Antietam National Battlefield
Sharpsburg, MD
Site of the bloodiest single day in American history, 17 September 1862, with an 8.5-mile tour road past Bloody Lane and Burnside Bridge. Park entrance fee; the tour road has pull-offs with room for RVs.
On September 17, 1862, the armies of McClellan and Lee collided at Sharpsburg; about 22,700 soldiers were killed, wounded or went missing, more than on any other day in American history. The Union victory gave Lincoln the opening to issue the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. The national cemetery holds 4,776 Union soldiers.
Start at the visitor center, where a film sets the scene. The roughly 8.5-mile (14 km) auto tour with eleven stops begins at Dunker Church and leads to the Cornfield, where the morning opened with hours of attacks, to the sunken road known as Bloody Lane, and to Burnside Bridge over Antietam Creek. Four to six hours is realistic, up to eight if you add walks on the loop trails. The park closes at dark. Gettysburg is about an hour away, Harpers Ferry about half an hour.
- Nearest town
- Sharpsburg, MD
- Category
- History & culture
- GPS
- 39.4735, -77.7447
- Editor's pick
- ★
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and June. Cold, short days in January–February. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Sources
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
Campsites nearby
- Greenbrier State Park - Dogwood CampgroundCampsite7 mi from Antietam National BattlefieldTentsCaravansWaste disposal
- Greenbrier State Park - Cedar CampgroundCampsite8 mi from Antietam National Battlefield · 40 pitchesTentsCaravansElectricityWaste disposal
- Greenbrier State Park - Birch CampgroundCampsite8 mi from Antietam National BattlefieldTentsCaravansWaste disposal
- Greenbrier State Park - Ash CampgroundCampsite8 mi from Antietam National BattlefieldTentsCaravansWaste disposal
- Harpers Ferry CampgroundCampsite10 mi from Antietam National BattlefieldTentsCaravansWaste disposal
- Brunswick Family CampgroundCampsite13 mi from Antietam National BattlefieldTentsCaravansShowersToiletsWaste disposalWi-Fi
All campsites in Maryland · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Antietam National Battlefield?
Antietam National Battlefield is in Sharpsburg, MD, at GPS 39.4735, -77.7447. It is about 7 mi from Washington Monument State Park.
Can you camp near Antietam National Battlefield?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Site 5, about 1 mi away; within 25 mi there are 44 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Antietam National Battlefield?
Antietam National Battlefield is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Western Maryland: Antietam, the C&O Canal and Swallow Falls and Canal locks, battlefields and steam on the mountain – up the Potomac by camper from Great Falls to Cumberland.
What is there to see near Antietam National Battlefield?
Places worth a stop nearby: Shepherdstown (4 mi), Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (10 mi), Fort Frederick State Park (17 mi) and Cunningham Falls State Park (18 mi).
When is the best time to visit Antietam National Battlefield?
The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and June. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)