Harpers Ferry

acwatkins · Oct 30, 2017

Pending cooperative weather my girlfriend and I will be taking a day trip to Harpers Ferry on Saturday. We'd like to hike, fish(mainly why I want to go), and do some photography(her). Neither of us have ever been so I'm looking for some suggestions on what areas to check out? Thanks!

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5.56blaster · Oct 30, 2017

It's very nice. Just walk around and enjoy.

parttimer · Oct 30, 2017

Take a hike up the Maryland trail. Check you the town and do one of the guided tours.

AlBeight · Oct 30, 2017

The ghost tours are pretty cool (not for spooky factor but historical). Take a hike up to the top of the hill, to the old Hilltop Hotel overlook spot (far east end of East Ridge Street). Stayed in that hotel a bunch 25-30 yrs ago, now it’s a collapsing POS. The view from there though is the best in town, well worth the hike.

plumberone · Oct 30, 2017

Harper's Ferry

i like seeing the trains roll past and through the mountains. Should be peak Fall leaf colors. Great for pictures.
Can't help you with the fishing there.

llkoolkeg · Oct 30, 2017

In the Summer if you have a belly boat or don't mind wading upstream, fishing there is fun...but I am a bit of a cold water wimp. I mostly camp and hike either up to the old Civil War artillery emplacements or a little further East up to the Weverton Cliffs Overlook. In my youth, I used to take the train from Union Station in D.C. to the Hilltop Overlook Hotel on Thanksgiving Day for their awesome Holiday Buffet. They had an awesome Civil War gift shop, too, with small brass cannons, reprinted monetary instruments, plastic sabers, kepis and flintlock capguns.

AlBeight · Oct 30, 2017

llkoolkeg said:
In the Summer if you have a belly boat or don't mind wading upstream, fishing there is fun...but I am a bit of a cold water wimp. I mostly camp and hike either up to the old Civil War artillery emplacements or a little further East up to the Weverton Cliffs Overlook. In my youth, I used to take the train from Union Station in D.C. to the Hilltop Overlook Hotel on Thanksgiving Day for their awesome Holiday Buffet. They had an awesome Civil War gift shop, too, with small brass cannons, reprinted monetary instruments, plastic sabers, kepis and flintlock capguns.

Wanna ruin some memories of the Hilltop? Check out Google pics of what it looks lik now. I haven’t been there in about 20 yrs myself, just crushed my memories 15 min ago seeing the current pics. Sad, had a great restaurant too. Used to do weekends there with an old girlfriend, sometimes we’d check in Friday night, then wake up Saturday morning with an entire Union Army encampment surrounding the property. Really cool, the whole town turned into a re-enactment overnight.

Neutron · Oct 30, 2017

C&O canal is right across the Potomac river if you want to hike or bike on flat ground.

llkoolkeg · Oct 30, 2017

I saw the ruins in person within the last year and it is quite sad. I always hoped someone would buy and restore it to former glory but the hill is just giving way to time and the erosion of the elements. Many wonderful holiday meals were had in the outer windowed dining room overlooking the river.

babalou · Oct 31, 2017

Hahaha. No way

llkoolkeg said:
In the Summer if you have a belly boat or don't mind wading upstream, fishing there is fun...but I am a bit of a cold water wimp. I mostly camp and hike either up to the old Civil War artillery emplacements or a little further East up to the Weverton Cliffs Overlook. In my youth, I used to take the train from Union Station in D.C. to the Hilltop Overlook Hotel on Thanksgiving Day for their awesome Holiday Buffet. They had an awesome Civil War gift shop, too, with small brass cannons, reprinted monetary instruments, plastic sabers, kepis and flintlock capguns.

