Located on the north side of the Schuylkill River within Valley Forge National Historical Park, the Betzwood picnic area provides shade, picnic tables, potable water, restrooms, and established charcoal grills. Betzwood also provides boat trailer parking and a boat launch on the Schuylkill River, trailhead access to the popular regional Schuylkill River Trail, and trailhead access to the NPS-managed River Trail.
The Commander in Chief's guard huts are reconstructed log structures representing the quarters where soldiers of General George Washington's guard lived during the Valley Forge encampment.
The bronze statue of Inspector General Friedrich Wilhelm August Heinrich Ferdinand de Steuben, more commonly known as Baron von Steuben, overlooks the Grand Parade at Valley Forge National Historical Park.
The historic Valley Forge Station building, an elegant passenger station designed to welcome visitors arriving to Valley Forge State Park, was constructed in 1911. Today it is home to interpretive exhibits.
The Knox Covered Bridge is a scenic feature for many visitors to Valley Forge National Historical Park. The first covered bridge across Valley Creek was built in 1851; it was rebuilt in 1865 after being washed away in a flood. Measuring 10 feet wide and 65 feet long, the bridge connects Yellow Spring Road and Route 252. This picturesque bridge is owned and maintained by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).
The Maurice Stephens House is a 2-story, 5-bay farmhouse with 1 1/2 story 2-bay addition to the east. The original section has a full attic and cellar. The main entrance to the home faced south and the rear-facing entrance towards present Rt. 23. The main section of the house was built around 1816 by Maurice Stephens, and additions were built around 1841 by William Henry. The home was remodeled by the Valley Forge State Park in the 1950s and in 1975.
The Meeting Room at Valley Forge is a multipurpose meeting space located next to the Mini Grand Parade and the second floor of the visitor center building. The room is not open to the public during regular operating hours.
Named after the Grand Parade, where soldiers trained during the encampment of the Continental Army at Valley Forge, the Mini Grand Parade is a flat and open grassy field located behind the Visitor Center at Valley Forge. The field contains wooden bench seating along the edges, and some trees planted for shade.
Muhlenberg's Brigade is the site of the encampment of troops led by Brigadier General Peter Muhlenberg during the winter of 1777-78. Today the area consists of nine reconstructed log soldiers' huts facing a gravel company street.
The United States National Memorial Arch was erected in the early part of the 20th century on the road where soldiers marched into Valley Forge on December 19, 1777. The monument commemorates the arrival and the sacrifices of General George Washington and the Continental Army at Valley Forge during that winter of the American Revolutionary War.
The Philander Chase Knox home has traditionally been known as the site of Maxwell's quarters, since Brigadier General William Maxwell, commander of the New Jersey Brigade, established his headquarters near this site during the Valley Forge encampment. A small section of the house may have stood during the encampment. Today, the P.C. Knox estate is leased by National Park Service and currently functions as an event venue.
Redoubt 2 is a reconstruction of one of the five earthworks fortifications built by soldiers during the Valley Forge encampment to defend the position from a possible British attack.
Redoubt 3 is the site of a partially reconstructed earthworks fortification originally constructed by Continental troops during the Valley Forge encampment and designed to help defend the camp from potential attack from the south.
Redoubt 4 is one of several earthen fortifications that were originally constructed by soldiers encamped at Valley Forge in order to aid in the defense of the army from possible British attack.
The Schuylkill River Valley National Heritage Area celebrates the Schuylkill River region for its cultural, historical and industrial significance. It was along the banks of this river and its tributaries that the American, Industrial, and Environmental Revolutions were born. From the Continental Congress to Washington's encampment at Valley Forge, the region played a key role in the American Revolution and more.
The stable building at Washington's Headquarters is estimated to have been constructed around the same time as the house itself (c. 1773 or earlier). Today the building is home to a museum exhibit called Forging a Nation: Iron Making in Colonial America.
The Steuben Memorial honors the "Drillmaster of the American Revolution," Baron von Steuben, whose valuable wartime services have been described as being second in importance only to those of George Washington.
This multi-use pedestrian bridge spanning the Schuylkill River provides access to the north side of Valley Forge National Historical Park, including Betzwood Picnic Area and boat launch, and trail access to the River Trail (unpaved, managed by Valley Forge NHP), and the Schuylkill River Trail (paved, part of the Schuylkill River National Heritage Area).
The Theater at Valley Forge is located behind the visitor center and adjacent to the administration building and the Mini Grand Parade. Open to the public from 9 AM to 5 PM daily (except for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year's Days), and the 19-minute orientation film is shown on the hour and the half-hour from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Varnum's Picnic Area is a shady, grassy lawn with picnic tables. In the parking lot there is a restroom facility, an information kiosk, and a short trail to the Star Redoubt. The parking lot is open daily from April to October, 7 AM to dark, then open weekends only through November. The parking lot is closed December through March.
A stone farmhouse belonging to the Stephens family that was rented by Brigadier General James Mitchell Varnum during the Valley Forge encampment to serve as quarters for the General and office space for six other military staff.
The Visitor Center at Valley Forge is open daily, 9 AM to 5 PM. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. The building is home to The Encampment Store, the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board Montgomery County Welcome Center regional travel desk, an information desk staffed by park ranger historians and volunteer, and a museum exhibit.
The Washington Memorial Chapel sits on private land and is not managed by the National Park Service. The impressive building was constructed between 1903 and 1917, and features a Gothic Revival style.
This statue of George Washington, located near Washington's Headquarters at Valley Forge, is a cast bronze copy of a marble statue by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon.
Washington's Headquarters, also known as the Isaac Potts House, is the structure used by General George Washington and his household during the 1777-1778 encampment of the Continental Army at Valley Forge.
The Anthony Wayne Monument at Valley Forge is located in a grassy area surrounded by trees and facing Wayne’s home in Chester County. The bronze statue, supported by a large rectangular base of pink granite, features Brigadier General Wayne on horseback, emphasizing his role in the military. The north side of the pedestal lists the many roles that Wayne filled during his lifetime.
Wayne's Woods picnic area provides excellent views of the National Memorial Arch and the landscape of Valley Forge. The area features wooden picnic tables under the shade of tall trees and easy access to the paved 5-mile loop of the Joseph Plumb Martin trail. The use of picnic tables is first-come, first-served. A public restroom and outdoor water fountain is available seasonally.
