Preserved Civil War battlefield commemorating the 1864 Battle of Monocacy with trails, monuments, and a visitor center.
General Information
Visitor Center: Daily 9am to 5pm
Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day
Parking: Free
How to Get There
From Washington, DC (50 mi): Take I-270 N to Exit 26 for MD-80 toward Urbana, then follow signs to Urbana Pike and the battlefield entrance.
Overview
Monocacy National Battlefield near Frederick preserves the site of the July 9, 1864 Battle of Monocacy, "the Battle That Saved Washington." The Union force lost, but its defense delayed Confederate General Jubal Early long enough for reinforcements to reach the capital. The 1,600-acre park has preserved farms and rolling farmland, with a visitor center (exhibits, artifacts, and a film) and a self-guided driving tour.
Highlights
- Battlefield farms: the Worthington, Thomas, and Best farms, Monocacy Junction, and the Gambrill Mill
- Landscape: rolling fields, river corridors, and forest much as they were in 1864
Top Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Farm Trail | About 1.5 miles loop | Easy | Site of significant fighting, with interpretive signs |
| River crossing trail | About 1 mile round trip | Easy | The Monocacy River crossing and troop movements |
| Gambrill Mill walk | About 0.5 miles round trip | Easy | Historic mill and civilian life during the war |
This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles and official tourism pages for Monocacy National Battlefield, released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
