Back Door to Harpers Ferry

History: After the Battle of South Mountain, Confederate General Lafayette McLaws delayed the Union advance by stretching his forces across the valley at the foot of Elk Ridge.

More to Explore: Today, Harpers Ferry is a favorite of outdoors and history enthusiasts alike. Enjoy everything from white-water rafting, hiking and kayaking to John Brown's fort and a Civil War museum. Most of this town is part of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, and several museums occupy local 19th-century buildings. Antietam National Battlefield is 17 miles away.

Photo Credits: “Lafayette McLaws” & “Elk Mountain, Maryland. Lts. Pearce, John C. Babcock and Rockwell” Courtesy of: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division