– BATTLE OF DAM NO. 1 –
What Park: Newport News Park Hike Distance: 3.4-mile loop with spurs Nearest Town: Newport News Battle Fact: The battle site is on the National Register of Historic Places. GPS Coordinates: 37.19046, -76.54814
– BATTLE OF BALLS BLUFF –
What Park: Balls Bluff Battlefield Regional Park Hike Distance: 7+ miles of interconnected trails Nearest Town: Leesburg Battle Fact: Balls Bluff was the second largest Civil War engagement of 1861. GPS Coordinates: 39.12958, -77.52938 Set on a scenic parcel overlooking the mighty Potomac River, Balls Bluff Regional Park not only safeguards the site of an 1861 engagement, but also harbors wildlands in Northern Virginia. It was fall when the Union worked to defend Washington, D. C. as the South circled west of the capital in an effort to capture the town. The park features over 7 miles of interconnected trails exploring the hills and hollows of the park. The Potomac Heritage Trail runs along the river below the base of the bluff and connects with other paths outside the park. No matter what route you choose, make sure to incorporate views from Balls Bluff into your hike. Here, you can scan the Potomac River and comprehend the strategic import of the locale. A .8-mile interpretive trail explores the primary battlefield. You can learn a lot about the engagement on your own. However, you can also join a battlefield tour, held every Saturday and Sunday at 11 am and 1 pm, from early April through the end of November. The balance of the paths are color-coded and interconnected, therefore a trail map helps you make the most of the adventure.– BATTLE OF COLD HARBOR –
What Park: Richmond National Battlefield Park Hike Distance: 2.1-mile loop Nearest Town: Richmond Battle Fact: The Battle of Cold Harbor was the last major field victory for Robert E. Lee. GPS Coordinates: 37.58536, -77.28686
– BATTLE OF FIRST MANASSAS –
What Park: Manassas National Battlefield Park Hike Distance: 5.2-mile loop Nearest Town: Manassas Battle Fact: The first actual clash between Union and Confederate armies took place here. GPS Coordinates: 38.81312, -77.52158
– BATTLE OF CEDAR CREEK –
What Park: Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park Hike Distance: 1.7-mile balloon loop Nearest Town: Middletown Battle Fact: Starved rebel soldiers broke ranks while winning to obtain Union supplies. GPS Coordinates: 39.02233, -78.29972 Explore a preserved national park battlefield where the Union ended any hopes of Confederate success in the Shenandoah Valley. A balloon loop around 1.7 miles allows you to explore the terrain amid fields and mountains of the northern Shenandoah Valley. The fatigued Southerners surprised the more numerous Union on a foggy morn in 1864, but ended up being repulsed by Phillip Sheridan, who came 20 miles from Winchester to save the day. The trail system is known as the “Morning Attack Trails” for the surprise Rebel maneuver. The hike leaves the visitor center and you inspect the monuments honoring brave Vermonters who held off a much larger assault force. Then join the Thomas Brigade Loop Trail as it explores more Confederate attack sites. The final loop – the Hayes-Ramseur Loop Trail -- takes you where future president Rutherford B. Hayes held his own during that fateful day late in the war. While here, take time to visit Belle Grove plantation, open seasonally. Tour the house and grounds located near the battlefield.– BATTLE OF FORT STEDMAN –
What Park: Petersburg National Battlefield Hike Distance: 2.7-mile loop Nearest Town: Petersburg Battle Fact: This battlefield is the site of the longest siege in American history. GPS Coordinates: 37.22619, -77.36962
– BATTLE OF APPOMATTOX COURT HOUSE –
What Park: Appomattox Court House National Historical Park Hike Distance: 4.5-mile hike Nearest Town: Appomattox Battle Fact: This was the site where Lee formally surrendered to Grant. GPS Coordinates: 37.37754, -78.79598
– BATTLE OF SPOTSYLVANIA COURTHOUSE –
What Park: Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park Hike Distance: 4.3-mile loop Nearest Town: Fredericksburg Battle Fact: Over 3,000 Confederate soldiers were captured by the Union during the battle, the largest such capture of the entire Civil War. GPS Coordinates: 38.21907, -77.61418