Antietam National Battlefield

5831 Dunker Church Road
Sharpsburg, MD 21782
Phone (301) 432-5124

23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after twelve hours of savage combat on September 17, 1862. The Battle of Antietam ended the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia’s first invasion into the North and led to Abraham Lincoln’s issuance of the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.

Antietam National Battlefield is well known for its role in American history. Established in 1890 to commemorate the single bloodiest day of the American Civil War (23,110 casualties), the park attracts an estimate of 205,000 visitors each year. The battlefield, located in the Great Valley region of the Appalachian Ridge and Valley province, encompasses over 3,250 acres of farmland, pastures, woodlots and limestone forests.

In 1992, the Antietam National Battlefield General Management Plan was approved, outlining goals for restoring the battlefield to its 1862 appearance. The plan includes projects such as replanting of historic woodlots and orchards, re-establishing original fence lines, lanes and trails, as well as maintaining the integrity of the historic farmsteads.

The areas in natural cover at the battlefield offer a haven for many different species of plants and animals, and also provide a number of secondary benefits including water and air quality enhancement, ground-water recharge, storm flow moderation, and recreational enjoyment.

Traveling East on Interstate 70:
Exit 29A onto Rt. 65 south. Ten miles south on the left is the Visitor Center.

Traveling West on Interstate 70 from the Baltimore/Washington area:
Exit 29 onto Rt. 65 South towards Sharpsburg. Travel about 10 miles south to the Park Visitor Center entrance which will be on your left side.

Optional Route: Exit 49 onto Alternate Rt. 40 West towards Middletown. Continue through Middletown, over South Mountain to Boonsboro. Turn left onto Rt. 34 to Sharpsburg. When you enter town, turn right (north) onto Rt. 65 and the Park Visitor Center will be on your right a mile north of Sharpsburg.

Traveling North-South on Interstate 81:
Exit 1, Rt. 68, six miles east to Rt. 65. Turn RIGHT at light on Rt. 65. Five miles south on the left is the Visitor Center.

Open All Year

• Open From Memorial Day To Labor Day 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

• Open From Labor Day To Memorial Day 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day

• Memorial Day Commemoration, Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend

• Anniversary of the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), September 17.

• Independence Day Commemoration (Saturday closest to the 4th)

• The Memorial Illumination on the 1st Saturday in December.

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