Valley Forge National Historical Park
Pennsylvania
Tonight
🌗 46% moon
6.4 h fully dark
Hikes
Easy
🟢
Crowds
moderate
Open today
Open
Washington's Headquarters: closed May 4 – Dec 31; Washington's Headquarters: closed Nov 26 – Nov 26; Washington's Headquarters: closed Dec 25 – Dec 25; Washington's Headquarters: closed Jan 1 – Jan 1
Entrance
Free entry
Multiple Park Road Closures After Heavy Storm Winds (June 24, 2026)
Multiple park roads are closed due to downed trees and power lines after heavy storm winds passed through the park on the evening of Monday, June 22. Park roads will reopen once trees have been cleared and power lines repaired. Closed roads include North, West, and South Inner Line Drives. Access to Artillery Park from Gulph Road remains open.
External Shuttle Pick-up/Drop-off in Visitor Center Lot (June 30 to July 5)
Shuttles external to Valley Forge National Historical Park, including hotel shuttles and the FIFA Watch Party shuttle between June 30 and July 4, will pick up and drop off passengers on the north side of the main lower parking lot of the Visitor Center at Valley Forge. Find more information about the FIFA Watch Party shuttle at the link below.
Official NPS alert →Route 252 Closed between Route 23 and Covered Bridge - June 15 to June 26
PennDOT Drainage Crew will replace eight drainage pipes along Route 252 between Route 23 and the Knox Covered Bridge on Yellow Springs Road. Work is scheduled to begin on Monday June 15 and is expected to be completed by Friday June 26, 2026. Daytime road closures will be in effect throughout the project. All traffic will be detoured during working hours. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, allow additional travel time, and follow posted detour routes.
Isaac Potts House (Washington's Headquarters) Closed For Restoration
The Isaac Potts House (Washington's Headquarters at Valley Forge) is temporarily closed for a restoration project. The Washington's Headquarters area, including the Valley Forge Train Station and exhibits, Commander-In-Chief's Guard Huts, and George Washington statue, remains open and accessible during regular operating hours. Learn more about the restoration project at the link below.
Official NPS alert →Dogs Prohibited on Grand Parade Trails from April 1 to September 15
The Grand Parade Trails are closed to dogs from April 1 to September 15 to protect breeding birds nesting in the meadows. Nesting songbirds see dogs as predators, which can stress the birds and lead to less productive or even failed nests.
Maurice Stephens Parking Lot Closed During Construction Project
The parking lot near the Maurice Stephens house, located on Rt 23 opposite from the Washington Memorial Chapel, is closed during construction and renovation work on the house. Visitors are encouraged to park in the Chapel lot for Grand Parade trail access
Official NPS alert →County Line Road Closed Monday To Friday
County Line Road is closed during the week, from Monday through Friday. The closure will apply to all vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic. Please find an alternate route.
Valley Forge is the place where George Washington and the Continental Army took refuge during the winter of 1777-1778. Today the park protects 3,500 acres of meadows, woodlands, historic landscapes, and monuments commemorating the resolve of the Revolutionary War generation and honoring the power of people to pull together, overcome adversity, and find renewal through transformation.
Activities
Topics
No entrance fee.
Hours & seasons
The park grounds including roads, parking lots, trails, and monuments are open from 7am to dark (30 minutes after sunset) year round. Park grounds remain open on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.
⚠ Washington's Headquarters: closed May 4 – Dec 31; Washington's Headquarters: closed Nov 26 – Nov 26; Washington's Headquarters: closed Dec 25 – Dec 25; Washington's Headquarters: closed Jan 1 – Jan 1
Generally open:
winterspringsummerfallHours are reported by the park — verify before you go.
📞 6107831000
✉ vafo_superintendent@nps.govConditions
Quietest months (fewer crowds): Jan, Feb, Dec
Typical crowds: moderate
Weather now: ☀️ Clear, 87°F
🌫️ 90°/74°
🌦️ 90°/74°
🌦️ 90°/71°
Typical monthly recreation visits · NPS avg 2023–2025 — orange months are the quietest by crowds.
Quietest months
Relative crowds by month — lighter is quieter; ringed months are the calmest by crowds.
Jan
26%
Feb
36%
Mar
57%
Apr
70%
May
85%
Jun
91%
Jul
100%
Aug
84%
Sep
66%
Oct
86%
Nov
60%
Dec
37%
Log a sky reading
Measured the sky with an SQM meter or app? Add your reading (16 = city glow … 22 = pristine). Opt in under “Travelers like you” to share it on the community leaderboard.
