Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park has four major Civil War Battlefields and four historic buildings. It takes a great deal of time to see it all. The following are some suggestions to help visitors better experience the park.

If you have…

One Hour:

•Visit one of our two visitor centers. One is located on the Fredericksburg Battlefield the other is on the Chancellorsville Battlefield.

•Pick up a park map, watch our 22-minute orientation film and look through our museum. You may also want to venture around the outside of our visitor centers and take a self guided walking tour of the Sunken Road (at Fredericksburg) or the Wounding of Stonewall Jackson (at Chancellorsville).

Half-Day:

•During the peak season the four battlefields have Ranger/Historian guided walking tours. Check in the visitor center or the website to find the times and locations.

•Take our self guided driving tours of one of our four battlefields.

•Stop at Chatham on the Fredericksburg Battlefield and tour the historic plantation home. The home was a hospital, headquarters, and communication center during the battle.

•Stop at Ellwood if you are on the Wilderness Battlefield. Pick up a pass a Chancellorsville and walk the grounds of a hospital and Union Headquarters during the Battle of the Wilderness. Take a walk to the family cemetery to see the arm of Stonewall Jackson.

•If you are traveling south head to the “Stonewall” Jackson Shrine. You can stand in the room where Confederate General Stonewall Jackson died. The small plantation office building is open for tours.

Multiple Days:

•Rent or purchase a self guided driving tour CD of the battlefields. You can obtain the CD in one of our two park bookstores. Each CD will take approximately 2-3 hours to complete.

•Walk some of the trails. Spotsylvania has a beautiful 7 mile trail that criss-cross the battlefield. The Wilderness Battlefield has the Gordon Flank Attack Trail, a two mile trail following old road ways, battle trenches, and the north end of the battlefield.

•Visit the Old Salem Church on Route 3. The church is open Saturdays and Sundays during the summer season. Scars of battle still are visible on the inside and outside of the church.

 

Hours of Operation:

The winter schedule is in effect from November 1 through March 28, 2009. 

The Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitors Center is open 9 am - 5 pm daily.

The Chancellorsville Battlefield Visitors Center is open 9 am - 5 pm daily.

Chatham is open 9 am - 4:30 pm daily.

The Stonewall Jackson Shrine is open 9 am - 5 pm Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

The park will be closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Years Day.

See special events for special programs.