Record of Determination to temporarily close for Memorial Day Weekend one parking area at Schoolhouse Ridge South within the boundaries of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park to public use for protection of park resources and the maintenance of public health and safety.
36 CFR 1.5 (a)(1) General Closures - One parking area along Millville Road, within the boundaries of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, will be temporarily closed to public use for protection of natural and cultural resources and for the maintenance of public health and safety. This closure will be effective from the evening of Friday, May 24 through Monday, May 27, 2024.
The subject parking area along Millville Road is small (7 spaces total) and serves as a parking lot for access to trails within the Schoolhouse Ridge South unit of the park. The parking area is located across the road from an abandoned gravel quarry that is frequently trespassed upon by individuals seeking to swim in the waters of the quarry, which is on private property. The private landowner has posted No Trespassing signs along Millville Road on the quarry property. The Schoolhouse Ridge South parking area is frequently used by people who park there and then cross the road to access the quarry. Overuse and demand for parking near the quarry has led to park property being used to improperly dump waste and for drug activities, and has resulted in vandalism to government property and in damage to park resources from drivers parking in undesignated places. Trespassers on quarry property also park along Millville Road, which leads to unsafe conditions along the roadway. The Jefferson County (West Virginia) Sheriff's Office has been called to this area more than 150 times over the last five years to deal with trespassers on the quarry property. NPS Rangers also respond to this area repeatedly to deal with overuse of the parking area, dumping of waste, and resource damage due to illegal parking.
Because of such use, the park has made the determination to keep the Schoolhouse Ridge South parking area closed for a busy holiday weekend with higher visitation expected for the protection of natural or cultural resources. This closure will also provide maintenance of public health and safety. This temporary closure will not be of a magnitude or duration to cause significant alteration to visitor use of the park area.
Notice of this public use limitation will be made through media advisories, social media platforms, adjustments to park maps, and posting at conspicuous locations in the affected park areas as required by 36 CFR 1.7. This determination is available to the public upon request.
/s/ Tanya Gossett
Superintendent, Harpers Ferry NHP
May 22, 2024
