Harpers Ferry West Virginia and Maryland Appalachian Trail Section Hike
West Virginia has only four miles on the Appalachian Trail and Maryland is some of the flattest miles on the entire AT, but that doesn’t mean they should be skipped! In 2023 we section hiked 1,225 miles of the Appalachian Trail, the longest footpath in the world, and spent 13 weeks day hiking, working, and van camping on the Appalachian Trail as we moved up the trail slowly from Georgia to Maine. In this series we cover each section we hiked and in this article we cover the area of the AT from Harpers Ferry West Virginia through the state of Maryland.
IF HEADING NOBO (NORTHBOUND) ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL the Virginia/West Virginia state line IS MARKED AS MILE 1008.7 OF THE 2023 AT DISTANCE AND THE Maryland/Pennsylvania state line IS AT MILE 1067.3. THIS 58.6 MILE STRETCH IS WHAT WE COVERED IN three days and you will gain 9,500 feet of ascent and have 9,400 feet in descent.
Harpers Ferry and Maryland Appalachian Trail Section Hike Need to Know’s:
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy HQ’s is located in Harpers Ferry and definitely worth a blue blaze stop, whether you are a thru, section, or day hiker!
If you are interested in photographing the white blazes of the AT Harpers Ferry has some of the most interesting ones.
Maryland’s first miles heading NOBO are amongst the easiest miles of the trail but the state definitely gets more difficult as it goes along.
The first Washington Monument is now a state park in Maryland that you hike through.
Maryland doesn’t have very many trail town options but the shelters are available and you are close to many different options for lodging in bigger towns/smaller cities that are very close by.
What else happened that was memorable during this section hike?
It was a record breaking heat wave while we hiked this section that led us to take our first “hotel” nights out of the camper van (it didn’t have A/C). It was in the mid 90s even during the middle of the night!
Visiting the AT Conservancy was a fun experience, but just as interesting was spending an afternoon on the side roads of Harpers Ferry.
Maryland is a very underrated AT trail state and this is a great section to play around with that has less crowds and is more suited for those newer to backpacking multiple nights on a trail. (Due to its less steep portions.)
The state crossing from West Virginia to Maryland might have been my favorite one of the entire trail (a bridge that connects the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers with a train track right beside it.)
Some do this entire section in one day for a “four state” challenge by going to Pen Mar Park.
We camped at River Riders in Harpers Ferry West Virginia for the first two nights of this section and then jumped up with a drive after hiking to Harrisburg PA in a hotel due to the concern of our dogs safety sleeping outside during the heat wave.
Our friend Tyler grew up right by the AT in Maryland and we had her on the podcast to discuss some of her favorite hikes in the state.
What gear did I use and like the most on my 2023 AT Section Hike?
Hoka One Kaha’s were my trusted shoes for this day (and for the whole summer on the trail.)
I used my REI 40 Liter Backpack. This worked great since I was coming on and off the trail every day but most thru-hikers or multi-day section hikers were looking at bigger packs than mine.
Darn Tough Vermont and Merino Wool Socks from REI and SmartWool were my go to’s.
Osprey Water Bladder and Lifestraw Collapsible Filter for hydration.
I wore New Balance running shorts mainly and much preferred that to more typical hiking shorts.
Gaiters were a must as was coating our clothes in Permethrin to avoid ticks. (We did not get any ticks remarkably while hiking the AT in 2023.)
The AT Guide by AWOL and AT Conservancy are AMAZING resources for a hike on the AT!
Sunrise at River Riders in Harpers Ferry West Virginia.
Maryland’s section of the AT includes the beautiful Weverton Cliffs, the original Washington Monument, the stunningly gorgeous and strenuous stretches to Annapolis/Black Rock, and Pen-Mar Park. It also includes a flat towpath that almost makes you feel weird having a backpack on, as locals zip by on bicycles!
Harpers Ferry provides a story of America’s founding, its roots in slavery that erupted with John Brown and the Civil War that it is still trying to come to grips with today, and now a fascinating National Historical Park to walk around.
This section hike of the AT was a prime example of why we set out to hike the Appalachian Trail in the first place, to find areas of the country we wouldn’t normally visit or find. This is a less popular section of the trail amongst the hiking community compared to the epic beginning and end of the AT (Georgia, Tennessee, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine) but I loved hiking and exploring here.
It shed stories and gave us experiences we wouldn’t have otherwise found. This is what sections of the Appalachian Trail can offer you. The chance to grow while having a healthy outdoor adventure.
We completed this stretch of trail in three days but some do it in one and some do it in five or six. Just hike your own hike! It’s also an easily accessible stretch of the Appalachian Trail that doesn’t put you too far off the grid into the woods. (For those looking for that see the whole state of Maine haha!)
These were areas I likely wouldn’t have explored otherwise which, once again, is what we loved and made us intrigued to hike the AT in the first place.
Thanks for reading and happy trails to you! Whether you are planning a thru, section, or day hike…or are a trail town local, trail angel, or just someone wanting to learn more about the longest footpath in the world…I hope the Appalachian Trail gives you what you need! Don’t forget to Leave No Trace and pack your 10 Essentials!
Comment below with questions or your experience on this section.
Our Harpers Ferry/Shenandoah Trail Towns Podcast Episode can be found HERE or on your podcasts app.
Because Adventure Feeds the Soul,
Mike R
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.