The Battlefield Driving Tour
About 8.5 miles and 11 stops through the day's fighting, in the order it happened.
Antietam National Battlefield
The bloodiest single day in American history, on quiet Maryland farmland that still looks much as it did in 1862.
On September 17, 1862, about 23,000 men were killed, wounded or missing here in twelve hours, more than on any other day in American history. Lee's first invasion of the North ended here, and the result gave Lincoln the opening to announce the Emancipation Proclamation.
Few battlefields are this well preserved. A driving tour links the Cornfield, the Dunker Church, Bloody Lane and Burnside Bridge, across fields that are still farmed.
- Best Time
- April–June and September–October
- Time Needed
- Half a day
- Cost Level
- $$$$
- Open
- Grounds open every day; visitor center hours vary by season
- Getting There
- About 90 minutes by car from Washington, DC, and an hour from Gettysburg.
What to See
0 of 4 are freeBloody Lane
A sunken farm road where Confederate lines were shot down at close range. Climb the observation tower for the view.
Burnside Bridge
A small stone bridge that a few hundred Georgians held for hours against a Union corps.
Dunker Church
The plain white church of a pacifist sect, at the center of the morning's fighting.
Know Before You Go
- An entrance fee applies; buy it at the visitor center or on Recreation.gov.
- Allow for a walk: the best views are a short way from the road.
Where to Stay
Stay in Shepherdstown or Harpers Ferry, or see it as a day trip from Washington.
Where to Eat
Our picks are on the way.
Editor's picks. Nobody paid to be on this list.
Something wrong or out of date?
Traveler Reviews
Sign in and mark Antietam National Battlefield as visited to write a review.
Go Next
Worth a DetourHarpers Ferry
West Virginia
A preserved 19th-century town where two rivers meet, site of John Brown's raid and a stop on the Appalachian Trail.
Full Guide
Worth a DetourGettysburg
Pennsylvania
The Civil War's turning point, and the field where Lincoln gave his most famous speech.
Full Guide
Must-SeeWashington, DC
Monuments, the Capitol and the world's largest free museum complex, all on one great lawn.
Full Guide
Last checked 2026-11-01. Part of the Mid-Atlantic list.