When my family used to live in Takoma Park in the 70’s we used to take the train in downtown Silver Spring to Harper’s Ferry for Thanksgiving weekend and stay at the Hilltop Hotel. Back then it used to be a full dine in experience like a restaurant. Then about 20 years ago little less the whole family went there for Thanksgiving. It changed. No longer was it a real restaurant but sort of a crappy ass buffet a la Golden Corral. So sad many memories. We used to go to the wax museum go along the tracks and up the other side where the Civil War overlooks were. My wife and kids still go there jut for the day sometimes. Would like to fish there as well

I too like the store in the hotel. I used to get old union hats and sabers. Also they had like a bumper table And pool table downstairs where you could watch the football games

Archeryrob · Oct 31, 2017

She is going to want to be on the Maryland Heights trail and see the over look of Harpers Ferry for the Maryland side and the RR tunnel and all.

Fishing is good from Weaverton all the way up to Lock 34. The lower is slower and lock 34 can be fast if the river is up.

Lock 34; They like to practice WW kayaking there for beginners. Just up from the parking on the MD side is a fast chute run with deep water you can drop heavy craw baits in. Most people don't know how to fish deep fast water like that. If they river is up at all, don't fish that spot as its too hard and dangerous if you get in the water.

ngman · Oct 31, 2017

I second the Maryland Heights Trail. It’s a nice hike with great views. Parking can be tough. Take bikes if you can, that way you can park elsewhere on the Maryland side and ride to the trailhead. Miles are effortless on the towpath. Then ride your bikes down to the railroad bridge, lock them up and walk across into town.

Trbo6gn · Oct 31, 2017

Maryland Heights trail is my favorite. Keep in mind that it can be strenuous if you aren't moderately in shape. It's pretty much all straight up hill with a decent elevation gain. I'd skip the stone fort trail portion of the trail unless all of the leaves have fallen from the trees. The views are pretty obstructed and it's a hell of a hill to climb for nothing. Another good trail is down by the Weverton Cliffs. Parking is difficult to come by on the weekends. I usually park at the Appalachian trail visitor center. Keep in mind, this will add at least a mile each way to your hike when doing the Maryland heights. It will add almost 6 miles if doing the Weverton Cliffs.

BurtonRW · Oct 31, 2017

Maryland Heights is by far the most strenuous trail there, but with the most spectacular views of the rivers and the town. (Please remember that once you cross the Potomac you are back in Maryland - just in case you were thinking of carrying.) If you want a less vigorous adventure, you can always cross the bridge over the Shenandoah back into VA and hike the Loudoun Heights trail. I've never enjoyed it as much for the views, especially if the leaves are still on the trees, but it's still a nice moderate wooded hike.

-Rob

remodeler1 · Oct 31, 2017

The C&O canal aquaduct over Antietam creek and the stone bridge half a dozen miles down Harpers Ferry rd could make for some nice pictures

Trbo6gn · Oct 31, 2017

View from Maryland heights.

If you go to the left of the overlook on Maryland heights and climb the highest rock, you’ll come across this engraving from 1861.

View from weverton cliff.

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acwatkins · Oct 31, 2017

Thank you all for the insight! I'm going to talk to her about it tonight and see what we decide. I'll be sure to post back here with some pictures of what we get into.

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outrider58 · Oct 31, 2017

Fishing is better when wading. Summer time especially. Used to be able to park down by the HF power plant (but that was years ago) for some decent wading. We used to take our fly-fishing students there. Also, upstream from there is a stretch called "The Needles". Very good wading there too.

Biggfoot44 · Oct 31, 2017

Historic sites .
Fishing.
Peak leaf season.
Trains.
Hiking on flat ground.
Hiking up hill .
If a little warmer, tubing, canoe, rafting is being discussed in another thread.

The only question is the best gunstores for modern , and C&R/ antique .

Archeryrob · Oct 31, 2017

This is probably the worst fall display of leave I have seen in years. The August drought cause many leaves like hackberry and cherry to give up in Sept. and then we got 2" of rain 2 weeks back and the maples and others all perked back up and are finally changing. That being said, right now is the best display this year holds.

Outrider is correct, if you're not wading this stretch you might as well be taking pictures with your wife.

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