Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley has a long and rich heritage that still inspires today. Native Americans first shaped the land, followed by colonists and settlers. The fertile valley became an important wheat-growing region in the 1800s. It also witnessed dramatic Civil War campaigns, including the Battle of Cedar Creek, a decisive Federal victory that helped bring the war to an end.

American flag bunting hangs from the porch on a limestone building with a white portico.

Belle Grove Manor House

A park ranger holds up a specimen of limestone as he speaks outdoors.

History Hangout

A rough marble monument in an iron-fenced enclosure commemorates Civil War combat.

8th Vermont Monument

A white frame 1800s farmhouse stands alone in a snowy field.

Heater House

A long mountain ridge looms over an open field.

View of Signal Knob

Cedar Creek & Belle Grove

Public areas administered by the National Park Service— Morning Attack Trails, Claven Lane parking area, Vermont Monument property and parking area, and park headquarters— are open from sunrise to sunset.

NPS-administered Public Areas

Self-Guided Tours - Auto

<p>To visit all four places only to get stamps will take about 45 minutes.</p>

Three rubber stamps and a blue stamp pad on a brochure for Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Hist

CEBE America 250 passport stamp

<p>Get four different cancellation stamps by visiting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/cebe-start-at-the-visitor-center.htm">NPS Visitor Center</a>, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/tour-belle-grove.htm">Belle Grove Plantation</a>, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/visit-ccbf-hq.htm">CCBF Museum & Visitor Center</a>, and the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hupps-hill-civil-war-park-museum.htm">Strasburg Visitor Center at Hupp's Hill</a>. </p> <p><strong>NPS Visitor Center, 7712 Main Street, Middletown, Virginia. </strong>The NPS Visitor Center also has a stamp for <a href="https://www.shenandoahatwar.org/">Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District</a>. Get the stamps inside the Visitor Center during open hours or any time from the self-serve station at the outdoor orientation kiosk. Call 540-869-3051.</p> <p><strong>Belle Grove Plantation, 336 Belle Grove Road, Middletown, Virginia. </strong>Get the stamp inside the Beverly B. Shoemaker Welcome Center. Call 540-869-2028.</p> <p><strong>Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation, 8437 Valley Pike, Middletown, Virginia. </strong>Get the stamp inside the museum lobby. Call 540-869-2064.</p> <p><strong>Strasburg Visitor Center at Hupp’s Hill, 33229 Old Valley Pike, Strasburg, Virginia.</strong> Get the stamp inside the lobby. Call 540-465-5884.</p>

<p>Since 1986, national park visitors have turned to Eastern National’s bestselling guidebook, Passport To Your National Parks<sup>®</sup>, to collect ink stamps from each of their explorations. Take your Passport to any national park visitor center or park store and get your free ink stamp with the date and location of your visit. <a href="https://americasnationalparks.org/passport-to-your-national-parks/">Learn more »</a></p> <h2>Where can I get stamps at Cedar Creek & Belle Grove?</h2> <p>Get four different cancellation stamps for Cedar Creek & Belle Grove NHP by visiting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/cebe-start-at-the-visitor-center.htm">NPS Visitor Center</a>, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/tour-belle-grove.htm">Belle Grove Plantation</a>, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/visit-ccbf-hq.htm">CCBF Museum & Visitor Center</a>, and the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hupps-hill-civil-war-park-museum.htm">Strasburg Visitor & Information Center</a>. <br /> <br /> Cancellation stamps for the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/shenandoah-valley-battlefields-national-historic-district.htm">Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District</a> may also be available at each location. See the full <a href="https://www.shenandoahatwar.org/park-stamps?fbclid=IwY2xjawTEdf5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF1VkFjWVhjTDd6Qmh5WHd6c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHgf93SdEWaQ0KRx-itj891iVXzjUWT8AzKa-S-u5k2ul7G9ISg_HYwNlZ5_O_aem_lp-j1_UwGRDGrZDb1A6-mg">directory</a> of National Historic District cancellation stamps for other regional battlefields and historic sites. </p> <p>Hours may vary seasonally; call each site to confirm. You may contact the partner sites if you were not able to get your stamp in person. </p> <h3>Cedar Creek & Belle Grove NHP - Shenandoah Valley, VA</h3> <p><strong>NPS Visitor Center, 7712 Main Street, Middletown, Virginia. </strong>The NPS Visitor Center also has a stamp for <a href="https://www.shenandoahatwar.org/">Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District</a>. Get the stamps inside the Visitor Center during open hours or any time from the self-serve station at the outdoor orientation kiosk. </p> <h3>Cedar Creek & Belle Grove NHP - Belle Grove</h3> <p><strong>Belle Grove Plantation, 336 Belle Grove Road, Middletown, Virginia. </strong>Get the stamp inside the Beverly B. Shoemaker Welcome Center. </p> <h3>Cedar Creek & Belle Grove NHP - Cedar Creek Battlefield</h3> <p><strong>Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation, 8437 Valley Pike, Middletown, Virginia. </strong>Get the stamp inside the museum lobby. </p> <h3>Cedar Creek & Belle Grove NHP - Hupp's Hill, VA</h3> <p><strong>Strasburg Visitor and Information Center, 33229 Old Valley Pike, Strasburg, Virginia.</strong> Get the stamp inside the lobby. </p>

