Fall 2023 Schedule Summary
Schedule in effect October 22, 2023 – January 7, 2024
- Park grounds are open sunrise to sunset.
- Special closure notices: Chatham will be closed on November 30, 2023 to allow for a staff meeting. Park buildings will be closed Thanksgiving Day, December 24-25, and January 1. Park buildings may close early on December 31, 2023.
- Building hours are as follows:
- The Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville Battlefield Visitor Centers, and Chatham Manor are open daily 9 am-5 pm (Chatham is closed 12 noon-1 pm).
- The "Stonewall" Jackson Death Site and Ellwood are closed for the season and there will be no staff present at Spotsylvania Court House Battlefield.
- Learn about visiting park stores.
- Ranger programs Saturdays and Sundays at the Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center through November 19, 2023.
- Park staff are happy to give brief unscheduled battle overviews and short pop-up programs (typically 15-20 minutes) when staffing levels and circumstances allow. If you are visiting at a time when no ranger programs are scheduled, ask us if we are available to give a short program!
- Restroom facilities are available 9 am-5 pm at both visitor centers, Chatham, the Jackson Death Site, Ellwood, and the Spotsylvania Exhibit Shelter.
Things to Know
- Hours of operation vary by season. Park buildings will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, December 24-25, and January 1.
- For special programs and events, visit the Calendar. All programs are weather and staff dependent. Check our Facebook for operations updates or call our Weather & Park Closing hotline at 540-693-3200 x3190.
- Watch park films online ahead of time on the videos page.
Learn more about visiting Fredericksburg Battlefield.
Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center
Open daily, 9 am-5 pm
1013 Lafayette Boulevard, Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Watch the Fredericksburg film online or at the visitor center.
Fredericksburg Park Store
Open daily, 9 am-5 pm
Located next to the parking area behind the visitor center.
Ranger Programs at Fredericksburg Battlefield
Sunken Road Walking Tour
Weekends, 10 am & 2 pm, 45 minutes (through November 19)
Meet at the battle painting outside the visitor center.
Why did the Battle of Fredericksburg happen? Why was it important? Join park staff to learn about the events of December 1862 from the people who lived through them and the ground they walked on.
Building open daily, 9 am-5 pm (closed 12 noon – 1 pm)
Gate open daily, 9 am-5 pm
120 Chatham Lane, Fredericksburg, VA 22405
Historic slave plantation, home, and grounds which served as a field hospital and a US headquarters during the Civil War. Learn more and watch the Chatham film on the Chatham Manor page.
*Chatham will be closed November 30, 2023 to allow for a staff meeting.*
Learn more about visiting Wilderness Battlefield.
Wilderness Exhibit Shelter
Open sunrise to sunset
35347 Constitution Highway, Locust Grove, VA 22508
An open-air exhibit shelter.
Ellwood Manor
Grounds open daily, sunrise to sunset
Building closed for the season
36380 Constitution Highway, Orange, VA 22960
Ellwood Manor is a historic slave plantation, field hospital, and US headquarters during the Battle of the Wilderness. Learn more about Ellwood Manor.
To access the Ellwood grounds when the building is closed, you may park at the Ellwood gate, leaving the gate clear, and walk the grounds. It is 0.4 mile to the house.
Learn more about visiting Spotsylvania Battlefield.
Spotsylvania Exhibit Shelter
Open sunrise to sunset
Park staff onsite Saturdays & Sundays from 9 am–5 pm
9550 Grant Drive West, Spotsylvania, VA 22553
An open-air exhibit shelter.
Grounds open daily, sunrise to sunset
Building closed for the season
12019 Stonewall Jackson Road, Woodford, VA 22580
Historic building where Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson died.
Grounds open daily, sunrise to sunset
Building closed
4054 Plank Road, Fredericksburg, VA 22407
Historic church which served as a battlefield landmark and field hospital during the Chancellorsville Campaign.
Summer is the peak season for the park: when we have the most staff and the most visitors. As such, park operations and services also peak in the summertime, roughly between Memorial Day weekend and mid August.
