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National Historical Park · Pennsylvania

Valley Forge National Historical Park

National Historical Park in Pennsylvania. No entrance fee. 1 hikes listed.

By The Green Adventures · Updated · How we check

TypeNational Historical Park
StatePennsylvania
Entrance feeNo entrance fee
CampgroundsNone
Nearest national parkShenandoah (189 mi)
Closest airportPHL (19 mi)
bronze statue of rev war general on stone base, red white and blue bunting behind
Valley Forge National Historical Park celebrates 50 years as a national park on July 4, 2026! Photo: NPS Photo / G. Purifoy

Valley Forge National Historical Park is a national historical park run by the National Park Service in Pennsylvania.

In the park service’s words

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.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Things to do

  • Take a Trolley Tour (90 Minutes): Trolley tours are offered on a seasonal basis. Check the schedule for current tour status. Trolley tours depart from the front of the Visitor Center and make extended stops at Muhlenberg's Brigade and Washington's Headquarters. Trolley Tours are 90 minutes long, ADA accessible, and administered by The Encampment Store.
  • Be a Valley Forge Junior Ranger (1 to 2 Hours): Complete in the in-park Valley Forge Junior Ranger program by picking up a copy of the Junior Ranger Activity Booklet from a ranger at the visitor center.
  • Explore the Valley Forge Encampment Museum Exhibit (20 to 60 Minutes): Explore the sights, sounds, and stories of the Valley Forge encampment in the brand-new museum exhibit located at the Visitor Center at Valley Forge!
  • Be a Valley Forge B.A.R.K. Ranger (10 to 30 Minutes): Learn the four B.A.R.K. principles, complete pages in the activity book, and show your work to a ranger at the visitor center. After you make the B.A.R.K. Ranger promise, you and your doggo will get a Valley Forge B.A.R.K. Ranger dog tag!
  • Explore the Washington's Wartime Family Exhibit (5 to 30 Minutes): Explore the motivations and decisions of General George Washington and learn about the people that made up Washington's military family during the Valley Forge encampment in this museum exhibit, located in the Historic Valley Forge Station near Washington's Headquarters.
  • Rent a Bicycle (2 to 8 Hours): For those who want to explore Valley Forge on two wheels, The Encampment Store offers seasonal bike rentals, weather permitting. Please call 610-551-7870 before going to the park to confirm that bike rentals are on for the day.
  • Watch the Park Orientation Film (19 Minutes): The 19-minute park orientation film Determined to Persevere: The Valley Forge Encampment is shown daily on the hour and the half-hour in the Meeting Room. The first screening is at 9:30 AM and the final screening is at 4:30 PM.
  • Watch the Short Films (5 to 10 Minutes): Four short films play regularly in the museum exhibit located in the Visitor Center at Valley Forge.

Fees and hours

Entrance fee: No entrance fee.

Hours: Daily, 7:00AM - Sunset. 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.

Getting there

The park is conveniently located off of U.S. Route 422. The main entrance to the park is at the intersection of State Route 23 and North Gulph Road. From the Pennsylvania Turnpike, take Exit 326. From Interstate I-76, take Route 422 West to Route 23 West/Valley Forge. From State Route 252, take State Route 23 East.

Airport City Drive to the park Straight-line miles Type
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) Philadelphia, PA No road route 19 Large hub
Wilmington Airport (ILG) Wilmington, DE No road route 30 Regional
Trenton Mercer Airport (TTN) Ewing Township, NJ No road route 36 Regional

Drive times run from the airport to Zion Canyon Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.

Miles are straight-line distances.

Visitor centers

  • Visitor Center at Valley Forge: Daily, 9:00AM - 5:00PM. The Visitor Center at Valley Forge is open daily, 9 AM to 5 PM. Closed for holidays on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.

Weather

Winters at Valley Forge are cold and damp with a cool spring and fall and a hot and humid summer. Sturdy hiking shoes are recommended for outdoor recreation during the snowy winter season. Find more detailed weather information on the Weather page.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Know before you go

Drones are banned at almost every park site, and you may not take rocks, plants or artifacts. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet where they are allowed. Bring no firewood from home.

Nearby

The nearest national park is Shenandoah, about 189 miles away in a straight line.

Sources

Last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entrance fee at Valley Forge National Historical Park?

No entrance fee.

Where is Valley Forge National Historical Park?

In Pennsylvania. The closest airport with scheduled flights is Philadelphia International Airport, about 19 miles away.

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