Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, originally Harpers Ferry National Monument, is located at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers in and around Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
A national historical park inside Harpers Ferry
Visits hit a record in 2025
The National Park Service counted 537,876 visitors in 2025, the most in 10 years of counts. Visitors ↓
You can sleep inside the park
2 places to stay are inside the park: Stonehouse Bed & Breakfast and Harpers Ferry Campground. The nearest town with more is Harpers Ferry. Where to stay ↓
Bolivar is inside the park
Bolivar sits inside the park’s boundary. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Baltimore
Baltimore is about 61 miles east (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Sep and Oct
April, May, June, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 66–83°. When to go ↓
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
Crowds and weather, month by month
Bars: average monthly visitors, 2022–2025. Line: the typical afternoon high. Green months are mild and quieter than average.
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, originally Harpers Ferry National Monument, is located at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers in and around Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. The park includes the historic center of Harpers Ferry, notable as a key 19th-century industrial area and as the scene of John Brown's failed abolitionist uprising. It contains the most visited historic site in the state of West Virginia, John Brown's Fort.
- Type
- National Historical Park
- Established
- 1944
- Area
- 3,661 acres
- Elevation
- 364 ft
- Run by
- National Park Service
- Listed
- National Register of Historic Places (1966)
- Wikipedia readers
- 15K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/hafe
Before you go
- Private Vehicle$20
- Motorcycle$15
- Per Person$10
Where to stay near Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
You can sleep inside the park (2 places). The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Harpers Ferry (12) and Bolivar (12), and Washington has the most rooms in the area (247).
Stay in the park
- Stonehouse Bed & Breakfast inn or B&B
- Harpers Ferry Campground campground
Ranson corporation
6,853 people
7 mi west of Harpers Ferry NHP Visitor Center · 5 mi to the park
Washington
The most places to stay in the area, and a base for a longer trip.
693,645 people
49 mi southeast of Harpers Ferry NHP Visitor Center · 45 mi to the park
Compare 9 towns
| Town | From the visitor center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harpers Ferry | in town | — | 12 1 hotel · 10 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 266 | $529K | — |
| Bolivar | inside the park | — | 12 4 hotels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 1 hostel · 3 campgrounds | 983 | $252K | — |
| Ranson corporation | 7 mi west | 10 min | 12 10 hotels · 2 motels | 6,853 | $243K | — |
| Charles Town | 8 mi southwest | 10 min | 8 5 hotels · 3 inns & B&Bs | 9,329 | $378K | B+ |
| Martinsburg | 15 mi northwest | 25 min | 20 14 hotels · 2 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 19,211 | $240K | — |
| Shepherdstown | 8 mi north | 15 min | 8 5 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 campground | 1,522 | $485K | — |
| Sandy Hook | 3 mi east | 5 min | 4 2 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 hostel | 165 | — | — |
| Hillsboro | 8 mi south | 10 min | 6 6 inns & B&Bs | 112 | $632K | — |
| Washington | 49 mi southeast | 1 hr | 247 201 hotels · 2 motels · 24 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 12 hostels · 2 campgrounds | 693,645 | $737K | D− |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center
Also near Harpers Ferry
Other well-known places within 49 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
Big draw47 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw48 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw47 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw47 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw48 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw133 mi LandmarkRaven Rock Mountain Complex
Big draw220 mi LandmarkMount Weather Emergency Operations Center
Big draw47 mi National MemorialLincoln Memorial7.7M visitors a yearPhoto credits
White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Raven Rock Mountain Complex: US Government, Public domain · Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center: Unknown, Public domain · Lincoln Memorial: Aerial_view_of_Lincoln_Memorial_-_east_side.jpg: Carol M. Highsmith derivative w, Public domain
A record 537,876 visitors in 2025
Every full year the Park Service has counted. 2020 (gold) was the pandemic year. Green is the record.
Visiting Harpers Ferry
Is Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in Harpers Ferry?
Yes. It’s inside Harpers Ferry, WV. The address is Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425.
When is the best time to visit Harpers Ferry National Historical Park?
April, May, June, September and October, with highs of 66–83°. October is the busiest month (about 65,278 visitors).
How many people visit Harpers Ferry National Historical Park each year?
537,876 in 2025, according to the National Park Service.
How far is Harpers Ferry National Historical Park from Baltimore?
About 61 miles east of Baltimore, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Harpers Ferry National Historical Park?
Hagerstown Regional Richard A Henson Field (HGR), about 27 miles away. The nearest big hub is Washington Dulles (IAD), about 30 miles.
Where should I stay near Harpers Ferry National Historical Park?
Inside the park: Stonehouse Bed & Breakfast and Harpers Ferry Campground. Nearby: Harpers Ferry (in town, 12 places to stay), Bolivar (1 mi, 12 places to stay) and Ranson corporation (7 mi, 12 places to stay).
Tips from people in Harpers Ferry
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Harpers Ferry’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.