Every organization we link to: local tourism offices, the state and federal agencies that manage the land, the nonprofits and clubs that keep access open, and the universities doing the research.
Harpers Ferry
A town of roughly 300 people at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers, occupied by a national historical park and the headquarters of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Amtrak and MARC commuter rail both serve the station, making it one of the few places in West Virginia reachable without a car. Tubing and raft outfitters operate on both rivers through the summer.
What's here
- Appalachian Trail Conservancy headquarters
- Tubing and raft outfitters on both rivers
- Amtrak and MARC rail service from D.C.
- C&O Canal Towpath across the river
Lodging, food and gear in Harpers Ferry
Town-level listings for operators based here. Capped at four per basecamp page.
List your business hereWithin reach
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Where the Shenandoah meets the Potomac and three states meet at once, with the Appalachian Trail running straight through town and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy headquartered a block off Washington Street.
Shenandoah & Potomac Rivers
The Shenandoah's Staircase rapids above Harpers Ferry give Class I–III whitewater in a resort-town setting, while the Potomac below the confluence spreads wide and slow for tubing and flatwater.
Cacapon River
One of the finest gentle canoe rivers in the East — clear, shallow, warm and slow, winding through farmland and forest with reliable smallmouth fishing and easy multi-day trips.
Best for
West Virginia has roughly 1.5 million acres of public land and a handful of places that carry almost all of the attention. The consequence is that a great deal of very good ground sits nearly empty, usually for one of three reasons: nobody has heard of it, the road in is gated or rough, or it is undeveloped and has nothing to advertise. Those are the places below — of them across regions.