<p><a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/planyourvisit/hours.htm">Operating Hours & Seasons</a> vary among the partner sites. </p> <p>The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/cebe-start-at-the-visitor-center.htm">NPS Visitor Center</a> has self-service stamps at the outdoor orientation kiosk for after hours. You may contact the partner sites if you were not able to get your stamp in person.</p>

Get four different cancellation stamps by visiting NPS and partner sites at Cedar Creek & Belle Grove NHP.

Stamp Your Passport To Your National Parks

Civil Rights

Civil War

Guided Tours

A ranger with visitors on a grass field points past a US flag held by a Civil War reenactor.

Go to a Ranger-led Program

<p>The National Park Service (NPS) offers ranger-led programs throughout the year. Topics may include the geography, peopling, and history of the Shenandoah Valley, including the Civil War and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/battle-of-cedar-creek.htm">Battle of Cedar Creek</a>. </p> <p>The park <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/planyourvisit/calendar.htm">calendar</a> lists scheduled NPS programs and events. Check with our <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/getinvolved/partners.htm">partners</a> for other activities at their properties or outside the park boundary. </p> <p>Outdoor programs may be cancelled or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/contacts.htm">Contact us</a> ahead of your visit. </p> <h2>Ranger Program Descriptions</h2> <h3>History Hangout</h3> <p>Ranger Talk, 30 minutes<br /> <br /> Hangout with a ranger! Join a conversation about the region's long record of human settlement while enjoying a panoramic view of the Shenandoah Valley. Learn why this landscape was important during the Civil War and how the community preserves it as a national park. Meet near the picnic area on <a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/belle-grove-plantation.htm">Belle Grove’s</a> front lawn.</p> <h3>Cedar Creek Battlefield Tour </h3> <p>Ranger-led Driving Tour, 2 hours<br /> <br /> Drive Cedar Creek Battlefield to retrace events of October 19, 1864. Follow the ranger’s car to five or six key battlefield landmarks. Specialty battlefield tours may be periodically scheduled. Topics include Sheridan's counterattack, cavalry at Cedar Creek, and a monuments tour of the battlefield. </p> <h3>19th Corps Trenches</h3> <p>Ranger-led Walk, 1 hour 30 minutes <br /> <br /> A woodland walk along Civil War trenches preserved by <a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/ccbf-museum-visitor-center.htm">Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation</a> and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/belle-grove-plantation.htm">Belle Grove Plantation</a>. A Confederate surprise attack overran the US 19th Corps here in the early morning of October 19, 1864. </p> <h3>Battlefield & Ballot Box </h3> <p>Ranger-led Walk, 1 hour<br /> <br /> Learn how US soldiers participated in the 1864 state and presidential elections by voting from the front lines in the Shenandoah Valley. </p> <h3>Black History Programs</h3> <p>Ranger Talk, 30 minutes<br /> <br /> Meet at <a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/belle-grove-plantation.htm">Belle Grove</a>. Glimpse the life of Judah, the enslaved cook at the plantation. Hear the story of Abba and Frank Thornton, who bore a 35-member family. They saw some of those family members reach freedom. Learn how professional archaeology projects have revealed important unrecorded information about the plantation's enslaved quarters. </p> <h3>Farm, Family, Freedom</h3> <p>Ranger-led Walk, 1 hour <br /> <br /> Join a park ranger to visit an 1800s farm. See the Shenandoah Valley from its early settlements through the Civil War and Reconstruction through the eyes of families who lived there</p> <h3>For the Cause of Liberty</h3> <p>Ranger Talk, 30 minutes <br /> <br /> Isaac Hite, Jr., historical owner of Belle Grove Plantation, fought in the War of Independence. How did he, his family members, and neighbors come to rebel against their king? A ranger discusses both Isaac Hite's and the Shenandoah Valley's role in the American Revolution.   </p> <h3>Historic Middletown</h3> <p>Ranger-led Walk, 1 hour 30 minutes<br /> <br /> Learn how the Valley Turnpike affected the lives of townsfolk before, during, and after the Civil War. The Middletown Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. </p> <h3>Star Party </h3> <p>Ranger-led Activity, 2 hours <br /> <br /> Gaze at the night sky with the National Park Service and the Shenandoah Astronomical Society. Telescopes will be provided for night sky viewing. </p> <h2>Partner Tours</h2> <h3>Plantation House Tours</h3> <p>Belle Grove Plantation offers regular guided tours of the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/tour-the-1797-manor-house.htm">1797 Manor House</a>. Visit <a href="https://www.bellegrove.org/">bellegrove.org</a> for more information. </p> <h3>Other Tours</h3> <p><a href="https://www.ccbf.us/">Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation</a> and <a href="https://www.shenandoahatwar.org/">Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation</a> offer tours of area battlefields or other historic places. Visit them online for more information.</p>

