Operating Hours & Seasons

Masks are optional inside park buildings. We continue to monitor and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and follow CDC guidance.

Watch park films online: Films are available onsite or are accessible to watch online on the videos page.

Spring 2022 Schedule Summary

The park is currently operating on our Spring Schedule through May 22, 2022. Our Summer Schedule will begin June 4, 2022.

• Park grounds are open sunrise to sunset.
• The Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center and the Chancellorsville Battlefield Visitor Center are open daily, 9am-5pm.
  • Join us for a Ranger program on Saturdays & Sundays at the Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville Visitor Centers at 10:30am & 2pm. See the Calendar for details.
• At Fredericksburg, the park store located behind the visitor center is open daily, 9am-5pm.
• Chatham Manor grounds open daily, sunrise to sunset, building open on Saturdays & Sundays, 9am-5pm.
• The Jackson Death Site grounds open daily, building closed.
• Ellwood Manor grounds open daily, sunrise to sunset, building open on Saturdays & Sundays, 9am-5pm.
• Restroom facilities are available 9am-5pm at both visitor centers, Chatham, the Jackson Death Site, Ellwood Manor, and the Spotsylvania Exhibit Shelter.

Things to Know

• Hours of operation vary by season. Park buildings will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, December 24-26, December 31, and January 1.
• 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.
• For special programs and events that may be happening during your trip, visit the Calendar.

 

Hours and Daily Programs Details

Below is the current park schedule through early April 2022.

   Fredericksburg Battlefield

Learn more about visiting Fredericksburg Battlefield.
 

Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center

Watch the Fredericksburg film online or at the visitor center.
Open daily, 9am-5pm
 

Fredericksburg Park Store

Located next to the parking area behind the visitor center.
Open daily, 9am-5pm
 

Ranger Programs at Fredericksburg Battlefield

Sunken Road Guided Walk
10:30am & 2pm; 45 minutes
Meet for the program at the battle painting between the visitor center and park store.
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.
 

   Chatham Manor

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.
 

Building Open on Saturdays & Sundays

Building open Saturdays & Sundays, 9am-5pm
Grounds open daily, sunrise to sunset
 

Ranger Programs at Chatham Manor

No programs scheduled at this time.

   Chancellorsville Battlefield

Learn more about visiting Chancellorsville Battlefield.
 

Chancellorsville Battlefield Visitor Center

Watch the Chancellorsville film online ahead of your visit or watch onsite (Fees for film: $2 for ages 11-61, $1 for 61+, free for 10 and under).
Open daily, 9am-5pm
 

Ranger Programs at Chancellorsville Battlefield

Chancellorsville: Stories from the Battlefield
10:30am & 2pm; 20-30 minutes
Meet for the program a the battle painting in front of 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.

   Wilderness Battlefield

Learn more about visiting Wilderness Battlefield.
 

Wilderness Exhibit Shelter

An open-air exhibit shelter.
Open sunrise to sunset
 

Ranger Programs at Wilderness Battlefield

No programs scheduled at this time

   Ellwood Manor

Ellwood Manor is a historic slave plantation, field hospital, and US headquarters during the Battle of the Wilderness. Learn more about Ellwood Manor.

Building open Saturdays & Sundays, 9am-5pm.
Grounds open daily, sunrise to sunset

To access the grounds when the building is closed, park at the Ellwood Manor gate, leaving the gate clear, and walk .4 mile to the grounds.

   Spotsylvania Court House Battlefield

Learn more about visiting Spotsylvania Battlefield.
 

Spotsylvania Exhibit Shelter

An open-air exhibit shelter.
Open sunrise to sunset
 

Ranger Programs Spotsylvania Battlefield

No programs scheduled at this time

   "Stonewall" Jackson Death Site

Historic building where Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson died.

Grounds open daily, sunrise to sunset
Building closed for the season

   Old Salem Church

Historic church which served as a battlefield landmark and field hospital during the Chancellorsville Campaign.

Grounds open daily, sunrise to sunset
Building closed

 

Seasonal Operations

Planning on visiting sometime in the future? Below is a summary of the types of operations, services, and programs you can expect at the park during different times of year.

Note: Park operations and interpretive programming vary year by year, based on a variety of factors. The following information is provided to help with trip planning, but does not provide an exact account of operations and programs during any given season.

   Summer

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 Labor Day weekend. 
 

Summer Hours

The park's visitor centers at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville are open daily, 9am-5pm. Chatham Manor, Ellwood Manor, and the Jackson Death Site are typically open daily in the summer (depending on circumstances, these buildings may be open weekends only). The Wilderness and Spotsylvania Exhibit Shelters are staffed on 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 and Fit History 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. 

   Fall

As the leaves change, the park remains a busy place, and a popular spot to stop while touring the region. Between Labor Day 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, after Labor Day, 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 are open daily, 9am-5pm. Expect hours at Chatham Manor, Ellwood Manor, and the Jackson Death Site to be reduced, typically becoming weekends only through Columbus Day. The Wilderness and Spotsylvania Exhibit Shelters will continue to be staffed as allowed, but expect hours to be reduced, and to cease completely after Columbus Day.
 

Ranger Programs

Programs sometimes shift to weekends-only in the fall, though we typically offer daily programs at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville through Columbus Day. The programs offered at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Battlefields, and Chatham Manor typically cease in the fall.
 

Special Events

We will schedule a smaller number of special events in the fall than in the summer, but we do try to continue History at Sunset and Fit History programs into the fall.

   Winter

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 are open daily, 9am-5pm. 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. 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, as will our annual Christmas at Chatham event.

   Spring

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 park's visitor centers at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville are open daily, 9am-5pm. Expect hours at Chatham Manor, Ellwood Manor, and the Jackson Death Site to be minimal. The Wilderness and Spotsylvania Exhibit Shelters 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, like a limited number of Fit History hikes, 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.