Harpers Ferry National Historical Park · WV
River Access Trail
Live · updated
Today
Park closure — trail is inaccessible today.
Today's best: hiking
To provide peregrine falcons adequate space for nesting, portions of Maryland Heights will be closed from Feb 15 to July 31. This includes several rock outcroppings near the overlook and certain climbing walls. The Maryland Heights Trail is OPEN.
Conditions
Score by activity
Hiking
Park closure — trail is inaccessible today.
Trail running
Park closure — trail is inaccessible today.
Dog walking
Park closure — trail is inaccessible today.
Score breakdown
- · 79°F air — Within comfort range, outside ideal
- ✓ Trail: prime — No meaningful rain in the last 48 hours. Trail surface is dry and tacky — prime traction.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 0.27 mi
- Elevation gain
- 8 ft
- Surface
- mixed
Trailhead
Coordinates
39.3212, -77.7415 — WV.
Park
Part of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (official site →).
Park advisories
Facilities staff are doing repair work on several buildings in Lower Town. Please follow signs for alternate entrances and heed temporary closures.
Peak nymphal tick activity — check yourself within 2 hours of leaving the trail.
Nearby Trails
Frequently Asked
How long is River Access Trail?
River Access Trail is a 0.27-mile route with 8 feet of elevation gain. The trail facts panel on this page lists distance, surface, and access tags as they appear in OpenStreetMap.
What's the trail surface like at River Access Trail?
River Access Trail is mixed surface — sections of dirt, rock, and root that vary along the route. Today's mud rating, derived from recent precipitation and the surface type, is shown in the conditions panel above.
Who manages River Access Trail, and where do closure alerts come from?
River Access Trail is in Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, which is managed by the National Park Service. Closure and advisory data on this page comes from the live NPS alerts API for this park unit. Always confirm against the park's own page before driving — emergency closures can post faster than scrapers refresh.