Biking Along Revolutionary War History
A day touring Valley Forge National Historic Park
In Mission: Wanderlust, I write and podcast about our family’s travel adventures and the things that we have learned along the way.
The first time Jeff and I went to Valley Forge was on our way home from Washington, DC. We had spent a few days in Philadelphia and decided to head home to Indiana via a slight detour north to Valley Forge National Historical Park.
We stopped at the park visitor center, unloaded our bikes from the back of our little Ford Focus, and rode them to the historical markers throughout the park. It was hilly and we were in terrible shape, but the memory of a long day home that started with a bike ride through a national park stuck with us.
I decided that if we were going to be taking our family to Philadelphia as part of our stay in New Jersey, we needed to take one day to visit the encampment site of the Continental Army during the winter of 1777-1778.
We once again braved the downtown Philly traffic to head north through Philadelphia to more open country. We found a much more scenic Philly as we drove past parks and waterways before encountering more building and city expansion up the coast. Visiting the East Coast is a good reminder of just how young the United States really is and the age of our founding cities, cities that have had to adapt over the years to changes in technology and transportation while trying to build enough housing for a growing population in a finite space.
We arrived in the visitor center parking lot at that uncomfortable time between late morning and lunchtime. It was too early to eat lunch but late enough that everyone was going to get hungry, especially if we decided to have our kids ride their bikes through the whole park.
We stopped in the visitor center where we briefly wandered the gift shop and the engaging interactive museum, picked up additional snacks to throw into my backpack, and prepared to hit the bike trail. One of the park rangers informed us that the five-mile path would take us past most of the sites and we would have to take a detour if we also wanted to visit Washington’s Headquarters while on bikes.
And we were off.
Our first stop was Muhlengerg’s Brigade, the site of the encampment of troops led by Brigadier General Peter Muhlenberg during the winter of 1777-1778. There are nine reconstructed log soldiers’ huts which we toured before walking down the short path to a reconstructed earthen redoubt, one of five such fortifications that helped to anchor the defenses at Valley Forge. As we usually expect from the National Parks Service, the signs were both informative and entertaining, particularly the ones warning visitors to stay off of the earthen works.
We got back onto our bikes to ride to the National Memorial Arch, erected in the early 20th century to commemorate the sacrifices of George Washington and the Continental Army during their winter at Valley Forge. We parked our bikes, rested, and investigated the spectacular structure.
Our next stop was Artillery Park, the central location used during the encampment to keep cannons armed and ready in case of a British attack.
We finished our bike ride with few stops, taking a water break at the Von Steuben Statue and racing past Varnum’s Quarters and Maurice Stephen's House.
By the time we arrived back at the visitor center, we were all ready for a late lunch, with the decision to head back to the park to see Washington’s Headquarters before we called it a day.
We ran into a problem when our late lunch became really late. With Washington’s Headquarters closing at 5:00, we had just enough time to find the headquarters, park, and race down to the house where he was stationed, beating the park ranger to the building by minutes. He kept the house open for us and a few other visitors before kicking us out so they could close down that part of the park for the day.
Yes, we might have been able to visit the headquarters with less rushing if we had initially ridden our bikes there, but with four hungry humans, I don’t think it would have been a good idea. Our kids are used to physical activity when we are on vacation. I’ve tricked them into more long hikes than they would probably care to count, and while they usually say that it was worth it by the time we return to rest our weary feet, it still takes some convincing to get started. But, while they like riding their bikes at the campground or to travel short distances, they are not accustomed to long periods of extended biking. And Valley Forge has some hills. Ok, it has a lot of hills. And when children are not accustomed to hills, they don’t learn how to use the hills to their advantage.
But as parents, we were determined that our family with a teenager and pre-teen could do this and we were going to make it happen. And we did and we don’t regret making this a part of our vacation experience.
When it comes to American history, Valley Forge may seem like one of the less significant places to visit, but it is worth a stop if you are in eastern Pennsylvania. The area is lovely, the biking and hiking trails are clean and easy to use, and the history is still important. While not much happened during the winter of 1777-1778, seeing the park helps one understand the sacrifice of soldiers hunkering down for the season, fearful of cold, disease, and an attack from the British. It is just as much a part of our nation’s story as the Battle of Gettysburg and allows for a good family day of recreation and learning.
For those interested in biking options at Valley Forge National Historical Park, visit https://www.valleyforge.org/editorial/post/take-a-bike-tour-through-valley-forge-national-historical-park/
The YouTube summary of our trip to Valley Forge can be found here:
Please “like” by clicking on the ❤ and share this post with your friends so that others can join me on the journey.
Great read - I especially like your comment about "using" hills, a great lesson in cycling! Visiting national historic sites is so important as a solemn reminder of America's history. Thanks for sharing your family's journey!
I often used videos like your summary video in social studies.