Gettysburg National Military Park

State: Pennsylvania. Type: National Park Service battlefield park in Cumberland Township, Adams County. Site of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863. Current park size: 3,785 acres. Federal control established February 11, 1895; National Park Service management began in 1933. Gettysburg National Cemetery, where Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863, lies within the park. Attendance: 730,398 visitors in 2025. Mailing address: 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, PA 17325.

Gettysburg National Military Park preserves the landscape of the Battle of Gettysburg, fought July 1-3, 1863, one of the largest and most significant engagements of the American Civil War. The battlefield was protected almost immediately after the war by the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association, with federal acquisition beginning in 1893 and full federal control established in 1895; the National Park Service took over management in 1933. Today the park spans 3,785 acres across Cumberland Township and includes Gettysburg National Cemetery, where President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863. The grounds are dotted with hundreds of state and unit monuments, and the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center, which opened in 2008, displays roughly 43,000 Civil War artifacts. Visitors typically drive or bike the park's auto tour route, walk the battlefield's preserved fields and ridgelines, and visit the cemetery and museum.

The park is located primarily in Cumberland Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania, comprising nearly 20% of that township's land. The main visitor facilities and mailing address are at 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, PA 17325, with the battlefield's roads and fields extending across the surrounding countryside.

South-central Pennsylvania has a four-season climate with hot, humid summers and cold winters that can bring snow. Because much of the park experience involves walking or driving open battlefield terrain, weather has a bigger impact here than at indoor sites; check seasonal forecasts before visiting, especially for winter road conditions.

Spring and fall generally offer the most comfortable temperatures for walking or biking the battlefield's open terrain, avoiding both summer heat and winter cold. The park's comfort stations (restrooms) close seasonally from mid-November, after Remembrance Day events, through March, which is worth factoring into a winter visit.

The Battle of Gettysburg was fought July 1-3, 1863, during the American Civil War, and remains one of the war's most significant engagements. The site gained early protection through the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association starting in 1863, with federal acquisition of the battlefield beginning June 7, 1893, and full federal control established February 11, 1895. The National Park Service assumed management of the park in 1933. Gettysburg National Cemetery, established for the Union dead, was the site of President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, delivered on November 19, 1863, at the cemetery's dedication. The park's current footprint of 3,785 acres includes preserved battlefield terrain, hundreds of state and regimental monuments erected over the decades following the battle, and the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center, which opened in 2008 and displays approximately 43,000 Civil War artifacts.

Visitors can drive or bike the park's auto tour route through the preserved battlefield, stopping at key sites and monuments along the way. Many combine this with a walk through Gettysburg National Cemetery, where Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. The Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center, which opened in 2008, houses roughly 43,000 Civil War artifacts and offers exhibits on the battle and its context. Ranger-led programs and licensed battlefield guide tours are also commonly available, though specific current program schedules should be checked directly with the park.

Key sites include Gettysburg National Cemetery, where Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address; the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center, opened in 2008, with its collection of roughly 43,000 artifacts; and the battlefield itself, which contains hundreds of state and unit monuments across its 3,785 acres. The separately operated Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station is also nearby, per the park's own visitor information, though it is managed through the Gettysburg Foundation rather than the NPS directly.

The park sits in Cumberland Township, Adams County, in south-central Pennsylvania; most visitors arrive by car, since there is no major commercial airport in Gettysburg itself. The nearest larger airports are in Harrisburg and the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. region, from which a rental car is the practical way to reach the park; exact distances from those airports were not confirmed in the sources used for this entry.

As of research, the battlefield and park roads are open daily from thirty minutes before sunrise to thirty minutes after sunset, with exact times varying by date. Comfort stations (restrooms) throughout the park operate during regular park hours but close seasonally from mid-November (after Remembrance Day events) through March, though portable toilets remain available year-round. Visitor center hours were not specified in the source used; confirm current museum and visitor center hours on nps.gov/gett before visiting.

The park's roads and battlefield are generally accessible without an entrance fee, consistent with many Civil War battlefield parks, though the source used for this entry did not explicitly confirm fee status; the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center and any licensed battlefield guide tours may carry separate admission or tour charges. Check nps.gov/gett and the Gettysburg Foundation's site for current museum and tour pricing before visiting.

Given the battlefield's size (3,785 acres) and the auto tour route connecting numerous stops, most visitors plan at least half a day, with a full day or more recommended for those wanting to also tour the museum, cemetery, and take a licensed guide tour.

The town of Gettysburg, adjacent to the park, offers a range of hotels, inns and bed-and-breakfasts geared toward battlefield visitors, reflecting its status as a major heritage tourism destination; specific property names were not confirmed in the sources used for this entry.

Downtown Gettysburg has a variety of restaurants and cafes serving battlefield visitors, from casual dining to more historic-themed establishments, reflecting the town's tourism-driven economy; specific restaurant names were not confirmed in the sources used for this entry.

The Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station, managed through the Gettysburg Foundation, is a nearby related historic site. The town of Gettysburg itself, adjoining the park, has additional Civil War-era historic sites, museums and shops for visitors extending their stay.

There is no major commercial airport directly in Gettysburg; the nearest larger airports are in the Harrisburg and Baltimore-Washington, D.C. areas, from which a rental car is the practical way to reach the park, since public transit options directly serving the battlefield are limited.

Because the battlefield covers wide, open terrain, sun protection and water are worth carrying, especially in summer heat. Watch for uneven ground and monuments while walking off the main paths, and be mindful of vehicle traffic when driving or biking the auto tour route. For any emergency, dial 911.

Comfortable walking or hiking shoes, sunscreen, a hat and water are useful given the battlefield's large, largely open terrain. A park map or the auto tour route guide helps navigate the numerous stops, and a bicycle (if biking the tour route) or a full tank of gas (if driving) is worth preparing in advance, since services are limited once out on the battlefield roads.

Plan for the comfort stations' seasonal closure (mid-November through March, aside from portable toilets) if visiting in the off-season. Because the battlefield is large, decide in advance whether you'll drive, bike or take a guided tour of the auto route, since walking the entire battlefield in a single visit is impractical. Visiting the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center first can provide useful context before touring the battlefield itself.

Dial 911 for any emergency. For general visitor information, contact Gettysburg National Military Park via its official Contact Us page at nps.gov/gett/contacts.htm, as no direct phone number was provided in the source used for this entry.

Gettysburg National Military Park (National Park Service) - https://www.nps.gov/gett/index.htm

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.