Washington Monument to Harpers Ferry

[dperry]

Hello, All,

The wife and I are doing the Washington Monument (the original one, not the famous one:D) to Harper Ferry next week. We'll stay at Rocky Run the first night and Ed Garvey the second, then finish up in Harpers Ferry around noon on day 3. Any tips for this section? It looks like water won't be a problem, since both shelters seem to have good springs and there are a couple of taps along the way, too. I was curious if there were still black widow problems at the shelters. Thanks in advance.

[Cookerhiker]

The Garvey Shelter spring is down a steep trail almost totally off the ridge. If I were hiking south, I'd tank up at Gathland State Park and carry extra water to avoid having to go down that spring trail. Or, as I did on a section hike in November 2011, cook my dinner at Gathland and then hike the last few easy miles to Garvey with enough water for breakfast the next day.

On your last day as you see that you're nearing the end of the ridge, don't miss the view from Weverton Cliffs. When the AT turns 90 degrees to the right, follow the blue-blazed trail straight for no more than 100 yards to the cliffs for a fabulous view of the Potomac.

[Studlintsean]

I did this section last week. Ill second that the spring at Ed Garvey is way down hill but it was flowing and cold as can be. I'd recommend getting to camp with a bit of water to set up and then hike down and fill a few liters to avoid going back the next morning. Can't comment on the black widows since I tented but a family did stay in the shelter. Make sure you bring tents. We had 19 Boy Scouts and were just early enough to get the last camp spot to the far right of the shelter. It has a nice fire ring so we were able to do our own thing. Overall it's a nice hike. Nothing too tough but great for a quick over nighter to try out some new gear. Enjoy

[Teacher & Snacktime]

There's a rather impressive snake that lives in the shelter....he seems friendly.

[MDSection12]

All good suggestions so far. The walk from Gathland to Garvey is basically flat so I think filling up at Gathland is a great idea if possible. The spring at Garvey isn't terrible, but if you can avoid it you should. Definitely do not miss Weaverton Cliffs. You'll also see White Rocks in the morning after staying at Rocky Run (best shelter in MD, BTW.) If it were me I might get up early and catch the sunrise at White Rocks and have breakfast up there... Just be careful; the hike up from Rocky Run is rocky and steep at times. My last suggestion would be to plan on some grub in Harper's Ferry. I don't have a favorite places, they're basically all good. At the very least you gotta get a custard root beer float... Perfect after a hike on a hot day. :D

[shelb]

Nice hike! I don't remember seeing many spiders when I did it a few years back...

[JAdk]

Please explain Washington Monument "the original one." I don't know where that is. Or what it is. All I know is the obelisk on the National Mall. And I thought the "original" was the Greek-themed, half-naked, sandal-wearing George under the staircase at the Smithsonian. Please help me out.

[Cookerhiker]

Please explain Washington Monument "the original one." I don't know where that is. Or what it is. All I know is the obelisk on the National Mall. And I thought the "original" was the Greek-themed, half-naked, sandal-wearing George under the staircase at the Smithsonian. Please help me out.

It's a state park in Maryland (http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/western/washington.asp). The AT goes right through it.

[FarmerChef]

The Garvey Shelter spring is down a steep trail almost totally off the ridge. If I were hiking south, I'd tank up at Gathland State Park and carry extra water to avoid having to go down that spring trail. Or, as I did on a section hike in November 2011, cook my dinner at Gathland and then hike the last few easy miles to Garvey with enough water for breakfast the next day.

On your last day as you see that you're nearing the end of the ridge, don't miss the view from Weverton Cliffs. When the AT turns 90 degrees to the right, follow the blue-blazed trail straight for no more than 100 yards to the cliffs for a fabulous view of the Potomac.

This...


All good suggestions so far. The walk from Gathland to Garvey is basically flat so I think filling up at Gathland is a great idea if possible. The spring at Garvey isn't terrible, but if you can avoid it you should. Definitely do not miss Weaverton Cliffs. You'll also see White Rocks in the morning after staying at Rocky Run (best shelter in MD, BTW.) If it were me I might get up early and catch the sunrise at White Rocks and have breakfast up there... Just be careful; the hike up from Rocky Run is rocky and steep at times. My last suggestion would be to plan on some grub in Harper's Ferry. I don't have a favorite places, they're basically all good. At the very least you gotta get a custard root beer float... Perfect after a hike on a hot day. :D

And this...

There is a soda machine and bathrooms in addition to the tap at Gathland. Definitely advise tanking up there before hitting the shelter. Plan to spend a bit of time at Gathland checking out the war correspondents museum as well as the ruins of the house on the north side of the meadow. If you can bring a PATC guide it will be worth the weight on a hike this short. Lots of cool stuff to check out.

+1 to checking out the sunrise at Weverton Cliffs. Beautiful.

Enjoy your stroll on the C&O canal before you come to Harper's Ferry and take your time for the last half mile as you stroll right beside the Potomac River. You'll often see kayakers and rafters running the rapids there.

Once you get to HF, check out the Swiss Miss ice cream shop. After you come under the aqueduct and bear left take the first street to your right. It's easy to spot because of the line of people queued up at the windows to order their frozen delights. I highly recommend chocolate Moose Tracks but MDSeciton12's float sounds equally good. Either way, you can't go wrong.

And, of course, take some time to check out HF itself if you haven't been before. All the park museums (there are several) are free. And you can park a car up in the visitor center parking lot (after paying your entrance fee of course) overnight. Just stop in at the center and let the rangers know how long you plan to leave it. They are super friendly and accommodating.

Last, but not least, visit the ATC headquarters. If you hike the AT out of HF (past the church up to Jefferson Rock) keep going for a bit and watch for the blue blazes past Storer College and down to the ATC. We stop in almost every time we go and always enjoy our visit. Have fun on your hike!

[FarmerChef]

Oops. Noticed I said "War Correspondants 'museum'" instead of "memorial." It's the giant archway. Can't miss it.