The National Park Service offers ranger-led programs throughout the year. Topics may include the peopling and rich cultural history of the Shenandoah Valley, including the Civil War and Battle of Cedar Creek. 

Colonization and Settlement

Enslavement

Scenic Views

<p>Contact <a href="https://www.bellegrove.org/">Belle Grove Plantation</a> for ticket prices and discounts. </p>

A tour group stands on the front porch of Belle Grove, a large limestone plantation house.

Tour the 1797 Manor House

<p>Begin your visit at the Beverley B. Shoemaker Welcome Center (in the 1918 Barn) to purchase your ticket and receive a map of the property.</p>

<p>Belle Grove offers guests tours of the region's premier authentic antebellum plantation. Tours last 45 minutes to one hour. Advanced reservations are not required. Begin your visit at the Beverley B. Shoemaker Welcome Center (in the 1918 Barn) to purchase your ticket and receive a map of the property. Plan to arrive on the hour to make your tour ticket purchase.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm">America the Beautiful</a> pass holders receive a $1 discount on tour tickets. <br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.bellegrove.org/">Find tour prices, times, and more information at Belle Grove Plantation »</a></p>

Belle Grove offers guests tours of the region's premier authentic antebellum plantation. Tours last 45 minutes to one hour. Tickets for tours do not require advanced reservations.

Architecture and Building

Plantations

Stargazing

<p>Telescopes are provided for stargazing, or you may bring your own. SAS members can teach you how to use it. Bring camp chairs or blankets.</p>

Silhouette of a tall tree underneath a night sky with sparkling stars and whispy clouds.

