A Scenic Hiking Location: Harpers Ferry and Maryland Heights
By Eric Yao
1/29/21
To all of you looking to spend some time outside or going for a hike, the Maryland Heights trail is an ideal spot. With its winding rivers, lush vegetation, waterfalls, and an amazing view at the top, this trail makes for a very nice hiking experience. I personally recommend going in the early morning, when the mist still lingers and the air is cool and crisp, when the sunlight filters through the green treetops above you - but going at any time is good.
After making your way from the parking lot to the visitor center, you are greeted with a small, picturesque American town, complete with 1800s midwestern saloons and vintage gun
shops.
This is Harpers Ferry, the town where an important battle between abolitionist John Brown and the Confederacy took place during the Civil War. You can walk around and visit the exhibits, learn about the history, and even check out the ruins of the armory if you’re interested, but if you cross the river and follow the signs, you’ll find yourself at the beginning of the Maryland Heights Trail.
Overall, Maryland Heights is a very good trail, with everything you’d want from a hike as well as a decent, slightly bumpy path. When you step onto the trail, the scenery immediately engulfs you and brings you into the world of nature. As you near the halfway point, the sound of rushing water will slowly get louder, until you arrive at the booming waterfall in the middle of the forest. Especially if you go in the summer, the cool mist from the waterfall is a great relief. You even can sit on the rocks near the stream to rest a bit or eat a snack. After walking for a while among the canopy of trees, you’ll start hearing the chattering of other hikers again, this time at the summit. You can once again rest on the rocks overlooking everything, and this time enjoying the view of the historic town and river below you, as well as the forests that stretch to the horizon. 10/10 would recommend it.