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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

Map

The Henry Hill Visitor Center is open year round from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is located on State Route 234, Sudley Road and is fully assessable. It is closed Thanksgiving and December 25th. It includes the park museum, the park bookstore, theatre and restrooms. “Manassas: End of Innocence”: This 45-minute film covers both the First and Second Battles of Manassas. The film shows daily, every hour on the hour starting at 9:00 a.m. with the last show at 4:00 p.m. The program is captioned for the benefit of the hearing impaired. Artifacts and exhibits pertaining to the First Battle of Manassas are displayed in the museum gallery. A six-minute audio visual map presentation describes troop movements during the First Battle of Manassas. This presentation is self-activated and offered throughout the day. The program is captioned for the hearing impaired.

Manassas National Battlefield Park preserves the sites of the First and Second Battles of Manassas where over 700,000 visitors come every year. It also preserves some of the last Upland Depression Swamp and Oak-Hickory forests found in Virginia as well as rare and endangered species. The battlegrounds are significant as the first major battle in the Civil War of a young nation divided for the first time in its history.

Cheers rang through the streets of Washington on July 16, 1861 as Gen. Irvin McDowell’s army, 35,000 strong, marched out to begin the long-awaited campaign to capture Richmond and end the war. It was an army of green recruits, few of whom had the faintest idea of the magnitude of the task facing them. But their swaggering gait showed that none doubted the outcome. As excitement spread, many citizens and congressmen with wine and picnic baskets followed the army into the field to watch what all expected would be a colorful show. These troops were mostly 90-day volunteers summoned by President Abraham Lincoln after the startling news of Fort Sumter burst over the nation in April 1861. Called from shops and farms, they had little knowledge of what war would mean.

Gen. Irvin McDowell’s army of Union soldiers headed for the vital railroad junction at Manassas. Here the Orange and Alexandria Railroad met the Manassas Gap Railroad, which led west to the Shenandoah Valley. If McDowell could seize this junction, he would stand astride the best overland approach to the Confederate capital. On July 18, McDowell’s army reached Centreville. Five miles ahead a small meandering stream named Bull Run crossed the route of the Union advance, and there guarding the fords from Union Mills to the Stone Bridge waited 22,000 Southern troops under the command of Gen. Pierre G.T. Beauregard. McDowell first attempted to move toward the Confederate right flank, but his troops were checked at Blackburn’s Ford near the center of Beauregard’s defensive line. He then spent the next two days scouting the Southern left flank.

In the meantime, Beauregard asked the Confederate government at Richmond for help. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, stationed in the Shenandoah Valley with 10,000 troops, was ordered to support Beauregard if possible. Johnston gave an opposing Union force the slip and, employing the Manassas Gap Railroad, started his brigades toward Manassas Junction. Most of Johnston’s troops arrived at the junction on July 20 and 21, some marching from the trains directly into battle.

On the morning of July 21, McDowell sent his attack columns in a long march north toward Sudley Springs Ford. This route took the Federals around the Confederate left. To distract the Southerners, McDowell ordered a diversionary attack where the Warrenton Turnpike crossed Bull Run at the Stone Bridge. At 5:30 a.m. the deep-throated roar of a 30-pounder Parrott rifle shattered the morning calm, and signaled the start of battle.

McDowell’s new plan depended on speed and surprise, both difficult with inexperienced troops. Valuable time was lost as the men stumbled through the darkness along narrow roads. Confederate Col. Nathan Evans, commanding at the Stone Bridge, soon realized that the attack on his front was only a diversion. Leaving a small force to hold the bridge, Evans rushed the remainder of his command to Matthews Hill in time to check McDowell’s lead unit. But Evans’ force was too small to hold back the Federals for long.

Soon brigades under Barnard Bee and Francis Bartow marched to Evans’ assistance. But even with these reinforcements, the thin gray line collapsed and Southerners fled in disorder toward Henry Hill. Attempting to rally his men, Bee used Gen. Thomas J. Jackson’s newly arrived brigade as an anchor. Pointing to Jackson, Bee shouted, “There stands Jackson like a stone wall! Rally behind the Virginians!” Generals Johnston and Beauregard then arrived on Henry Hill, where they assisted in rallying shattered brigades and redeploying fresh units that were marching to the point of danger.

About noon, the Federals stopped their advance to reorganize for a new attack. The lull lasted for about an hour, giving the Confederates enough time to reform their lines. Then the fighting resumed, each side trying to force the other off Henry Hill. The battle continued until just after 4 p.m., when fresh Southern units crashed into the Union right flank on Chinn Ridge, causing McDowell’s tired and discouraged soldiers to withdraw.

At first the withdrawal was orderly. Screened by the regulars, the three-month volunteers retired across Bull Run, where they found the road to Washington jammed with the carriages of congressmen and others who had driven out to Centreville to watch the fight. Panic now seized many of the soldiers and the retreat became a rout. The Confederates, though bolstered by the arrival of President Jefferson Davis on the field just as the battle was ending, were too disorganized to follow up their success. Daybreak on July 22 found the defeated Union army back behind the bristling defenses of Washington.

On a warm July day in 1861, two armies of a divided nation clashed for the first time on the fields overlooking Bull Run. At day’s end nearly 900 young men lay lifeless on the fields of Matthews Hill, Henry Hill, and Chinn Ridge. Ten hours of heavy fighting swept away any notion the war’s outcome would be decided quickly.

