Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Butterfly Alley Trail & Lower Sweet Run Trail via Appalachian Trail
11.9 mi · ▲ 1,991 ft · 4 hr 58 min
Butterfly Alley Trail & Lower Sweet Run Trail via Appalachian Trail is an 11.9-mile out-and-back in Harpers Ferry National Historical Park near Bolivar, WV. It climbs 1,991 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 8/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Butterfly Alley Trail & Lower Sweet Run Trail via Appalachian Trail
11.9 mi · ▲ 1,991 ft · 4 hr 58 min
Elevation 261–1,154 ft
Out & Back · Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Trailhead: 39.31515, -77.75774
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:58 AM · sunset 7:13 PM
Transit-accessible: NPS Shuttle Bus Station stop 151 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Lower Town Trail, heading SE.
- 0.9 miTurn right onto Appalachian National Scenic Trail, heading SE.
- 1.3 miSharp right onto Appalachian Trail, heading E.
- 2.7 miTurn left onto Butterfly Alley Trail, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Bypass Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Lower Sweet Run Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miReach Butterfly Alley Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miSharp left onto Bypass Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Butterfly Alley Trail, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Appalachian Trail, heading W.
- 2.7 miSharp left onto Appalachian National Scenic Trail, heading NE.
- 1.3 miTurn left onto Lower Town Trail, heading NW.
- 0.9 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: NPS Shuttle Bus Station stop 151 m from the trailhead
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Appalachian Trail 9.8 mi · ▲ 1,500 ft
- Gordon Pond–Wortman Pond, 5 sights 13.5 mi · ▲ 2,220 ft
- Appalachian National Scenic Viewpoint–Lake Quigley, 3 sights 3.4 mi · ▲ 206 ft
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 880 ft
- Jefferson Rock & Lake Quigley via Lower Town Trail 3.1 mi · ▲ 479 ft
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