Whether you are visiting the Historic Market District ( Lower Town ), be prepared for a situation rather like that of Disneyland, an amusement park, ski resort, or stadium, all of which rely on remote parking to accommodate the large number of visitors. Harpers Ferry has only 300 residents — but approximately a half-million visitors come to the Town each year — and most of them arrive by auto on nice weather weekends — so unloading and parking are challenging in this historic village whether you are visiting for a couple of minutes or a couple of days.

Parking for visitors in the historic market district of Harpers Ferry (Lower Town) where the Inn is located is controlled by the National Park Service (NPS) and requires a lifetime, annual ($80), or 3-day ($20) NPS pass whether you are visiting for a couple of minutes or a couple of days. Passes can be purchased online at Recreation.gov or in person between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the Harpers Ferry NPS Visitor Center located at 171 Shoreline Drive. A 3-day pass for only Harpers Ferry can be purchased for $20 on-line or at the NPS parking lots.

With a NPS pass, you can park at the Train Station Parking Lot on Potomac Street (100 spaces, 1 block from the Inn) or the River Access Parking Lot (50 spaces, 1/2 mile from the Inn at the intersection of Route 340 and Shenandoah Street) or at the Cavalier Heights NPS Visitor Center (1000 spaces, 1.5 miles up the Shenandoah River along Shoreline Drive or 2 miles via High / Washington St.) on a first-come, first-serve basis. NPS provides a shuttle that runs non-stop throughout the day from this Visitor Center (located at 171 Shoreline Drive) to the Town, generally from 8:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. — but hours vary, so please ask the Park Rangers about the hours upon your arrival. The staff at the Inn will provide a shuttle to your car if the NPS shuttle is not available. If the Train Station Parking Lot is full when you arrive, you can park at the Visitor Center during the day and then take the shuttle back to the Visitor Center and bring your car to the Train Station Lot in the evening.

No overnight parking is allowed in the NPS parking lots without an overnight permit from the NPS or a permit from me placed on your dashboard next to your parking pass. A permit from me will be included in your Welcome Envelope. The permit is free if you have paid for the pass.

The other option to parking in NPS parking lots is parking in one of the Town’s metered spaces located throughout the Town. The metered spaces located in Lower Town near the Train Station cost $3/hour from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Some property owners in Harpers Ferry and Bolivar may allow parking on their private property with their permission and perhaps a fee.

Go directly to the Train Station Lot without stopping at the Inn. Stop at the the entrance to the Train Station Lot and follow the instructions on the parking kiosk / mailbox at the entrance. Walk up the stairway to the right of the Almost Heaven Pub and Grill on Potomac Street. These steps end directly in front of the Inn on High Street.

OR

Stop across the street from the Inn (in front of the Rabbit Hole Restaurant), unload, and get a note and NPS parking fee envelope and overnight permit from Inn staff.

Drive to the Train Station parking lot on Potomac Street to see if any parking spaces are available. If so, park and place the top of the NPS parking fee envelope and the permit from the Inn on your dashboard and drop the envelope in the NPS mailbox located at the intersection of Potomac Street and the driveway to the Train Station parking lot (on the right, at the end of the sidewalk as you are turning from Potomac Street onto the driveway). Walk up the stairway to the right of Almost Heaven Pub and Grill. These steps end directly in front of the Inn on High Street.

If no parking is available in the Train Station Lot, either (1) drive about 2 miles up Washington / High Street until it curves and intersects Route 340, cross Route 340 (when the traffic light is green 🙂 and then turn left into the NPS Visitor Center or (2) drive along Shenandoah Street to Shoreline Drive and then to the NPS Visitor Center. Park your car, and take the shuttle back to Lower Town.

Optional: If you park at the NPS Visitor Center, you can take one of the last shuttles back to the Visitor Center in the evening and drive your car to the Train Station, where your NPS pass and the permit from me allow you to park overnight.

Remember, the parking is always first come, first serve — so if you move your car during the day, you may lose your space.