These important battlegrounds and associated monuments are nestled in over 5000 acres of meadows, woodlands and streams. The park is characterized by gently rolling hills with a patchwork of open fields and forests. The Park’s landscape is representative of the Culpeper basin and is one of the region’s most unspoiled areas.

The Culpeper Basin is a distinctive geological province that is one of a series of Triassic-age trough depressions which border the eastern front of the Appalachian Mountains from Culpeper County into Maryland. The basin is characterized by low relief and gently rolling to nearly flat topography. It is composed of a matrix of sedimentary rocks such as siltstone and sandstone interspersed by intrusive dikes and sills of igneous diabase. Siltstone is a red-to purplish brown, micaceous rock that forms the parent material for most of the soil in the eastern half of the park. Diabase, which moved up through the siltstone during the upheaval of the Appalachian Orogeny, is much more extensive in the western half of the park. Diabase is a dense, medium-grained, dark gray to black mafic, igneous rock composed primarily of feldspar and pyroxene. It forms the parent material for much of the soil in the western half of the park. Where these two types of rocks came into contact, the heat of the emerging diabase melted the siltstone around it, creating narrow bands of metamorphic rock containing minerals such as epidote, cordierite, pyroxene, and garnet. These two rock types in turn contribute to the makeup of the soil that overlays them. Diabase soils, for example, support many rare grassland species that are similar to those found in the Midwestern prairies. The flat, poorly drained nature of some of the park’s soils support unique communities of oak species that are far less common in other areas of the Piedmont.

In 1997-98, the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Division of Natural Heritage inventoried Manassas National Battlefield Park (MNBP) for rare, threatened, and endangered species and significant natural communities. MNBP is classified under the Piedmont Region; Culpeper Basin. According to the 1997-98 report, MNBP is “one of the region’s most unspoiled areas.” The rare and significant habitats that occur in MNBP are the Upland Depression Swamp, Oak-Hickory (both very threatened elsewhere in Virginia due to development), Eastern White Pine, and Piedmont Mountain Swamp Forest. Some rare plants that occur in MNBP are Blue-hearts (Buchnera americana), Mead’s Sedge (Carex meadii), Hoary Puccoon (Lithospermum canescens), Hairy Beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus), Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens), Appalachian Quillwort (Isoetes appalachiana) and Buffalo Clover (Trifolium reflexum).

In the Piedmont Mountain Swamp Forest, the canopy is dominated by Pin Oak, Swamp White Oak and Green Ash. Smaller trees commonly found are American Elm and Red Maple. Black Haw and American Hornbeam are common shrubs. Reeds and Sedges grow from the soggy, highly acidic soil. In the Upland Depression Swamp, Pin Oak and Swamp White Oak make up the canopy; Green Ash, Red Maple, Persimmon and American Elm are understory trees. Hickories grow along the margins of these habitats. The shrub layer is composed mainly of Black Haw, and Poison Ivy and Virginia Creeper are commonly found clinging to the trunks of trees. The herb layer is mostly open, with various sedges and grasses, and flowers such as Jack-in-the-Pulpit emerge from the moderately acidic soil. The Oak-Hickory is divided between basic and acidic. In the basic Oak-Hickory, White Oak and Pignut Hickory dominate the canopy, along with Northern Red Oak and Red Hickory. Post Oak, White Ash, Mockernut Hickory, Black Walnut, and Black Oak are occasional canopy trees. The understory is home to young hickory and White Ash trees. Eastern Redbud, with its brilliant spring blossoms, is the most common small tree/shrub layer inhabitant, along with Easter Red Cedar, Flowering Dogwood, Eastern Hophornbeam, Slippery Elm, Hackberry, American Hornbeam and Fringetree. This forest type is the most diverse in the park. In the acidic Oak-Hickory, White Oak is the leading dominant canopy tree. Black Oak, Red Oak, Red Hickory, Pignut Hickory and Scarlet Oak are occasional associates. In the understory, Hickories dominate, but Sassafras, Red Maple and Black Gum may also be found. Flowering Dogwood, Downy Serviceberry, Deerberry and young hickories make up the shrub layer. Some wildflowers found here include Large Summer Bluets and Solomon’s Seal. The Eastern White Pine/Hardwood Forest is found only in a small area on the west side of Bull Run northwest of the Stone Bridge on relatively steep slopes of a ravine system and bluff top along the stream. Extremely acidic and infertile soils make this a Pine-dominated community type, with Eastern White Pine and Eastern Hemlock leading, followed by various oaks such as Chestnut, White, Northern Red, and Scarlet. Virginia Pine is also present in the canopy. Red Maple and Black Gum are the primary understory species, but Flowering Dogwood, Sassafras, Mockernut Hickory, and young pines are also found. In the shrub layer, heath species such as Mountain Laurel, Black Huckleberry, Early Blueberry, and Deerberry are prevalent.

