About This Park
At the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers, on the ancestral home of the Tuscarora and Shawnee people, lies Harpers Ferry. Here you can explore John Brown's Raid against slavery. Find your connection to the struggle for freedom, education, and civil rights at Storer College. Discover miles of trail in the Blue Ridge and along Civil War battlefields.
Activities
Current Alerts
Bridge to Maryland Heights & C&O Canal CLOSED
Due to safety concerns, the Goodloe Byron Memorial Footbridge to the C&O Canal NHP towpath is expected to remain closed this fall for safety repairs on the pedestrian bridge. This work is in addition to the staircase replacement. A shuttle with very limited space currently runs between Harpers Ferry NHP Visitor Center and C&O Canal Lock 34. This will impact access to Maryland Heights, the Appalachian NST, and the Potomac Heritage NST. We strongly advise considering other trails when possible.
Ongoing work on Lower Town buildings
Facilities staff are doing repair work on several buildings in Lower Town. Please follow signs for alternate entrances and heed temporary closures.
Loading map...
Photos
Aerial view of Lower Town Harpers Ferry
Credit: NPS Photo/Holden Mills
View from Jefferson Rock
Credit: NPS Photo/Autumn Cook
Artillery at Murphy-Chambers Farm
Credit: NPS Photo/Autumn Cook
John Brown's Fort in Winter
Credit: NPS Photo/Holden Mills
Plan Your Visit
Parkwide Hours of Operation
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is open year-round with the exception of Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Park museums/exhibits, the Visitor Center, and restroom facilities are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Park passes may be purchased at the entrance station Thursday through Monday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you would like to purchase a nationwide America the Beautiful pass, we encourage you to call 304-535-6299 before you come. Park shuttle bus hours are currently 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Park Grounds and Trails
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is open year round with the exception of Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Visitor Centers
Harpers Ferry NHP Visitor Center
The Visitor Center is located at the park's main entrance after passing through the entrance station (where you buy your entrance pass). You can park your vehicle here to take the shuttle bus to the historic Lower Town district of the park. Visitor Center address: 171 Shoreline Drive Harpers Ferry, WV 25425 Inside the Visitor Center, you can ask questions, pick up a park map, and learn about programs and events. <b>Note:</b> Park passports stamps are located at the Bookshop in Lower Town.
Harpers Ferry NHP Visitor Center171 Shoreline Drive
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
Operating Hours
Lower Town Information Center
The Lower Town Information Center is <b>currently CLOSED</b>. Maps and information are available at the nearby "Place in Time" exhibit, a few doors down the street towards the shuttle bus stop.
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
Operating Hours
Harpers Ferry NHP Visitor Center
The Visitor Center is located at the park's main entrance after passing through the entrance station (where you buy your entrance pass). You can park your vehicle here to take the shuttle bus to the historic Lower Town district of the park. Visitor Center address: 171 Shoreline Drive Harpers Ferry, WV 25425 Inside the Visitor Center, you can ask questions, pick up a park map, and learn about programs and events. <b>Note:</b> Park passports stamps are located at the Bookshop in Lower Town.
Harpers Ferry NHP Visitor Center171 Shoreline Drive
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
Operating Hours
Things to Do
Hike Civil War Skirmish Lines at Harpers Ferry
Did you know the park has over 20 miles of hiking trails? The trails vary from easy, riverside strolls to four-mile hike...
Duration: 1-8 Hours
Learn more
Step Back in Time at Jefferson Rock
Jefferson Rock is a popular destination in Harpers Ferry. It is situated along the Appalachian Trail between the Lower T...
Duration: 1-2 Hours
Learn more
Visit John Brown's Fort
A visit to John Brown's Fort is more than seeing the building where John Brown and several of his followers barricaded t...
Learn more
Visit Jefferson Rock
Hike along the Appalachian Trail in Harpers Ferry, WV to see the view Thomas Jefferson once described as "one of the mos...
Learn moreLesson Plans
Incident at Harpers Ferry: Slavery and John Brown
In this lesson, students will share their thoughts on slavery, examine how our country dealt with this institution, consider how both pro-slavery elements and abolitionists looked at slavery and why, and learn a little about John Brown’s early life - in particular, his activities out in Kansas in the years 1855 – 1857. Students will then be able to answer the following essential question: What was slavery like in the antebellum United States?
View on NPS.gov(opens in new tab)The Battle of Harpers Ferry 1862: Joining Up!
When war broke out in April 1861, thousands of young men rushed to join the colors. Why were they so anxious to go off to war? Then, after the horrors of war had been exposed, why were thousands more willing to enlist in 1862? Why did men of central New York decide to join a new unit, the 126th New York Volunteer Infantry in August of 1862? Each student will receive the identity of an actual soldier from a regiment, and eventually find out what happened to him as a result of the war.
View on NPS.gov(opens in new tab)The Battle of Harpers Ferry 1862: Joining Up!
When war broke out in April 1861, thousands of young men rushed to join the colors. Why were they so anxious to go off to war? Then, after the horrors of war had been exposed, why were thousands more willing to enlist in 1862? Why did men of central New York decide to join a new unit, the 126th New York Volunteer Infantry in August of 1862? Each student will receive the identity of an actual soldier from that regiment, and eventually find out what happened to him as a result of the war.
View on NPS.gov(opens in new tab)Explore the full collection of educator resources from the 9/11 National Memorial Trail.
Part of the 9/11 Trail
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is one of the National Park Service sites connected by the 9/11 National Memorial Trail, a 1,500+ mile pathway of remembrance linking the three 9/11 memorial sites.
Park information provided by the National Park Service. Data refreshed daily.