Things to do
Be a Valley Forge Junior Ranger
🟢 Take a Trolley Tour
Explore the Valley Forge Encampment Museum Exhibit · <p>Most of the exhibit can be experienced in about 30-40 minutes, but it could take up to an hour to read every panel!</p>
Be a Valley Forge B.A.R.K. Ranger
Explore the Washington's Wartime Family Exhibit · <p>Most of the exhibit can be experienced in about 10 minutes, but it could take up to 30 minutes to read every panel!</p>
Rent a Bicycle · <p>You can rent bikes for 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, or all day (8 hours maximum).</p> <p>Rentals begin at 9 AM and end at 3 PM. Final returns must be completed by 5 PM.</p>
Watch the Park Orientation Film
Watch the Short Films · <p>Each short film is approximately 3-and-a-half minutes in length and provides a deeper look into an important aspect of the Valley Forge story.</p>
Visitor centers
Visitor Center at Valley Forge
Accessibility
50 audio-described place(s)
Reported by the park — verify before you go.
Parking
Administration Parking Lot · 83 accessible spacesaccessible
Artillery Park Parking Lot · 98 accessible spacesaccessible
Knox's Quarters Parking Lot · 111 accessible spacesaccessible
Lower Visitor Center Parking Lot · 397 accessible spacesaccessible
Muhlenberg's Brigade Parking Lot · 48 accessible spacesaccessible
National Memorial Arch Parking Lot · 46 accessible spacesaccessible
Washington's Headquarters Parking Lot · 60 accessible spacesaccessible
Wayne's Woods Parking Lot · 77 accessible spacesaccessible
Wilson Road Parking Lot · 54 accessible spacesaccessible
Not an official safety source — always defer to NPS.gov and rangers for life-safety decisions.
By the numbers
A visual read on Valley Forge National Historical Park — its character, trails, sky, and weather.
Park fingerprint
How this park scores across the dimensions travelers care about.
Trail difficulty
Difficulty mix across this park's trails.
3-day forecast
Daily high and low temperatures (°F).
People & stories
Figures tied to Valley Forge National Historical Park — each spans a cross-park journey.
Abel Ephraim
— Hassanamisco, Died In Service, Patriots Of ColorAnthony Wayne
— American Revolution, US Army, MilitaryAtayataghlonghta – Colonel Louis Joseph Cook
— Native American History, American Revolution War, MohawkCharles Jarvis (Charles James)
— Patriots Of Color, Massachusetts, Bunker HillFriedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin von Steuben
— Euroamerican Settlers, European American Heritage, European American HistoryGeorge Washington
— Fort Necessity National Battlefield, President, Continental ArmyHannah Till
— Womens History, African Amercan Heritage, Valley ForgeHenry Knox
— American Revolution, Siege Of Boston, Continental ArmyPassport stamps
Mark the stamps you've collected — they show in your memory and along your routes.
🎫 Visitor Center at Valley Forge
🎫 Visitor Information Table
Places to see
Artillery Park
Betzwood Picnic Area
audio
Butler's Brigade Monument
audio
Commander in Chief's Guard Huts
General Baron von Steuben Statue
Glover's Brigade Monument
audio
Hartley's Brigade Monument
audio
Huntington's Brigade Monument
audio
Knox Covered Bridge
audio
Knox's Quarters
Learned's Brigade Monument
audio
Maurice Stephens House
Audio & media
🎧
🎬
🖼
Learn more
The ’78 Mile Challenge Annual Logo Design Contest is your opportunity to design a logo for the '78 Mile Challenge at Valley Forge National Historical Park! The winning logo is decided by the public via Facebook.
When George Washington turned 46 years old at Valley Forge in 1778, he most likely didn't have a birthday cake like we think of them today, but he probably did have cake at Valley Forge.
Meet the six winner of the 2011 Hartzog Awards, which celebrates the amazing contributions of volunteers to our national parks.
Valley Forge National Historical Park experienced an unusually warm and wet 2019. The year ended as the 3rd warmest and 23rd wettest year since 1895.
Valley Forge National Historical Park experienced an extremely warm 2021 though total precipitation was near normal. The year ended as the 4th warmest and 59th wettest year since 1895.
The National Park Service is pleased to congratulate the recipients of the 2022 George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service.
It was a very warm year at Valley Forge National Historical Park in 2022 though total precipitation was near normal. The year ended as the 15th warmest and 59th wettest since 1895.
The National Park Service congratulates the regional recipients of the 2023 Excellence in Volunteerism Awards. These nominees embody the values of service, engagement, and stewardship fundamental to our national parks.
Ranger School
Park-grounded courses you can learn with the Ranger.
I Know That Tune! Folk Music, Traditions, Opinions, & Historical Facts
Open →
Reflections of African American Patriots at Valley Forge
Open →
The March In
Open →
Valley Forge: By the Numbers
Open →
How Valley Forge National Historical Park connects
This park's activities, topics, location, and on-the-ground places — one hop in the graph. Drag to explore; click an activity, topic, or related park to follow it.
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Activity
Topic
State
VisitorCenter
ParkingLot
PassportStamp
Trail
ThingToDo
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