In 1996 MNBP was approached by the Smithsonian Institution to explore the potential for a wetland mitigation project within the Park. The Smithsonian Institution was well along in developing plans for its new Air and Space Museum on a wetland tract at Dulles Airport, requiring it to mitigate the wetland loss somewhere off the airport property but within the same watershed. A mitigation project at the battlefield would not only meet the Smithsonian’s needs, it would also achieve the park’s requirement to preserve historic landscape features and the integrity of the battlefield site. The project area chosen is located in the southwestern part of the park. It was acquired in 1988 as part of a legislative taking of the Stuart’s Hill Tract which encompasses 558 acres bounded by Lee Highway to the north, Groveton Road to the east, Interstate 66 to the south, and Pageland Lane to the west. The area was an important part of the 3-day Second Battle of Manassas, in August 1862.

Prior to the purchase a development company had begun alterations for a mixed-use development (William Center) that drastically altered the landscape. Plans to restore the site had been in the works for several years. In 1992 NPS contracted with the University of Georgia’s School of Design to study Stuart’s Hill and develop a general plan for restoring the newly acquired and heavily disturbed site to its 1862 conditions. The program lacked funding for implementation however, and languished for nearly a decade.

Fortunately the Smithsonian Institution and MNBP agreed that the disturbed area of the Stuart’s Hill Tract would be an appropriate location for this mitigation project and were able to use the existing study to refine the plan. The wetland mitigation done by the Smithsonian Institution involved excavation and grading to reestablish the landscape’s 1862 contours, allowing natural hydrology to recreate wetland areas. They also installed native hydrophytic vegetation where necessary to insure wetland viability. In order to approximate the historic topography, engineers compared 19th century maps of the area with a topographic survey completed by the developer just before alteration in the late 1980s. The two sources were quite similar, giving engineers an excellent indication of the historic landscape and allowing them to discern where meadows, forests and wetlands were historically located.

After years of planning and negotiations, the restoration and mitigation project began in June 2003 and completed in November 2003. The Park collaborated with the Smithsonian Institution to restore 106 acres. The project included creation and restoration of approximately 30 acres of mixed forest and shrub-scrub wetland and 15 acres of emergent wetland, restoration of natural stream corridors and drainages, and planting native meadow grasses, forbs, trees and hydrophytic plants. The resultant forested wetland habitat approximates the area’s condition in 1862 during the Second Battle of Manassas. A picnic area and interpretive site help visitors to understand the area’s Civil War history and the collaborative effort to restore the area’s natural balance.

The Park also enhanced the restored non-wetland areas of the project. They planted native warm season grasses such as bluestem, Indian grass and switchgrass along with meadow forbs such as blackeyed susan, tall coneflower, partridge pea, round head lespedeza and marsh blazing star, creating and preserving a habitat type that is rapidly dwindling in Virginia (it has been estimated that grasslands in Virginia have been reduced by 55% since 1945). In upland areas, a variety of trees such as Northern Red Oak, Willow Oak, Swamp White Oak, Red Maple, Sweet Gum, Green Ash, and Tulip Poplar will be planted this fall, recreating the basic Oak-Hickory forest patches that existed at the time of the Civil War.

The park has 9 public fishing ponds and 1 fishing stream. They are located throughout the park and many have convenient roadside parking or a parking lot. You must have a Virginia State Fishing License in order to fish at the park. State Regulations are enforced. Fishing is open all year round. One additional regulation for Manassas National Battlefield Park’s ponds is that any bass 14″ in length or less must be released. The complete fishing regulations are posted at each fishing pond site.

Cundiff Pond is located 1/4 mile east of Stuart’s Hill Visitor Center and Park Headquarters on Route 29 (Lee Hwy). Brown park signs are posted at the second metal gate on the right where there is a pull-off for vehicles. Follow the trail for 1/8 mile to the pond. To get to Twin Ponds, head west on Route 29 from the Route 29/Route 234 intersection, just after Groveton Cemetery take a left onto Groveton Road, drive 8/10 mile to Pageland Road (Route 705) and make a right, then drive another 8/10 mile to the ponds. There will be a brown park sign and pull-off for vehicles. Follow the trail for 1/8 mile to the ponds.

J. Dogan Upper and Lower Ponds are located at the J. Dogan House on Route 29. They are 1/4 mile from the Route 29/Route 234 intersection heading west on Route 29. Turn right into the unmarked driveway and park at the top. The Upper Pond is to the NW of the parking area near the forest edge. The Lower Pond is to the NE of the parking area closer to Route 29. Access to the parking area is only available during business hours, 8am – 5pm, M – F. The gate is locked at 5pm. Portici Pond is located in the farthest eastern corner of the Battlefield. On Route 234 (Sudley Road) heading north just after the Route 66 overpass, turn right onto Battleview Parkway. Follow this winding road until you see the brown park sign on your left. Turn left into the small parking lot and follow the trail to the Portici House Site. From there, keep heading in the same direction until you come to the pond. Total walking distance is about 1/4 mile.

Headquarter Ponds are located at Park Headquarters on Route 29. From the Route 29/Route 234 intersection, head west on Route 29. 1/4 mile after Route 29 splits from a two lane highway into a four lane highway, turn left onto Pageland Road (Route 705), a gravel road, and another immediate left into the entrance for Park Headquarters. Park in the gravel parking lot. The three small ponds are visible from the parking lot. Bull Run is located at the eastern edge of the park. Heading east on Route 29 from the intersection of Route 29/Route 234, turn into the parking lot at the Historic Stone Bridge where Bull Run flows under the bridge. Fishing is allowed anywhere along Bull Run where state regulations apply (no additional restrictions).

