Harper's Ferry/Antietam Visit October

[its4inthemorning]

We are Civil War enthusiasts and will be visiting Harpers Ferry and Sharpsburg in October. If any Bogleheads have visited these places, any tips would be appreciated, specifically but not limited to: battle sites, museums, and a nice place to say (especially a hotel or B&B with historical ties). Thanks for your help.

[Lastrun]

Do you hike? if so, do you consider 4-5 miles a long hike? I am traveling so it may be tonight before I get back to you, but I live in this area and have hiked and visited both these places extensively? I can certainly give you some good suggestions on both short walks, longer walks, and really short walks. I am not really a Civil War enthusiast, but will try to key you in on walks where you can see old fortifications, off the beaten path monuments, etc.

Do you like beer or wine?

I am assuming you have been to Gettysburg.

Take a look at the Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown, WV, it is basically equidistant between Shapsburg and the Ferry.

[flyninjasquirrel]

There is a small museum in Harper’s Ferry that won’t take long to get through. If you don’t mind hoofing it uphill a couple miles do the Maryland Heights trail - beyond the amazing views at the top, I remember seeing areas along the trail where cannon fortifications used to be set up. You could definitely see the strategic importance of this ridge, it looks straight down on the town.

Antietam can be a lot to take in by yourself as it’s such a large area. Recommend using a guide.

Enjoy your trip it’s a beautiful area (my in laws live in Shepherdstown).

[pawtucket]

I happened to be in the area last fall and spent a day at Antietam. Had never been to a Civil War battlefield. It was a weekday in late October and not very crowded at all. I figured I'd never wrap my head around the details about military tactics, so I just wandered around getting a sense of the place. Amazing. Also stopped at the cemetery in Sharpsburg.

They sell this book at the battlefield: https://wolftownmercantile.com/products ... tic-region, which has detailed hikes with maps for the enthusiast.

[camden]

It has been quite a few years since our trip, but we really enjoyed our stay at the B&B The Inn at Antietam, which is right on the battlefield. Has new owners (and a new Inn dog!) since our visit, but still looks very nice.

[mhadden1]

Made a circuit of HF, Sharpsburg, and South Mountain on a mild President's Day a few years ago. Would have liked to spend a day wandering around each place.

[hudson]

We are Civil War enthusiasts and will be visiting Harpers Ferry and Sharpsburg in October. If any Bogleheads have visited these places, any tips would be appreciated, specifically but not limited to: battle sites, museums, and a nice place to say (especially a hotel or B&B with historical ties). Thanks for your help.

You probably have all of this on your list...
Climb the hill above Harper's Ferry to look down on the town. (The National Geographic view)
AP Hill's march from Harper's Ferry to save the day.
Hike to Jefferson Rock. https://www.nps.gov/hafe/learn/historyc ... ferson.htm
Visit the place where R. E. Lee, J.E.B. Stewart, and a group of Marines solved a problem.
If it's still there, visit the headquarters of the Appalachian Trail.
When I went, you could drive around Harper's Ferry, but you couldn't park. There was a shuttle bus.

[TnGuy]

As "Civil War enthusiasts", you may want to consider the possibility of doing a Guided Tour of Antietam. My wife and I did one a few years back and it really helped to bring a great appreciation for what took place there.


David

[bikefish]

Since I am from the south, we called it the Battle of Sharpsburg The last time I was there the battlefield was well-maintained. You picked a great time and the suggestions others made look good. Harper's Ferry is a nice town. When you visit keep in mind Jefferson's thoughts:

https://www.nps.gov/hafe/learn/historyc ... ferson.htm

[Swee'pea]

In addition to the places listed above, we've stayed at the Jacob Rohrbach Inn, a b&b in Sharpsburg Md. It is a historical property and the owner is a licensed battlefield guide. Wherever you choose to stay, I recommend that you let them your interests. They will have up-to-date local information.
We enjoyed stopping by Nutters Ice Cream in Sharpsburg.

[its4inthemorning]

Bogleheads, you guys are too much!

Thanks to each of you for your comments, they are the input I was looking for.

Our hiking capabilities are a bit limited, but we knew that going in, and are keen on seeing what we can as best we can. (Having visited Gettysburg numerous times we may have become spoiled at the way that park makes it easy to see sites by driving closed and taking short walks, but we know that Gettysburg is the exception.) We will "hike" up to our ability, but sadly, from what I see Jefferson Rock is not something my wife could handle. We will have to be content seeing the view through Jefferson's eyes and description.

Thanks for the lodging suggestions; the Bavarian Inn seems a bit more elaborate than we were looking for, but I can see why many would love it. We are looking into both the Inn at Antietam and the Jacob Rohrbach Inn.

Thanks too for the guided tour suggestion at Antietam, that is looking to be the way to go.

Good people, I will post some comments after we return.

[Lastrun]

There is an easy access trail at Antietam to Burnside Bridge that is a very pretty area of the battlefield. The other major battle areas are easy to see or access from the road. At Antietam look for the upside down cannons stuck in the ground, that is where a general fell.

At Harpers Ferry make sure you hit Bolivar Heights. You can drive up and get spectacular views of the Ferry, etc. As good as Jefferson Rock IMHO.

Also, last time I was up at Antietam, the visitor center was under a major restoration, so double check park alerts on the NPS website. The view of the MD mountains is very pretty from there if you are not able to climb the lookout tower at Bloody Lane.

Have a great visit.