry:

From Northern Virginia: From Interstate 495 West take exit 45 West to the Dulles Toll Road (stay in local lanes, not express airport traffic lanes) / Dulles Greenway (toll) toward Leesburg. Follow to Exit 1, VA-7 W on the left toward Leesburg/Warrenton. Take the VA-9 exit toward Hillsboro / Charles Town, WV merging to the right onto Charles Town Pike / VA-9. After 9.8 miles on VA-9 take slight right at Harpers Ferry Rd/VA-671 N. After 7.6 mi, turn left at Jefferson Pike/US-340. Enter WV, cross Shenandoah and proceed to stoplight at top of hill.

From Maryland: TakeI-70 west toward Frederick, MD. Continue west on I-70 past Frederick for about 1 mile. Take Exit #52 onto U.S. Route 340 (Charles Town). Continue on Route 340 to Harpers Ferry (22 miles). Cross the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. After crossing Shenandoah, proceed to stoplight at top of hill. 

Parking space on Sandy Hook Rd. not far from trail entrance

Parking near the trail entrance:

If you want to try your luck and park the car near the trail entrance, the trick is to get from route 340 to Keep Tryst Rd and then turn to Sandy Hook Rd (sometimes shown on maps as Harpers Ferry Rd, MD) where the parking lots are located. This is easy to do when you are moving East on 340 from Harpers Ferry. If you are moving from Frederick, MD that is not that easy because there is no left turn from 340 to Keep Tryst Rd. You can change the direction using intersection with Route 67: exit 340, turn left on to the bridge that crosses route 340, at the end of the bridge turn left to 340 East. The first right turn is the Keep Tryst Rd. (in 200 -300 yards - do not miss it - and the road is not marked). Proceed about one mile and turn left to Sand Hook Rd. After crossing the railroad (under the railroad bridge) start watching for the beginning of trail - parking space is on the right side 50 yards after that point.

Unlike the Overlook trail described in previous article where the goal is to reach cliffs offering wonderful views on Harpers Ferry, the Maryland Heights Stone Fort trail goes through several places that represent a historical interest. During this hike you will visit ruins of old Civil War forts and campsites. But you will also be able to enjoy spectacular views from Maryland Heights summit.

Both trails also differ in time needed to hike them as well as physical challenges they present. Although Overlook trail has some strenuous uphill sections, it is about 1.5 miles and can be completed by an experienced hiker in an hour. Stone Fort is much longer - about 3.5 miles and includes one uphill part that many people who hike casually will find excruciating. Because of this, and because you may want to spend some time in exploring Civil War ruins, I recommend to allocate not less than four hours to this hike.

Keep in mind that both trails share the same initial section (of about 0.5 mile) and split at the point marked with "Hiking Maryland Heights" sign and display. Because of this, same way as with Overlook trail, you can start your Stone Fort adventure with coming to the Harpers Ferry park visitor center, taking bus (free park service) to the lower town and walking to the beginning of the trail.

However, with the Stone Fort hike, it makes more sense to try to use a car to park on one of two parking spaces close to the trail entrance. There are two reasons for that: first, using Harpers Ferry visitor center parking lot will inevitably increase the time needed to complete the whole excursion by at least 30 - 40 minutes. Second, the Stone Fort hike focuses less on Harpers Ferry town; whereas with Overlook trail it may be very interesting to walk first through the town and then watch its panorama from cliffs.

Look up sidebar for directions - you will also find instructions how to find Sandy Hook Rd. (which may be not as easy as you think) and parking spaces. As "Parking space on Sandy Hook Rd. not far from trail entrance" photo shows, there may be plenty of space for your car (if you come on a week day or early enough to be one of the first).

As I mentioned above, the first section of the Stone Fort trail is the same as Overlook trial - see Photo 1. Beginning of the trail. This part is marked with green blazes - continue the trail for about 0.5 mile until you see the "Hiking Maryland Heights" sign - Photo 2. Information display that marks the beginning of Maryland Heights Stone Fort Trail. See also an enlarged part of this display for the trail path and landmark locations: Map of Maryland Heights with Stone Fort and Overlook Cliffs trails

From this point to the left is the old military road - nowadays, Stone Fort trail (blue blazed). It's a strenuous uphill road - in fact, you will soon see another information display that can motivate you to continue. It explains the hardship and effort Civil War solders endured while using this road to build fortifications and bring supplies. Also, this is one of several places along the trail with unobstructed views - in this case on Potomac river (see 3. View (Southwest) on Potomac river).

As usually the case, persistence and perseverance pay off - in about one mile you will find yourself very close to the heights summit, and you will see information displays marking and explaining the Exterior and Interior Forts (see Photos 4. Remnants of Exterior Fort and 6. What remains of Interior Fort).

Although remnants of both forts clearly indicate some kind of constructions, nothing remains of the campground. Perhaps having rich imagination, you will be able to identify some campground artifacts that look today like smaller or larger piles of stones here and there. As sad as it can be, the truth is that at least this part of the Civil War history is disappearing - slowly but steadily.

If wandering around fort and campground remnants, you see the "Back to HF Park" sign (Photo 7.), be careful - do not use the same road to go back. Maryland Heights Stone Fort trail (blue blazed) is a loop - find the Stone Fort (if you have missed it) - the rest of the trail continues from here. Also, do not go beyond the "Back to HF Park" sign unless you want to hike Elk Trail (not a part of Harper's Ferry Park); the latter is marked with pale blue blazes.

The Stone Fort (Photo 8. and Photo 10.) is the most preserved construction built on Maryland Heights at times of Civil War. From the Stone Fort information display (Photo 9.) we learn that it was never finished - only foundation was built (and the place had been used as a storage facility). Evidently, as the war was progressing, after reaching some thresholds, additional efforts in fortifying Maryland Heights lost their priority. Indeed during the Battle of Gettysburg, the Confederate troops (Army of Northern Virginia) essentially ignored Harpers Ferry area and crossed Potomac 12 miles higher (North) from Maryland Heights.

When Civil War ended, needs for Maryland Heights fortifications disappeared, and they were completely abandoned. As always, without maintenance, forces of nature do their job quickly and what used to be strategically important defense positions vanished as if never existed. This is true not only about stone constructions on Maryland Heights. From eyewitness accounts and military archives we know that events at this place change the whole appearance of the Heights. They were timbered heavily - partially to produce charcoal, but mostly, to open clear views for several batteries installed on slopes of Maryland Heights.

On your way back you will see remnants of two of such batteries. One of them had a 100-pounder gun (Parrot rifle) mounted on a raised earthen platform with a circular iron runner (Photo 14.) - you would never guess this looking at what remains of the battery (Photo 15.). The location of the 30-pounder battery is not different in this respect (Photo 18. and Photo 19.).

The location of the former 100-pounder battery is the highest point now on Maryland Heights with an unobstructed view on Potomac valley. With all tress cleared, this gun could cover 360° target range. Although today trees limit what you can see, it's still a magnificent scene (Photo 17.). Enjoy - the journey will soon be over when the Stone Fort trail ends at crossing with the Overlook trail (Photo 20.). Turn right, and in 15 minutes you will be at your car.