Several walking tours exist for your enjoyment and education. Henry Hill is a mile long loop trail with four push button tape recorded messages and interpretive signs telling the story of the First Battle of Manassas. First Manassas is a five mile long loop trail covering the ground that was contested on July 21, 1861. Second Manassas is a five mile long loop trail that crosses the key terrain of the three day long battle. There is also a Ranger guided walking tour of Henry Hill offered daily throughout the summer. It’s 45 minutes long and covers the events of the First Battle of Manassas. There is also a self guided driving tour of Second Manassas that is 13 miles long and designed to cover 11 sites that figured prominently in the second battle.

Historically, the rolling fields in Manassas National Battlefield Park were used for agricultural purposes. Since many grassland birds in Virginia are on the decline, one of the Park’s goals is to promote better quality habitat for grassland birds, while still maintaining the agricultural heritage of the Park. To this end they are maintaining grass and shrub lands using a combination of agricultural (hay) leases and mowing by their maintenance staff. They have also installed nest boxes throughout the park. Presently, the park has Barn Owl, Kestrel, and Bluebird boxes.

Recognizing the need for essential basic data on park ecosystems in order to better manage park natural resources, the National Park Service initiated its Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program in the early 1990′s. The purpose of the I&M program is to increase scientific research in national parks and detect long-term changes in biological resources. In 1998, funding for the establishment of baseline information and long-term trends in the National Park System resources was obtained by Congress. Thirty-two networks of national parks with significant natural resources service-wide were formed and asked to develop study plans to obtain basic inventories of vertebrates and vascular plants. Manassas National Battlefield Park is within the National Capital Network (NCN). Personnel in the regional office for this network are currently managing the inventories for the NCN parks.

Species inventories in national parks are critically important. Species lists are useful for visitor appreciation of natural resources as well as for conservation of species on a broad geographic scale. Basic biological information, including plant and animal inventories, is lacking for many parks. Inventory data is particularly lacking in smaller parks and for parks created to protect cultural resources. Small national parks established as cultural or historical parks add considerably to the biological diversity of a region. These parks often represent critical natural areas in fragmented landscapes, providing refuges for many species, serving as migration or movement rest stops for wildlife, and serving as living classrooms to the adjacent human communities.

The purpose of this initiative is to complete basic inventories for vascular plants and vertebrates in parks of the National Capital Network in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. In addition to gathering all existing data on species presence and distribution in the eleven parks in the Network, they propose to conduct field investigations for vascular plants, fish, mammals, amphibians/reptiles, and birds in parks that currently have inadequate information for these five taxonomic groups.

Summers are generally hot and humid, and winters are generally cool to cold. Precipitation is variable year-round with occasional winter snowfall. Most of the park consists of open fields and is subject to gusty winds. Good walking shoes and layered clothing in cool months are recommended.

Please abide by the following park regulations. Climbing on cannons and monuments is not allowed. Pets must be kept on a leash. Picnic tables are located at Stuart’s Hill. Both alcoholic beverages and hunting for relics are strictly forbidden. Park in designated areas only. All motorized vehicles must stay on established roadways and are prohibited on shoulders, grassy areas, and trails. Use caution riding bicycles on roads. Bicycles are prohibited on all trails.

Current Weather

There has been documented 168 bird, 26 mammal, 23 reptile and 19 amphibian species within the park. Some of the creatures to be found in the park are the Spotted and Marbled Salamanders, the Wood Frog, many grassland birds in Virginia that are on the decline- Eastern Meadowlark, Barn Owl, Northern Harrier, Savannah Sparrow, and the Grasshopper Sparrow. The fragmented forests interspersed with shrubs and meadows are good habitats for mammals such as White-tailed Deer, Eastern Fox Squirrels, Eastern Chipmunks, Eastern Cottontails, and Short-tailed Shrews. Some are more specialized in their habitat needs, like the Red Fox which prefers open, shrubby, and brushy areas.

One prominent mammal in Manassas National Battlefield Park is the White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). White-tailed deer prefer open, mixed and hardwood forest habitats with forest edge near meadows and open shrub areas. They eat oak seedlings, red cedar, dogwood, pine, and many other woody species, plus honeysuckle, acorns, wild rose, native grasses and weeds, and other in-season plants. Deer even eat Poison Ivy, a native plant. Deer breed in the fall and winter and females birth young in the summer. If you are walking softly, deer can be seen browsing along the wooded trails, meadows and shrubby areas of the park. If you get too close, the deer may let you know by sounding a quick, nasal exhale or all you may see is a white tail waving goodbye as the deer bounds away.

Vernal pools, also known as ephemeral wetlands, prairie potholes, whale wallows, sinks, and kettles are rain-filled depression that amphibians use for breeding and laying egg masses. These pools can be as small as a puddle. They fill with water in the spring and are usually dried up by June or July. The reason some amphibians use these significant areas for breeding and laying egg masses is simple: they lack predators (fish) that eat their larvae.

A wonderful spot to view a large vernal pool in the Park is along both sides of the boardwalk trail heading west from Stone Bridge which is on route 29 (Lee Hwy.). With abundant winter melt and/or spring rains, this area becomes inundated with several inches of water converting a once parched ground into a piedmont swamp forest community with tannic waters from mature Pin Oaks. In early spring, you will hear the high chirping chorus of Spring Peepers and the quacking duck call of the Wood Frog. These calls are meant to attract females to breed. Vernal pools are also a significant habitat for Spotted and Marbled Salamanders found in this area.

