Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 58

Harpers Ferry is a popular destination for water sports
like white-water rafting, kayaking and tubing.
Quinn's Reuben Sandwich and Pub Club Stacker.
Other options for the day include white water rafting,
kayaking or tubing down the river with River
Riders or zooming through the trees along a zipline on
the Harpers Ferry Canopy Tour. Also be sure to check
out some of the shops in Harper's Ferry while you're
there.
"We've become quite the shopping destination,"
Saturday: See the Sights and Sites
Hit the cobblestones bright and early
Saturday morning to see some of Harpers
Ferry's natural splendor illuminated by the
morning sun. If you're an early bird, take a
short, easy stroll from Lower Town on the
Appalachian Trail to catch the sunrise from
The Point, an overlook at the junction of the
Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.
"It's gorgeous," Frye says. "You can see all
three states from there, both rivers and the
mountains. It's like a panorama in front of
you." The Point is the most visited spot in the
entire park, he adds.
After you've done the basic town tour,
The Town's Inn is a cozy,
five-room inn in the heart
of Harpers Ferry's historic
district.
Gilbert recommends hiking across the
Potomac River via the pedestrian bridge
(adjacent to The Point) to the C&O Canal
towpath, a 184.5-mile passage that runs from
Georgetown in Washington D.C. to
Cumberland, Maryland. It's one of the largest
biking trails in the continental United States, according
to the NPS website, and is also perfect for an easy stroll
or a long run.
From there, Gilbert suggests hiking up to Maryland
Heights, a 350-foot cliff overlooking Harpers Ferry.
"It gives you a beautiful vantage point to see the
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rivers and a bird's eye view of the Lower Town historic
district," Gilbert says. "It's a more strenuous hike but
well worth it." From the trailhead, which splits off from
the C&O Canal towpath about 0.3 miles from the
footbridge, the Maryland Heights Trail is about 4.5 to
6.5 miles round trip (depending on which route you
choose) and can be steep and rocky in places.
After descending from Maryland Heights, return to
town for a post-hike pick-me-up in the form of burgers
and beer on the deck at Private Quinn's Pub, which
serves a variety of West Virginia craft beers, like
Mountain State Brewing Company's Amber Ale, as well
as a hearty selection of salads and sandwiches including
58 | BlueRidgeCountry.com
says Cindi Dunn, a member of the Harpers Ferry
Merchants Association and the owner of The Vintage
Lady, a retail shop that sells a variety of West Virginiamade
items including jewelry, Blenko Glass Company
products, craft beer and more. Other unique shops
include Tenfold Fair Trade Collection, offering a creative
collection of fair-trade, eco-friendly items from
all over the world, and Harpers Ferry Outfitters, which
sells gear and supplies for hikers and bikers and also
rents out bikes.
Sunday: Maryland and Ice Cream
Sunday morning, pack your bags and head north to
Shepherdstown, the oldest town in West Virginia, to
grab breakfast at Betty's Restaurant, a local breakfast
hotspot known for its sausage and chipped-beef gravies
served over biscuits and its vast array of breakfast
options. Get there early, though - seats fill up fast on
the weekends.
After you've eaten your fill, explore Shepherdstown's
historic home-lined streets and check out some of
German Street's unique retail shops like Four Seasons
Books and the Dickinson & Wait Craft Gallery. If you
visit between April and December, you also can
browse locally grown produce, herbs and flowers as
well as homemade baked goods and other goodies at
the Shepherdstown Farmers Market while listening
to performances by local musicians.
From Shepherdstown, a short drive will bring you
to nearby Sharpsburg, Maryland, for a somber visit
to Antietam National Battlefield to see firsthand
where the bloodiest one-day battle in U.S. history
took place. Within a couple hours, you'll have time
to explore museum exhibits in the visitors center, join
a park ranger for a battlefield talk or take the selfguided,
8 ½ mile, 11-stop auto tour through the
battlefield.
After touring Antietam, head over to Nutter's Ice
Cream Parlor in Sharpsburg for a hand-dipped cone
of one of the shop's 32 flavors before you head home,
tired yet exhilarated from your jam-packed weekend
getaway. 
TOWN'S INN
RON AGNIR
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Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015

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