Valley Forge National Historical Park is a fee-free park open year-round and sees nearly two million visitors annually. Historic structures, monuments, and trails cover the 3,500-acre landscape. 

Things to do at Valley Forge National Historical Park

Tour the Encampment

The Encampment Tour route is a 10-mile driving loop comprised of 9 major tour stops plus additional opportunities to stop and explore Valley Forge. On a first-time visit, the route can be best experienced by vehicle.

Driving the route in your vehicle can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 2-3 hours to complete, depending on how often you stop and how much time you spend at each location. The route features some of the most scenic views of the park as well as many of the historic sites and monuments.

Hiking

Valley Forge National Historical Park has over 35 miles of designated hiking trails. The paved 8.7 mile Joseph Plumb Martin Trail connects many of the key historic and interpretive sites in the park, and the 5-mile loop section of that trail is especially popular for walkers, joggers, and cyclists. There are also unpaved and forested trails on Mount Joy and Mount Misery, trails next to Valley Creek and the Schuykill River, and the Grand Parade Trail goes through meadow habitat. Hiking is permitted in most open areas of the park. Please keep your pets on a leash at all times and throw waste in the provided trash and recycling receptacles.

Biking

There are 19 miles of authorized biking trails in the park. The paved, 8.7 mile Joseph Plumb Martin Trail connects many key historic and interpretive sites. On the north side of the Schuykill River, two miles of the paved, regional Schuylkill River Trail run through the park, with connections to sites in Montgomery County and Philadelphia. Biking is allowed on all open park roads as well as some flat, unpaved trails.