$3.00 per person for 3 Days
$20.00 per person – Annual
There is a movie-“Manassas End of Innocence” that charges a fee of $3.00. Cash or check only is taken as the park does not accept credit cards.

There is no camping in the park.

Prince William National Forest Park is 20 miles away. Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is 52 miles away. Shenandoah National Park is 43 miles away. Monocacy National Battlefield is 51 miles away. Antietam National Battlefield is 68 miles. Eisenhower National Historic Site is 86 miles away. Gettysburg National Military Park is 86 miles away. National Mall & Memorial Parks is 37 miles away. Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park is 45 miles. Richmond National Battlefield Park is 98 miles away. Luray Caverns is 58 miles away. Stonewall Memory Gardens, James S. Long Park, Signal Hill Park, Hemlock Overlook Regional Park, Bull Run Regional Park, Cub Run Stream Valley Park, Ellanor C Lawrence Park, Braddock Park, Poplar Tree Park and The Oaks At Twin Lakes are all close by the park.

The Washington-Dulles airport (IAD) is closest to the park. It is approximately 25 miles to the East-Northeast. Rental cars are available at the airport.

To drive from Washington D.C.: Travel West on Interstate 66 to Exit 47B, State Route 234 North. Proceed through the first traffic light. The entrance to the Henry Hill Visitor Center is on the right past Northern Virginia Community College.

From Points South: Travel North on Interstate 95 to Exit 152, Route 234. Turn left at the
traffic light on to Route 234 North. Stay on Business Route 234. Do not take the by-pass.
The Henry Hill Visitor Center is located approximately 20 miles on the right, north of the City of Manassas.

From Points West: Travel East on Interstate 66 to Exit 47, State Route 234 North. Turn left on Route 234. Proceed through the first traffic light. The entrance to the Henry Hill Visitor Center is on the right past Northern Virginia Community College.

There is no public transportation to the park.

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

By Car:

Washington, VA – 39.38 miles

Baltimore Corner, VA – 150.08 miles

Richmond, VA – 100.61 miles

Charlottesville, VA – 87.35 miles

St. Charles, VA – 420.93 miles

By Plane:

Washington-Dulles International Airport – 16.91 miles

Manassas National Battlefield Park, 12521 Lee Highway Manassas, VA 20109-2005
Visitor Information 703-361-1339
Headquarters 703-754-1861
By Fax 703-754-1107

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The name Kennesaw is derived from the Cherokee Indian “Gah-nee-sah” meaning cemetery or burial ground. Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield is a 2,888 acre National Battlefield that preserves a Civil War battleground of the Atlanta Campaign. The battle was fought here from June 18, 1864 until July 2, 1864. Sherman’s army consisted of 100,000 men, 254 guns and 35,000 horses. Johnston’s army had 63,000 men and 187 guns. Over 67,000 soldiers were killed, wounded and captured during the Campaign. There are 3 battlefield areas at the park: in front of the visitor center, off Burnt Hickory Road and the main site is located at Cheatham Hill [then commonly known as the Dead Angle]. Kennesaw Mountain is 1808 feet above sea level. It is approximately a 700 foot incline from the Visitor Center to the mountain’s summit. The hike up is approximately 1.4 miles on the road and 1.2 mile up the hiking trail.

The park is a day-use facility that sees 1,221,746 visitors a year. The park grounds are open daily. The Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Visitor Center is open from 830am-500pm. Each parking area has posted closing times please refer to them prior to parking. The visitor center parking is open from 7:30am-6:00pm, Mountain road/mountaintop from 8:00am-5:30pm, and Cheatham Hill parking from 8:00am-5:30pm. The mountain road is open Monday-Friday excluding major holidays and weather permitting. It is closed on weekends and a shuttle bus is available to ride to the top of the mountain for a minimal fee. Please note that cars left unattended after park closure are subject to being towed at the owner’s expense. All park grounds and facilities are closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years days. The visitor center provides introductory information about the park and the battle as well as a bookstore, run by the Kennesaw Historical Association, featuring a wide variety of Civil War merchandise. While walking some of the 17.3 miles of interpretive walking trails you will see historic earthworks, cannon emplacements and various interpretive signs. The visitor center is fully accessible including auditorium, exhibits, phone, water fountain and restrooms. Due to the nature of the historic terrain, trails have remained natural and have not been altered. The mountain road is paved and may be accessed by wheelchair or stroller. Our shuttle bus is ADA approved and can accommodate those with special needs.

A museum with an 18 minute movie, a gift shop, and picnic areas with grills are located at the visitor center. The museum is more than twice the size of the previous one and includes many artifacts which have never been on display before. Also included, on loan from a private individual, is a Henry repeating rifle which probably belonged to a soldier in the 66th Illinois Regiment which was at Kennesaw Mountain. In addition, two rare Georgia made weapons, a Cook and Brother carbine and a Rigdon and Ansley revolver, on loan from the Smithsonian Institution. The exhibits not only tell the military story, but also the civilian, medical and communication aspects of the Atlanta Campaign.

There are 3 monuments representing states that fought here. A shuttle bus runs every half hour on the hour and half hour to take you to the top of the mountain and back. At the visitor center, you can obtain a trail map or a park brochure that will lead you on a self guided auto tour. Translations of the park brochure are offered in Chinese, Japanese, German, Portuguese, Spanish and French. Just ask a visitor center staff member for a free translation. They ask that you take only one per person.