Night Sky Over Thoburn's Redoubt

<p>Meet at <a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/thoburn-s-redoubt.htm">Thoburn's Redoubt</a> (stop no. 2 on the self-guided battlefield tour) on Bowman's Mill Road. This is a remote area and there are no bathroom facilities. The property does not have a street address. Go to coordinates 38°59'55.4"N, 78°19'10.7"W or follow these directions:</p> <ul> <li>From U.S. Highway 11 just south of Middletown, turn onto Water Plant Road. Go 1 mile to the intersection with Long Meadow Road.</li> <li>Turn right onto Long Meadow Road. Go 0.1 mile.</li> <li>Turn right onto Bowman's Mill Road. Go 1.4 miles.</li> <li>Thoburn's Redoubt is marked by an auto tour sign (stop no. 2). Turn right into the property.</li> </ul>

<p>Gaze at the heavens with the National Park Service and the Shenandoah Astronomical Society (SAS), on land preserved by the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation (SVBF). Telescopes are provided, or you may bring your own. SAS members can teach you how to use it. Bring camp chairs or blankets. </p> <p>The park <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/planyourvisit/calendar.htm">calendar</a> lists upcoming programs. Also check with our <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/getinvolved/partners.htm">partners</a> for programs and events at their properties or outside the park boundary.</p>

Gaze at the heavens with the National Park Service and the Shenandoah Astronomical Society (SAS). Telescopes are provided, or you may bring your own. SAS members can teach you how to use it. Bring camp chairs or blankets.

Join a Star Party

Night Sky

Astronomy

Museum Exhibits

There is a fee to see the museum exhibits inside the information center.

A museum exhibit hall has a battlefield diorama and mural painting.

Civil War Exhibits at Hupp's Hill

Strasburg Visitor & Information Center is at 33229 Old Valley Pike (US Route 11).

<p>The Strasburg Museum at Hupp's Hill, inside the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm">Strasburg Visitor and Information Center</a>, displays local history exhibits alongside battlefield artifacts from the Kehoe collection. The museum exhibits and films in the theater tell of the war-torn Shenandoah Valley of 1864: battles fought by soldiers and hardships endured by civilians. The museum shop sells souvenirs, and other gifts.</p>

The Strasburg Museum at Hupp's Hill, inside the Strasburg Visitor and Information Center, displays local history exhibits alongside battlefield artifacts from the Kehoe collection. The museum exhibits and films in the theater tell of the war-torn Shenandoah Valley of 1864: battles fought by soldiers and hardships endured by civilians.

See Local History Exhibits & Civil War Artifacts

Caves, Caverns and Karst

Forests and Woodlands

Geology

Trails

A white farmhouse-like building stands on a rural property with a large sign in front.

CCBF Museum & Visitor Center

<p>CCBF Museum & Visitor Center is at the foundation's headquarters, 8437 Valley Pike (U.S. Highway 11), just south of Middletown, Virigina.</p>

<p>The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm">Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation Museum and Visitor Center</a> building houses its exhibits, book and gift shop, and visitor services. </p> <p><a href="https://www.ccbf.us/">Visit the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation website »</a></p>

The Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation Museum and Visitor Center building houses its exhibits, book and gift shop, and visitor services.

Visit the Battlefield Museum

Front-Country Hiking

Sun shines through trees onto a trail exhibit sign and a bench.

Exhibit on 19th Corps Trails

<p>Enter the trails at either end:</p> <ul> <li>At the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/128th-new-york-monument.htm">128th New York Monument</a>, along US Route 11, US Route 11, 2.4 miles south of the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm">NPS Visitor Center</a> in Middletown, Va. Parking and the trail entrance are just past the monument inside the pull-off. </li> <li>At <a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/belle-grove-plantation.htm">Belle Grove Plantation</a>, across Belle Grove Road from the Beverly B. Shoemaker Welcome Center. There is a parking area by the trail entrance. </li> </ul>

<p>Woodland trails follow a <a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/19th-corps-trenches.htm">line of trenches built by the US 19th Corps</a> in the fall of 1864. Heavy fighting happened there in the early morning of October 19, as a Confederate surprise attack overwhelmed Federal defenders during the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/battle-of-cedar-creek.htm">Battle of Cedar Creek</a>.</p> <p>The 19th Corps Trails connect the 128th New York Monument with Belle Grove Plantation. Remnants of trenches and earthworks are still visible along the trails. The trails are on lands preserved by <a href="https://www.ccbf.us/">Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation (CCBF)</a> and <a href="https://www.bellegrove.org/">Belle Grove, Inc.</a> Enter the trails at either end:</p> <ul> <li>At the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/128th-new-york-monument.htm">128th New York Monument</a>, along US Route 11, 2.4 miles south of the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm">NPS Visitor Center</a> in Middletown, Va. Parking and the trail entrance are just past the monument inside the pull-off. </li> <li>At <a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/belle-grove-plantation.htm">Belle Grove Plantation</a>, across Belle Grove Road from the Beverly B. Shoemaker Welcome Center. There is a parking area by the trail entrance. </li> </ul> <p>The trenches are the long, shallow depressions seen along the trails. Help preserve them by staying on the marked path.<br /> <br /> View our <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/planyourvisit/calendar.htm">calendar</a> for ranger-led walks of the 19th Corps Trenches. </p>

