Mount Misery and Mount Joy are the names of the primary two peaks in the Valley Forge National Park. My new pics are from the south end of Mt. Joy.
There really isn't a whole lot to see in the park as far as authentic history. Even the cabins aren't purely historical. They may contain some original beams, but the cabins themselves have been relocated and rebuilt.
Valley Forge is more about atmosphere. It's about imagining battles over the open hills and fields. Many descriptive historic markers exist throughout the park and can act as launching points for the imagination.
Mount Misery and Mount Joy are two points that spark my imagination. Anybody who is familiar with Southeastern Pennsylvania knows that the term "mount" is used rather loosely. You will be hard pressed to find even a single point with elevation over 2000 ft. What we do have are hills. Lots and lots of hills. From a military standpoint, especially in Revolutionary and Civil War days, hills are infinitely more difficult to defend than a single mountain sitting in the middle of a landscape.
It is interesting looking at these two "mounts" in our time. Mount Joy, from the north side, looks like Mordor from The Lord of the Rings. Gypsy moths attacked and destroyed almost all established oak trees during the 1980's. Many of those trees are on the ground rotting away. Many are still standing rotting in place. During a storm, "blow-downs" can become a very real and imminent danger.
As a whole, as long as you can climb over dead wood, hiking Mount Joy tends to be very easy even for young children and the elderly. The trails aren't always the most aesthetically pleasing, but they don't take a whole lot of effort.
During Revolutionary days, Mount Joy was somewhat of a battlefront defenseline. The remains of some of the earthen "bunkers" and barricades can still be found if you know what to look for.
On the other side, you have Mount Misery. Quite an imposing name, and for those who are not in shape, a couple of the trails can be somewhat challenging.
Mount Misery can be challenging, but it is also beautiful. Small springs run throughout. These springs served as the source of drinking water for the Revolutionary soldiers. The waters also fed into the watermill at the bottom of the valley. No old wood exists on the side of Mt. Misery facing Valley Creek. The wood was used as a source of charcoal to feed the iron production at the watermill. But, that hillside does serve as a source of much new life. Many relatively young trees, flowers and berries flourish.
In between Mount Joy and Mount Misery is Valley Creek. This is the source of life in both our times and Revolutionary times. A beautiful trail runs along the creek with a covered bridge at one end. Unfortunately, a modern day road also runs through the valley.
Being a fan of JRR Tolkien, having some deeper understanding of his use of symbols, allegory and allusion (especially as related to Biblical History and the Christian Faith) my mind runs rampant with ideas every time I take a walk in the park.
Life giving water emerges from "Misery". While the "Joys" of this world are only temporary and susceptible to disease and corruption. These (and many more) paradoxes and ironies have continued to develop over the years at the place that is considered by many to be the birthplace of our nation!
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