You may drive to all locations (on weekends the shuttle bus will drive you to the mountain top), ride horseback or walk through the park. Bicycles are not allowed on the trails, but paved roads only.

Summers can be humid, so if you plan to hike, take plenty of water and good hiking shoes or boots. Winters are cool with short spring and fall. The trails can be steep so be careful. For your safety and to help preserve park grounds we ask that you stay on designated trails only and please no shortcutting. Please help preserve this park by taking only pictures and leaving only footprints.

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Please respect any wildlife you come across. Do not feed or harass the animals.

Park entrance is free. There is a shuttle to the top of the mountain that charges a fee. Fees are $2.00 for adults, $1.00 children 6-12 and under 6 is free.

There is no camping in the park.

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is 15 miles away. Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site is 24 miles away. Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park is 92 miles away. Ocmulgee National Monument is 70 miles away. Andersonville National Historic Site is 153 miles away. Fort Pulaski National Monument is 270 miles away. Fort Frederica National Monument is 330 miles away. Cumberland Island National Seashore is 365 miles away. Jimmy Carter National Historic Site is 150 miles away. Atlanta History Center is 16 miles away. The Marietta Museum of History is 3 miles away. Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History is 3.5 miles away. Pickett’s Mill State Historic Site is 13 miles away. Red Top Mountain State Park is 18 miles away.

The park can be easily driven to: Take I-75 to exit 269 (Barrett Parkway). At the light turn west onto Barrett Parkway. Travel down Barrett Parkway for approximately 3 miles, turn left at the light, onto Old Hwy 41. Turn right at your next light, Stilesboro Rd. The visitor center will be immediately on your left. Brown and white signs located along the roads will guide you as well. Directions from the visitor center to Cheatham Hill are provided in the visitor center at the information desk.

The Cobb County Transit {CCT} stops approximately 3 miles from the visitor center. No other transportation is provided.

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

By Car:

Birmingham, AL – 152.71 miles

Atlanta, GA – 24.40 miles

Chattanooga, TN – 99.32 miles

Augusta View Heights, GA – 177.22 miles

Albany, GA – 206.75 miles

Public Transportation is not accessible

Kennesaw Mountain National Battleground Park, Superintendent, 905 Kennesaw Mountain Dr., Kennesaw, GA 30152
Visitor Information- 770-427-4686 x0
Headquarters- 770-427-4686 x223
Visitor Information Recorded Message- 770-427-4686 x504
Chief Ranger- 770-427-4686 x228
By Fax 770-528-8399

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The park is open all year. Around 67,000 people visit the park each year. Dry Tortugas National Park Visitor Center is open all year from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and is located inside Fort Jefferson on Garden Key. You’ll find exhibits on the history of Fort Jefferson and a video describing the park’s history and natural resources. Ft. Jefferson on Garden Key is open during daylight hours; closed at dark. There are intermittent ranger-led tours and self-guiding fort tour with interpretive signs available that tell the human history of the Keys.  You can also borrow snorkel equipment.

Loggerhead, East and Middle Keys are open year-round during daylight hours. Bush Key is closed Feb-Sept. to protect nesting Sooty and Noddy Terns and Hospital Key and Long Key are closed year round.

The best time to visit is November through April. The Keys are hot and humid during the wet summer season and the insects bite and swarm. Be aware that seas are rough from October through January. Peak visitation is in April.

In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt set aside Fort Jefferson and the surrounding waters as a national monument. Before this time, it was a wildlife refuge for the sooty tern to protect them from egg collectors. The area was re-designated as Dry Tortugas National Park in 1992 to protect both the historical and natural features such as the coral reefs, sea turtles, and nesting birds.

First named The Turtles, Las Tortugas, by Spanish Explorer Ponce de Leon in 1513, these reefs soon read “Dry Tortugas” on mariner’s charts to show they had no fresh water. Because the area around the park is dangerous for ships, a lighthouse, The Tortugas Harbor (Fort Jefferson) Light, was built on Garden Key in 1825 and again in 1876. And then in 1858, the present lighthouse was built on Loggerhead Key, the Dry Tortugas Loggerhead Light. It is still an active aid (optic only) to navigation in the national park. Both lighthouses still operate to some extent.  All buildings are open during the day, but you must be accompanied by a park staff member.

Dry Tortugas National Park includes the largest of the 19th century American coastal forts. By 1829 the United States knew it could control navigation to the Gulf of Mexico and protect Atlantic-bound Mississippi River trade by fortifying the Tortugas. Fort Jefferson’s construction began on Garden Key in 1846 and continued for 30 years but was never finished.

During the Civil War the fort was a Union military prison for captured deserters. It also held 4 men convicted of complicity in President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination in 1865. The Army abandoned Fort Jefferson in 1874, and in 1908 the area became a wildlife refuge to protect the sooty tern rookery from egg collectors.

Almost 70 miles / 112.9 km west of Key West lays a cluster of seven coral reefs called the Dry Tortugas. These reefs along with surrounding shoals and waters make up Dry Tortugas National Park. The seven islands included in the park are Loggerhead Key, Garden Key, Long Key, Bush Key, Hospital Key, Middle Key, and East Key. Of the parks 64,657 acres, 99% is open water and submerged island.

