Parking Options
While parking for the Town's Inn is easily accessible, parking is restricted in Lower Town Harpers Ferry in order to maintain the 18th and 19th century historical appearance of the town. Visitors who travel here by car have several options:
1. Contact Karan Townsend (877.489.2447) to arrange private parking in the private spaces across the street from the train station parking lot, past the caboose restaurant Southern Smoke and past the last building, which is a residence with a large balcony located at 221 Potomac Street. The fee for a private parking space is $10 the duration of your stay at the Inn. You should leave a note on your dashboard indicating that you are guests of the Town's Inn, or your car may be towed. Include your name and the date of your reservations. Your car may also be towed if you park in private spaces other than those marked with a white sign upon which "Reserved for Karan Townsend" is written.
2. Arrange parking through the National Park Service (NPS). According to the NPS website (www.nps.gov/hafe), "Entrance passes are required in all park areas and fees are payable at Cavalier Heights Entrance Station, Bolivar Heights, Maryland Heights, Harpers Ferry Train Station, and River Access Parking Lot." A 3-day park pass ($6/vehicle) or annual park pass ($25/vehicle) from the NPS entitles you to park in all NPS Visitor Parking Lots. The passes can be obtained at the entrance to each lot from either an on-duty ranger or from the iron safe (an envelope depository box that looks like a small brown mailbox) at the entrance to the Train Station parking lot, located 1 block south of the Inn. Be sure to pay the fee and place the permit on your dashboard.The following operational time frames and conditions must be kept in mind:
- Anyone wishing to park overnight at Cavalier Heights and take the free shuttle to Harpers Ferry (a 5-minute ride) must submit a completed "Request for Overnight Parking" form so that law enforcement personnel who patrol the lot are informed of authorized overnight vehicles.
- An electronic version of the form available from the Inn allows visitors to email or fax the form to a Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Dispatch or Visitor Services location prior to their arrival.
- The gates at Cavalier Heights are locked at sunset; therefore, visitors who use this lot for overnight parking cannot retrieve their cars except in case of an emergency. The Park reserves the right to define an emergency.
- The Cavalier Heights fee entrance station closes at 4 p.m. and the Cavalier Heights Visitor Center at 5 p.m. seven days a week. "Request for Overnight Parking" forms cannot be issued by park staff after this time. Daily shuttle operations end at 6:45 p.m. in the summer and 5:45 p.m. in the winter.
- Parking spaces at the Train Station parking lot are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Passes for the train station lot can be obtained from either an on-duty ranger or from the iron safe (an envelope depository box that looks like a small, waist-high brown mailbox) at the entrance to the Train Station parking lot. Take an envelope from the "mailbox," tear off the perforated end and place it on the dashboard of your car, place $6 (cash or check) in the envelope, and drop the envelope through the "mail slot."
- Currently no special overnight permit is required for overnight parking in the Train Station lot. If the Train Station lot is full, Cavalier Heights is available following procedures stated above.
- The Train Station Parking Lot is located one block south of the inn between the Potomac River and Potomac Street. Two sets of stairs connect Potomac Street and High Street. One set is located to the left of the caboose Southern Smoke restaurant, and the other set is located to the right of the Armory Pub. The steps end in front of the Inn.
- Guests leaving a vehicle in the lots overnight will do so at their own risk.
3. Park in any of the 12 spaces behind the building located at 970 Washington Street. This parking is being offered by the owners of the property at no charge with the understanding that they will incur no liability as a result of their generous offer to help guests of the Town's Inn obtain parking. If you use the lot for overnight parking, you should leave a note on your dashboard indicating that you are guests of the Town's Inn. Include your name and the date of your reservations.
4. Contact River Riders (304 535 2663; www.riverriders.com) or BTI Whitewater Rafting (800 836 9911; www.buttstube.com) and arrange to park in their parking lots and to be shuttled to the Town's Inn. This parking and shuttle service is free if you purchase a rafting or other package from them. Otherwise, they will quote you a fee for the parking and shuttle service.
Note: You can park on High Street in front of the Inn to unload your luggage if you follow the loading ordinances: (1) You must park with the front of your car facing uphill. (2) You can park for no more than 15 minutes. (3) You cannot park even just to quickly load / unload between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekends.
