Directions

A lovely drive through rural Kentucky

Mill Springs Battlefield Association

Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument is comprised of discontinuous segments in rural Kentucky in both Pulaski and Wayne Counties. Located roughly 1.5 hours / 80 miles south of Lexington, KY and 2 hours / 100 miles north of Knoxville, TN.

Take a look at the park Maps to see the different sections. A personal vehicle is the easiest way to reach and connect the sites. Mill Springs Battlefield Association offers a self-guided drivng tour.

Core Battlefield Area

Most visits begin at the Mill Springs Battlefield Visitor Center in Nancy, Kentucky. Less than two miles away is the core battlefield which includes the one-acre Zollicoffer Park, commemorating the loss of Confederate General Zollicoffer and the site of some of the fiercest fighting. Wayside exhibits, picnic tables, and trails await.

Visitor Center and Museum

9020 W. Hwy 80, Nancy, Kentucky
The Visitor Center and Museum is located immediately adjacent to Mill Springs National Cemetery and is visible from Kentucky 80.
From Somerset, KY: Drive west on KY-80 about 10 miles. Visitor Center will be on the right.

Zollicoffer Park

Off Hwy 235
From the Mill Springs Visitor Center and Museum: Take a right out of the parking lot to head west on KY-80. Turn left onto State Hwy 235. Drive south about 1 mile. The park will be on the left, with a long, marked parking area.

 

Beech Grove Fortified Encampment

Another significant battlefield feature is the Beech Grove Fortified Confederate Encampment. Nine miles distant and located on a peninsula created by a bend in the Cumberland River and White Oak Creek (now Lake Cumberland), the encampment area can be found from Mill Springs Road (State Route 235). During the winter of 1861–1862, Confederate forces occupied this narrow stretch of land, building winter cabins and defensive earthworks to fortify their position.

 

Mill Springs Crossing Fortified Ferry Landing and Mill Site

The Mill Springs Crossing Fortified Ferry Landing and Mill Site is located on the southern shore of Lake Cumberland in Wayne County and includes Mill Springs Park, a day-use recreational site operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Thirteen continuous springs have powered grist mill operations at this location since the early 1800s. Occupied by Confederate forces from November 1861 until January 1862, this site was fortified and used to transport both supplies and soldiers across the Cumberland River. Next door is the Brown-Lanier House, which served as a Confederate headquarters. Yet another nearby resource is the West-Metcalfe House, used as a Civil War supply depot and, following the Battle of Mill Springs, operated as a Confederate field hospital.

Brown-Lanier House

KY Hwy 1275, just north of Mill Springs, Kentucky
From the Mill Springs Visitor Center and Museum: Take KY-80 east toward Somerset. Turn right onto US-27 South and go about 7 miles. Exit onto KY-90 West. Follow for about 9 miles. Turn right onto KY-1275. Brown-Lanier House will be on the right.