Warm, clear and well lit; the Dry Tortugas’ shallow waters foster optimal conditions for coral reefs to develop on the outer edges of tropical islands. Actual builders of these fringing reefs are small primitive animals called polyps. Over centuries polyps accumulate in living colonies that form the reef’s rigid structures so often misconstrued as rocks.

Visitors will find a wide variety of activities to choose from at the park. Ranger-conducted activities and self-guided tours of the fort can get you started. The Dry Tortugas are renowned for spring bird migrations and tropical bird species so bring your binoculars. Salt water sport fishing, snorkeling, swimming, scuba diving, picnicking, boating and camping are also available options. There’s also bird and wildlife watching. The Dry Tortugas are renowned for spring bird migrations and tropical bird species.

Join a National Park Service ranger to explore Dry Tortugas’ natural and cultural history. Join a ranger to learn about the forces that once shaped this landscape – and continue to do so. Ranger / Naturalist programs include scheduled talks and walks. These are just some of the ways to discover the diversity of the scenic, natural and historic wonders that comprise Dry Tortugas National Park. Check at the visitor center for information.

Snorkeling, swimming and underwater photography are amazing here. Snorkelers find marine life concentrated around patches of live coral. Swimmers can explore coral wonderlands in only 3 to 4 feet of water.

Private boaters have a prime opportunity to visit the fort. Private boaters are allowed to overnight anchor within one mile of Garden Key, but from sunrise to sunset, docking at Garden Key is limited to two hours. Be prepared for possible rough seas and have appropriate nautical charts. Nautical charts for the route can be purchased at marinas and boating supply outlets in Key West. Information can be obtained in Key West from the U.S. Coast Guard station, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Charter Boat Association. No small personal crafts are allowed in park waters.

Snorkeling and scuba divers will be able to see the varied marine life around the coral reefs in water three to four feet deep. The water surrounding Dry Tortugas make it optimal for coral reef growth around the tropical islands. It supports a large quantity of marine life with multicolored sea fans, sea anemones, sponges, lobsters and the beautiful reef fishes, making it a prime underwater photography location for those national park pictures. Also seen are the loggerhead and hawksbill sea turtles. Because the females dig nests on the sandy shores and then leave the eggs and head back to the sea, the poor little hatchlings must find their own way to the sea, albeit instinctively, without any protection from predators. It is very important that you do not interfere with the babies or the nests.

Fort Jefferson is open during daylight hours and there is a self-guiding trail that interprets the history of human presence in the Dry Tortugas while leading visitors through the fort. Loggerhead Key is open during the day only. All buildings and structures are closed to entry unless you are accompanied by a park employee.

The area has a subtropical climate. Temperatures range from the mid-50′s to mid-80′s. April and May are often idyllic, making it the best time to visit, although possibly crowded. There are two seasons: Winter storm season (December-March), windy with rough seas, and Tropical storm season (June-November).The tropical sun can be brutal. Make sure you have sunglasses, SPF-15 sunscreen, adequate clothing coverage and a hat for prolonged outdoor activities. It is hot and humid during the summer and there are many insects.

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Keep pets on a leash and under control at all times. They are not allowed to be tied up to an object or left unattended. All marine animals are protected and should not be disturbed. It is illegal to collect any historical artifacts found within the park or park waters. Dead shells above the high water level are the only things that may be collected. You are not allowed to catch lobsters or conch.

Contact the park for the numerous boating and fishing regulations in the park. A Florida fishing license for saltwater fishing is required. Remember that surrounding park waters have coral reefs and heads that can cause damage to boats. Follow all the Leave No Trace principles even in the water. Dumping or throwing overboard bottles, cans, paper, or other trash on park grounds or in the water is prohibited. Pumping holding tanks into park waters is illegal.

If you visit using your personal boat, please bring at least two anchors and NOAA chart 11438. Overnight anchoring is limited to within one mile of Garden Key; there are no overnight anchoring buoys. Dockage at Garden Key is limited to two hours daily, sunrise to sunset. Docking facilities are provided for park visitors and park operations. Load, unload, and moor vessels only where designated on the public dock. Moor private vessels no more than 2 hours between sunrise and sundown; overnight mooring to docks or piers is prohibited. The park superintendent may waive these regulations in emergencies that threaten life or property.

The beach camping is primitive so bring tents, camp stove, coolers, sleeping bags (depending on when you are camping), lanterns, bug spray, suntan lotion, water (there is no fresh water) and food. Keep radios to a minimum as most people camp there to get away from excessive noise. Ground fires are not permitted.

A Florida salt water fishing license is required to fish. Personal watercrafts, i.e. jet skis, are not permitted. Supplies are available in Key West and other local communities of Stock Island, Big Coppitt Key, Summerland Key and Marathon.

Do not disturb shells, corals, sea fans, tropical fish, spiny lobster, and turtles and their nests. Dead shells above high water line may be collected, but all coral, living and dead, is protected from collection. Shipwrecks and their cargo and all historic artifacts in the park are protected by law. Commercial fishing and spear fishing are prohibited; so is taking of conch or lobster.

Bush Key is reserved for birds only in the February through September nesting season when disturbance may cause death for many young birds. Hospital and Long Keys are closed all year long.

Divers must bring their own gear. There is no food or fresh water. You must provide your own.