Summer Hours
The park's visitor centers at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, and Chatham Manor are open daily, 9 am-5 pm. Ellwood Manor and the Jackson Death Site are may have variable hours. Locations at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Battlefields may be staffed on the weekends in the summer (if circumstances allow these hours are expanded). Salem Church may be open for limited hours on weekends.
Ranger Programs
Typically, in the summer, visitors can attend daily programs at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. Additional regular programs are offered at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Battlefields, and Chatham Manor (these programs are offered on the weekends at least, but could be scheduled more frequently if staffing allows). Informal living history programs are offered at different locations throughout the summer.
Special Events
In addition to our normally scheduled Ranger Programs, special events in the summertime include the Memorial Day Luminaria at the Fredericksburg National Cemetery, and a selection of special ranger talks and hikes, including the History at Sunset series. Occasionally, our summer line up will include campfire talks, Bark Ranger programs, and living history days. Anniversary programming in May (for Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Court House) varies year by year.
As the leaves change, the park remains a busy place, and a popular spot to stop while touring the region. Between August and Columbus Day, expect certain hours to be reduced and programming to scale down. After Columbus Day, visitor services and programming will scale down further. Note: Much of our offerings during the summertime are made possibly by an amazing group of Interns and Seasonal Park Rangers. We generally have two phases of reductions in services in the fall, once, in mid August, when many of our Interns go back to school, and another, after Columbus Day, when our Seasonal Park Rangers finish their terms.
Fall Hours
The park's visitor centers at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville will likely be open daily, 9 am-5 pm. Hours at Chatham Manor, Ellwood Manor, and the Jackson Death Site may be reduced.
Ranger Programs
Programs sometimes shift to weekends-only in the fall, though we typically offer daily programs at Fredericksburg through Columbus Day.
Special Events
We will schedule a smaller number of special events in the fall than in the summer, but may have some programming around special anniversaries and holidays.
Winter is a quiet, peaceful time to visit the park. Even though some park buildings are closed in the winter, grounds remain open sunrise to sunset, throughout the park.
Winter Hours
The park's visitor centers at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville will likely be open daily, but may have reduced hours. Expect Ellwood Manor and the Jackson Death Site to be closed for the season. Chatham Manor may be open on select days, but may not be open regularly, and may have reduced hours. The Wilderness and Spotsylvania Exhibit Shelters are not staffed in the winter. Rangers at both visitor centers are well versed in matters relating to the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Battlefields, so do not hesitate to inquire about these battles at either the Fredericksburg or Chancellorsville Visitor Centers.
Ranger Programs
We typically do not offer Ranger programs in the winter. We will occasionally offer short talks and battle overviews if staffing allows. Feel free to ask at a visitor center if the Ranger is able to give a short talk.
Special Events
We typically do not have many special events planned in the winter. Events relating to the Battle of Fredericksburg anniversary in will occur in December.
From mid-March to May visitor services and programs slowly increase from the winter slumber. By mid-April, visitors can expect more program offerings and for some of the historic buildings to be open on weekends, but should not expect the same level of daily services as in the summertime (after Memorial Day).
Spring Hours
The Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville Visitor Centers, and Chatham Manor, will most likely be open daily, 9 am-5 pm. Expect hours at Ellwood Manor and the Jackson Death Site to be minimal, if open at all. The Wilderness and Spotsylvania Battlefields typically remain unstaffed until Memorial Day.
Ranger Programs
We will typically begin resuming programs at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville on weekends by mid-March or April, and will continue weekend programming through most of May. There may be a brief window between the end of May and the beginning of June where we have fewer programs to accommodate planning Memorial Day events and to train our incoming seasonal staff.
Special Events
We may resume some special events in the spring, but will not resume the full schedule of special events until after Memorial Day. The Memorial Day Luminaria and event in the Fredericksburg National Cemetery is often the biggest event of the year, and typically marks the beginning of our increased summer hours and services.
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