Over the holidays, I was lucky enough to visit my hometown, Frederick, Maryland! It’s always nice to spend some time reconnecting with family since I live so far away. While there, my family and I set a great precedent for the new year—we hiked one of my favorite hikes: Maryland Heights. This trail always feels like a piece of home, as it was a go-to hike with friends, and in the summer, we would often tube the river below!

Just 30 minutes from Frederick, Harper’s Ferry is a quintessential historical town, known for John Brown’s raid, a slave revolt initiative, along with other key turning points during the Civil War. This area is also unique because it is at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers, and where the Potomac touches 3 states at once— Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. In the summer and fall, the vibrant foliage makes the views even more stunning!

Getting to Harper’s Ferry is usually a pretty simple drive, however in recent years, it seems that parking has changed. Growing up, we used to just park right along the side of the road at the trailhead. But, because of increased traffic, cement barricades now line the sides of the road, forcing you to park in the town itself. This does add about an extra mile roundtrip to the hike, but the walk is well worth it. You cross the B & O Railroad Potomac Crossing, hope for a train to pass, and enjoy part of the Appalachian Trail! You then stroll along the C & O Canal towpath, which was used to transport goods by mules in the 19th century.

Including the walk from parking in town, this 4.5-mile hike roundtrip gains 1,000 feet in elevation to stunning views of the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. The trail boasts a diversity of deciduous trees and this time of year, the forest floor is generously littered in their leaves. Despite the chill, I love this time of year when the air is crisp with a hint of decay. It smells healthy and offers an invitation to pause and embrace rest, as nature does cyclically.

Clouds stretched across the sky during our hike, their shadows dancing on the ground beneath our feet. The moments of sunshine breaking through were soaked in purely with smiling faces turning to catch its beams. Wisps of wind encouraged our descent as our bodies craved movement to warm. The whole way, my nephew looked for the best rock to climb or the perfect walking stick. His curiosity was contagious and it made me wonder: when do we lose that sense of curiosity? Maybe because, as children, we’re more grounded—our heads still close to the soil beneath our feet, connected to the world in a way we eventually grow away from.

I love hiking near Harper’s Ferry year-round, but especially in the summer! While finding parking in the summer can be challenging, if you get an early start to the day you may have luck. There is so much to explore here: rich history, cute restaurants, a charming ice cream shop, and Harper’s Ferry Brewing—a fun brewery that offers incredible views of the Potomac. There are also several outfitters that offer guided raft and tubing trips! But the best part, in my opinion, is simply hanging on the rocks and cooling off in the river below.

Maryland Heights is a great hike, with it’s wide, steady trail making it accessible to most! While there are a few challenging steep sections, they don’t appear until the very end, making it enjoyable journey for almost everyone—including my nieces and nephews. If you’re in the area and looking for a family friendly hike, this is the one!