Between March and September, some 100,000 sooty terns gather on Bush Key for their nesting season. They come as early as mid-January from the Caribbean Sea and west central Atlantic Ocean, performing nocturnal maneuvers above Dry Tortugas, but never landing. In February egg-laying starts immediately and the island is closed to visitors. You will be able to readily see them, however from the fort with binoculars. A single egg is laid in a simple depression in the sand and the parents share in the care of the egg. The colony will leave as soon as the young are strong enough. Mixed in with the sooty terns are about 2,500 breeding brown noddies. They nest in vegetation, such as bay cedar and sea lavender. Both sooties and noddies feed by capturing fish and squid from the sea’s surface while still in flight. Visitors may also see masked and brown boobies, roseate terns, double-crested cormorants, and brown pelicans.

In season, a continuous succession of songbirds and other migrants flies over or rests at the Dry Tortugas. Strategically set, these islands lie across a principal flyway from the United States to Cuba and South America. Familiar up north in summer, many gulls, terns and migratory birds winter here. During April and early May, the Audubon Society sponsors guided birding trips.

Though fragile, the Tortugas reef complex supports a wealth of marine life. Multicolored sea fans sway in gentle currents. Sea anemones thrust upward their rose and lavender tentacles in search of food. Lobsters anticipating danger wave their antennae. Sponges dot sandy bottoms, and staghorn coral clusters simulate underwater forests.

Most obvious among the coral reef inhabitants are the colorful reef fishes. Vivid, boldly patterned reds, yellows, greens and blues work as camouflage, identity, warning and courtship messages. Predatory fish include amberjacks, groupers, wahoos, tarpon, and atop this coral food pyramid, sharks and barracudas.

Hunted by humans – mostly illegally – for gourmet meat, leather, and cosmetic oils, sea turtle numbers have diminished greatly worldwide, but green, loggerhead, and hawksbill species are still seen in the Dry Tortugas. Sea turtles themselves prey on small marine invertebrates and forage turtle grass and other aquatic plants. Twice or more per season, females climb onto sand beaches to dig out nests, lay eggs, cover them and retreat seaward. Hatchlings crawl seaward by instinct, but most succumb to natural predators between nest and sea. It is critical that humans do not disturb sea turtles.

If you are camping, remember that rats can chew through tents and backpacks if they smell food. Keep it stored properly.

There is an entrance fee for the park of $5.00 – 17 and older – 7 Days. There is a nightly fee for camping at the Garden Key campground of $3.00.

The 10 site, primitive campground is located on the same island as Fort Jefferson, Garden Key, and is a short walk from the public dock. It is open year round. Eight individual sites can accommodate up to 6 people and 3 tents, and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Should a regular campsite not be available, an overflow area is provided. A group site is available for 10-40 people and must be reserved in advance. Call 305-242-7700 to obtain a reservation application. Groups of 10 or more arriving without a reservation will not receive exclusive use of the group site. The campground is a self-service fee area with a nightly fee of $3 per person. A 50% discount applies to holders of the Golden Age or Golden Access Pass. No other discounts apply. Fees paid for transportation (seaplane or ferry) do not include camping fees.

Campsites have picnic tables and grills. Saltwater flush toilets and saltwater sinks are available at the dock. Campers must bring all supplies, including fresh water, fuel, ice, and food. All trash and garbage must be carried out upon departure. Food must be stored in hard-sided containers or hung from posts provided, as the island has rats. You are not allowed to attach anything to the trees. All camping gear must be free standing. Gas camping stoves or charcoal briquettes placed in the campsite BBQ units are the only fires allowed. Visits to the campground are limited to 14 consecutive days and no more than 30 days per year.

The park can only be reached by boat or seaplane; it is inaccessible to trailers and motor homes. Vessels may anchor between sunset and sunrise in a designated anchorage area, defined as the area of sand and rubble bottom within 1 nautical mile of the Fort Jefferson harbor light. Overnight anchoring is not permitted at any other location in Dry Tortugas National Park.

Key West, Stock Island, Naples, Big Coppitt Key, Summerland Key and Marathon all have attractions and services available. Other attractions are Everglades National Park,
210 miles away, Big Cypress National Preserve, 275 miles away, Biscayne National Park, 210 miles away, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, 5 miles away, Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, 70 miles away, and Bahia Honda State Park, 115 miles away. The John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is nearby also.

Commercial air service is available to Key West International Airport. There are no roads to Dry Tortugas National Park. It can only be reached by boat or seaplane. Private pleasure boats are welcome, but must be fully self-sufficient. U.S. Coast Guard and Geodetic Survey Chart #11438 are necessary for navigation to the Dry Tortugas. A boat is necessary to visit areas of the park other than Garden Key/Fort Jefferson.

Approximate Mileage from the following major cities to Dry Tortugas National Park:

By Boat/Plane:

Big Coppitt Key, FL – 10.20 miles

Bay Point, FL – 15.05 miles

Pirates Cove, FL – 20.77 miles

Perky, FL – 17.25 miles

Marathon, FL – 48.99 miles

By Plane:

Key West International Airport – 4.02 miles

There are no roads to Dry Tortugas National Park.

Dry Tortugas National Park, Site Supervisor, P.O. Box 6208, Key West, FL 33041
305-242-7700
By Fax 305-242-7711

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