Elevation Gain: 1,880 ft Hike Time: 4.5 hours
plus a half hour for lunch
With Maryland Heights and C&O Canal/Weaverton Cliff, this is one of three beautiful vista hikes that start in the Harpers Ferry area. Significantly less crowded than the other two hikes, the Loudoun Heights hike also has several beautiful views of the Potomac River and Harpers Ferry.
I tackled this hike as an out and back, starting up the draft then cutting over across Jerry's Run to the Shenandoah Mountain trail North. The West side of the draft is much different than the five ascents that await those who start up the ridge to the East of Ramsey's Draft and ... more >>>
I do this hike many times a year. Eight in the last two. The falls were flowing harder today than I have ever seen them before. If you get a chance go out this weekend before they die down. The only gripe I have is the trail actually misses a lot of great spots, falls even. ... more >>>
Hiked this starting at Sherondo Lake in mid-May with two girlfriends. Saw just one other group of hikers on the trail. From this starting point, the first few miles are slight incline, but pretty easy going. The climb after the waterfall is pretty steep, but not too long and the ... more >>>
Great hike. Hiked with a group of 7, starting just after noon. Beginning section was a bit muddy at points, but not too bad. Staunton River was crystal clear with good flow and very inviting, even if it was still very cold. The first 3 miles or so isn't too hard of an incline ... more >>>
This is a "hike"...the horse trail is a good workout...even if it is a tad long and dull...ran into park maintenance a couple of times...logically it finishes upward and flows nicely onto the AT...
The second half is truly worthy of the 6 star rating for views! ... more >>>
Very good hike! Hiked it in one day mid-May with two girlfriends. We saw several other hikers and back-packers on the trail. Took us 7 hours, which includes about 1/2 hour for short stops to refuel. The hike has many interesting features -- a few lookouts, a few stream crossings, ... more >>>
The Mid-Atlantic Hiker's Guide: West VirginiaNEW!! by Michael V. Juskelis
Michael Juskelis’ dedication to the outdoors, as well as decades and many thousands of miles of hiking experience, is in evidence throughout his new guide to a selection of West Virginia’s most beautiful trails.
With 64 backpacking and day hikes this new West Virginia hiking guide is a must have for old-salt hikers looking for that new route, as well as the beginner trying to find an easier hike with gorgeous scenery.
Detailed reviews of the trails
Trail directions, including important landmarks such as camping, water sources, and view points
Mid-Atlantic Hikes Maps
Check out our all new, all-in-one, mid-Atlantic hikes maps that replace our three regional static maps. Here are just some of the new features:
Filter and sort for hikes with Length, Difficulty, Streams, Views, Solitude, Camping.
Mouse over the name of a hike to see its location bounce on the hike map
Zoom on the map making only hikes visible on the map display in the hikes list
Special thanks to Alex Younoszai who wrote the code for all the cool features on this page!
Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) Cabins
We receive many emails every year asking about the cabins in the GWNF and SNP. Maintained by PATC, the club has twelve public use cabins between $20-$45 per/night, as well as twenty PATC members only cabins. Reservations are generally taken up to two months in advance. Check out all the info below:
Geo. Washington NF
