Spring is in full bloom here in the Historic Harpers Ferry area. Once you leave the city limits your scenic drive out to the River & Trail Outfitter store will pass through the lush green farm land of Northern VA or Western MD depending on your route. Cross the 340 bridge from MD and you’ll get your first view of the Potomac River and the rapids you’ll splash through on our Potomac White Water Tube Trip, including the Class III rapids of the wave train at White Horse. Enter Virginia and your next sensory experience could be the smell of slow cooking Barbecue beef or Kettle corn inviting you to pull off to the side of the road for a snack or a barbecue sandwich lunch before your afternoon of Canoeing or Kayaking on one of our canoe or kayak rental trips. Cross the bridge over the Shenandoah and you get a view of the Upper and Lower staircase rapids, a challenging river course that can test the skills of any raft guide later in the summer during “High Rock” season on our Shenandaoh Raft Trip. But not this time of year. Nothing but roaring spills over the many rocky ledges as the Shenandaoh River drops in elevation to meet the Potomac at Harpers Ferry at the famously beautiful water gap through the Blue Ridge Mountains .
Whether you spend the morning or the afternoon with River & Trail biking, hiking, or on one of our other adventures, don’t miss a visit to the Historic Town of Harpers Ferry National Park with it’s variety of shops, eateries, and small interpretive museums dedicated to the history of the town, its industry, and the important role it played in the Civil War. Including the fuse that really ignited the civil war, the John Brown raid on the arsenal in an attempt to free and arm the slaves in VA. Often the sounds of canon or musket arms can be heard or perhaps the sound of music of the Marine band or other musicians. Also impressive is the sound of the freight trains that emerge from a tunnel on the other side of the river and motor past Harpers Ferry on their way to Cumberland MD and beyond.
So come and spend a full day experiencing something for all your senses here in the Harpers Ferry WV area including some time on the water and some time taking in the trails and scenery of this historic location.
