• Azaleas bloom in the lower parking lot at the Cowpens National Battlefield Visitor Center.

    Cowpens

    National Battlefield South Carolina

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  • May 21 Closures and Delays

    The Loop Road will be closed periodically to vehicular traffic today while the contractor applies striping. Some overlooks will be closed for sealing. Expect delays entering and exiting the park where sealant is being applied to one lane.

Outdoor Activities

 
Trailhead Parking Lot

Trailhead Parking: At the corner of SC Highway 11 and Hayes Road, the parking lot is the trailhead for the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail and provides additional pedestrian and bicycle access to Cowpens National Battlefield loop road and battlefield trail and is open until dusk.

Battlefield Trail: The partially paved 1.3 mile trail includes wayside exhibits, the 1856 Washington Light Infantry Monument and the historic Green River Road which was the centerline of the battle. (45 minutes)

Auto Loop Road: The 3.8 mile 1 way road travels the perimeter of the battlefield and includes wayside exhibits, parking areas with short trails to the Green River Road, the c. 1828 Robert Scruggs Log House, and access to the picnic area.

Picnic Area: Located 1 1/2 miles around the loop road, the area provides picnic tables, grills, and restroom facilities. A covered picnic shelter is available to groups through a special use permit for a small fee. Contact the staff at the Visitor Center for information on the permit.

 

STAFF RIDE INFORMATION

A military staff ride is a group exercise of three distinct phases: preliminary study, field study, and integration. It is designed for further the development of officers, in which each participant gives a briefing on plans, orders, events, decisions, and individuals. They frequently take on the persona of one of the primary participants in the battle. Afterwards, his/her colleagues question him/her about that participant's view of what has occurred on the battlefield at that point.

By definition, the staff ride is to be conducted by the military participants and not by park staff. The following links give in depth information on the proper conduct of a staff ride and will help you prepare.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Did You Know?

camp followers

In the Revolutionary War, some women, known as camp followers, went with their husbands to the battlefields to tend to such chores as cooking, mending, laundry, and nursing the sick and wounded.  Sometimes unmarried women performed these duties for a small wage and half rations.