Free Topo Maps of Valley Forge National Historical Park

Download free topo maps of Valley Forge National Historical Park. Use the adjoining 7.5 minute quadrangle legend to locate the Pennsylvania maps you need.

Adjoining 7.5' Quadrangle Legend

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Valley Forge National Historical Park has been preserved to honor those who faced seemingly impossible situations during the era of the Revolutionary War; and managed to overcome all obstacles impeding their eventual success. Valley Forge was chosen for preservation as it not only demonstrates the ability of the Continental Army's endurance during the period of the bitter winter of 1777 to the spring of 1778; it also evokes the Nation's feelings of patriotism, as well as embodying the American idealized concept of America. This vast park offers tours of this winter camp with a diversity of interpretive talks and demonstrations during the year, tours of the grounds, a Visitor Center which offers a number of visual opportunities, films, exhibits and more. There are more than twenty-eight trails that can be used for hiking, biking or horseback riding in designated areas, with brochures of the trails with descriptive material of historic sites. The Encampment Tour is a ten mile driving tour which is self-guided or can be used in conjunction with the Cell Phone Tour that the Park offers. The Park grounds are also popular for bird watching with an enormous number of birds using the habitats during the year. During the winter months cross-country skiing is also allowed. The paved Joseph Plumb Martin Trail which passes important historic points is a bike path and also has interpretive sites; while an unpaved twelve mile bike path connects to Philadelphia. Those interested in war strategy will enjoy the Muhlenberg Brigade tour; while others may be drawn to Living History demonstrations. Interpretive talks are also available at the Train Station and two homes that were used for the military, which includes Washington's Headquarters. The amazing aspect to be explored at Valley Forge is the diversity of the men who fought together as an integrated, homogenous group. Though the predominant numbers did come from English ancestry, there were people from many religious and ethnic cultures, as well as people of color. African American freeman supporting the war and some of whom were seeking to become freemen fought with the Continentals. And even though many Native Americans threatened by the numbers of colonists taking their lands did support the British, there were still other American Indians who sent their men to fight with the Continental Army. The men and the women who followed the Army to assist and support their husbands are the true story of Valley Forge.