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The park encompasses 2,517 acres and serves 85,000 visitors a year. The acreage is divided among eleven separate park units within the City of Richmond, and three surrounding counties ( Henrico, Hanover and Chesterfield). These units fall within the coastal plain of Virginia and are bounded by the James and Chickahominy River watersheds. Although the park is primarily known for its cultural resources, visitors are encouraged to recognize the importance of natural resources as well. The park strives to enhance the overall experience of the visitors, and protection of the flora and fauna is an integral part of this effort.

Park battlefields are open sunrise-sunset. Visitor centers at Tredegar Iron Works, Chimborazo and Cold Harbor are open daily 9am to 5 pm. Visitor centers at Glendale and Fort Harrison are open daily June through August, 9am to 5pm. The park is closed on the following days: Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1.

Richmond National Battlefield Park was established in March of 1936 to preserve the history of some of the most contentious fighting of the Civil War. So, for the Civil War buff this is a “must-see”. Richmond, Virginia was the capitol of the Confederate States of America. Both sides of the war knew that to take Richmond would be a sure victory for the Union. It wouldn’t be until the end of the four years that Richmond was defeated. On April 4 and 5, 1865, President Lincoln made a remarkable visit to Richmond as he pressed to conclude the war that had cost over 620,000 lives “with malice toward none, with charity for all…” His assassination days later portended a less charitable course for the aftermath.

Today, you can tour historic places throughout the area. Ulysses S. Grant’s army experienced unprecedented futility on the bloody fields of Cold Harbor where 12,000 Union and 4,000 Confederate soldiers ended up as casualties. Drewry’s Bluff, named for local landowner Captain Augustus H. Drewry, rose 90 feet above the water and commanded a sharp bend in the James River. Several futile battles were fought to take it over. The National Park Service Visitor Center now stands on the site of the most famous of institutions — the “hospital on the hill,” Chimborazo. It was here that a shortage of medical staff in 1862 marked one of the earliest full-scale entries by women into a profession they soon dominated — nursing. Chaffin’s Farm, a large open bluff named for a local resident, was the scene of another strategic war battle towards the end of the war. This fighting around Chaffin’s Farm cost the nation nearly 5,000 casualties. Visit New Market Heights where in the early morning hours of September 29, 1864, black troops, or United States Colored Troops (USCTs for short) charged the Rebel works. For their valor in this engagement, 14 USCTs earned the Medal of Honor. This was an especially significant event in American military history given that only 16 Army Medals of Honor were awarded to black troops during the entire Civil War.

The park has just over 100 acres of land leased for agriculture, and approximately 100 additional acres of managed fields. The remaining acreage of the park consists of forest habitat, transitioning from mixed hardwood to pine or mixed oak communities depending primarily on past land use and successional stage. The variety of successional stages and community types throughout the park, range from field to old-growth forest. The park presently contains approximately 11 miles of rivers and streams and 430 acres of riparian wetland. Although the majority of the park’s wetlands are forested, several areas (Malvern Hill, Gaines’ Mill and Beaver Dam Creek) have opened up, due most likely to beaver activity.

Numerous activities are available for a great family vacation. There is an auto tour, biking, picnicking, and park sponsored programs to choose from. The park contains approximately seven miles of maintained walking/hiking trails along which visitors can meander through this variety of natural community types and visual landscapes. Many of Virginia’s native animal species can be found within the park’s various habitats. Visitors may glimpse deer, groundhogs, raccoons and many other creatures not commonly seen outside of protected lands.

Summer is hot and humid; while winter is mild. Wear comfortable sportswear in season, with walking shoes.

Current Park Weather

The park creates habitat for a wide variety of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. The park’s wetlands are forested which not only creates a beautiful visual scene but wonderful habitat for fish, turtles and water birds, such as herons and egrets. The savannah-like forest created at Cold Harbor by prescribed burning attracts a large diversity of woodpeckers and cavity nesting birds. The wetland areas at Malvern Hill and Beaver Dam Creek, enhanced by beaver activity, provide habitat for fish, water birds, and turtles. The old growth forest community at Gaines’ Mill is ideal habitat for flying squirrels, and the open field areas at Gaines’ Mill and Malvern Hill create habitat for snakes, rodents, and grassland birds.

The park maintains 25 native fish species, including the ironcolor shiners; a variety of amphibian species from the lead-backed salamander to the exotic looking red-spotted newt; many birds from Red-tailed hawks to great egrets; mammals from the eastern cottontail rabbit to the Grey fox; and reptiles: eastern box or painted turtles, black rat snake, the northern copperhead and the five-lined skink.

Park entrance is free.

Traveling north on I-95: take exit 74C west then follow signs to Civil War Visitor Center located at 490 Tredegar Street. Park Rangers will provide maps for touring the battlefields.

Traveling South on I-95: use exit 75 for Civil War Visitor Center.

Traveling east on I-64: follow to intersection with I-95 south. Follow directions for I-95.

Traveling west on I-64, use the 5th Street (downtown) exit for the Richmond Civil War Visitor Center at Tredegar Iron Works. Take 5th Street to end, turn right onto Tredegar Street, then right into parking lot.

Approximate Mileage from the following major cities to Richmond National Battlefield Park:

By Car:

Highland Springs, VA – 235.89 miles

Ashland, VA – 19.95 miles

Chester, VA – 17.41 miles

Petersburg, VA – 24.65 miles

Bellwood, VA – 10.99 miles

Richmond National Battlefield Park , 3215 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23223

Visitor Information: (804)226-1981

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