Turner's Gap

Turner's Gap
Looking east across the Middletown Valley at Catoctin Mountain from Turners Gap
Elevation	1,071 ft (326 m)
Traversed by	U.S. Route 40 Alt.
Location	Maryland, United States
Range	Blue Ridge Mountains South Mountain
Coordinates	39°29′05″N 77°37′13″W / 39.48467°N 77.620212°W / 39.48467; -77.620212Coordinates: 39°29′05″N 77°37′13″W / 39.48467°N 77.620212°W / 39.48467; -77.620212

Turner's Gap is a wind gap in the South Mountain Range of the Blue Ridge Mountains, located in Frederick County and Washington County, Maryland. The gap is traversed by U.S. Route 40 Alternate, the old National Pike. The Appalachian Trail also crosses the gap.

Geography

The gap is 200 feet (61 m) below the ridgline to the south, 400 feet (120 m) below the ridgline to the south and 400 feet (120 m) above the surrounding lowlands. To the east of the gap lies the Middletown Valley and to the west the Hagerstown Valley. Fox's Gap is 1 mile (1.6 km) to the south.

History

The Old South Mountain Inn and Dahlgren Chapel are located at Turners Gap.

Turner's Gap was the scene of heavy fighting during the Battle of South Mountain in September 1862 during the American Civil War. The area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Turner's and Fox's Gaps Historic District.^[1]

References