Pets must be leashed. Clean up after pets. 

Woodland trails follow a line of trenches built by the US 19th Corps in the fall of 1864. They connect the 128th New York Monument with Belle Grove Plantation. Remnants of trenches and earthworks are still visible along the trails. The trails are on lands managed by Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation (CCBF) and Belle Grove, Inc. 

The 19th Corps Trails are open from sunrise to sunset.

Follow Trenches on the 19th Corps Trails

Junior Ranger Program

<p>Follow the activity instructions in the booklet. When the activities are complete, return to the Visitor Center to receive your official Junior Ranger badge for Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park. </p>

<p>The Junior Ranger program is made for all ages.</p>

<p>Complete as many activities as you would like. They can be completed in the park or even online. </p>

Painting of a large farm with rolling hills. Cedar Creek and Belle Grove NHP Junior Ranger

Become a Junior Ranger

<p>Get a free Junior Ranger booklet from the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm">Visitor Center</a> or visit the online <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/online-junior-ranger-cedar-creek-and-belle-grove-national-historical-park.htm">Junior Ranger program</a>.</p>

<p>The Junior Ranger program helps kids explore, learn about, and protect Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park. Anyone can become a Junior Ranger by completing activities during a visit to the park.</p> <h2>How to Be a Junior Ranger</h2> <p>There are three ways to become a Junior Ranger at Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park:</p> <ul> <li>Come to the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm?fbclid=IwAR3vblxpFP3i3eybt7iInFQZju8DSu_hdyqAABiIPPX7_tv3Oi1QSfYtzrU">Visitor Center</a> and ask a park ranger for a free Junior Ranger booklet.</li> <li>From home, you can use the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/online-junior-ranger-cedar-creek-and-belle-grove-national-historical-park.htm">online Junior Ranger program</a>.</li> <li><a href="mailto:cebe_information@nps.gov">E-mail</a> us and we can mail you a Junior Ranger booklet.</li> </ul> <p>The activities are designed for children and adults of all ages.</p> <p> </p>

<p>When reviewing the booklet, park rangers will be flexible if sites are closed, or if no <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/go-to-a-ranger-led-program.htm">ranger programs</a> are <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/planyourvisit/calendar.htm">scheduled</a> during your visit. </p>

The Junior Ranger program helps kids explore, learn about, and protect Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park. Anyone can become a Junior Ranger by completing activities during a visit to the park.

<p>If you complete the booklet after <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/planyourvisit/hours.htm">closing time</a>, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/contacts.htm">mail it to the park</a> for a ranger to review. The ranger will send your badge in the mail.</p>

Be a Cedar Creek & Belle Grove Junior Ranger

Monuments and Memorials

Roads, Routes and Highways

<p>Follow the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/battle-of-cedar-creek.htm">Battle of Cedar Creek</a> on a self-guided driving tour, from where the Confederate soldiers surprised the sleeping Federal camps in the foggy dawn of October 19, 1864 to the final counterattack late that afternoon.</p>

<p>This 17.5-mile tour has 9 stops, and takes at least an hour. Extend your auto tour with a walk on the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/walk-morning-attack-trails.htm">Morning Attack Trails</a> or a visit to <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/tour-belle-grove.htm">Belle Grove Plantation</a>.</p>

<p>Guided tours of the 1797 Manor House at Belle Grove Plantation require admission tickets. </p>

A road sign labeled auto tour 6 marks a tour stop and exhibit by a cemetery.

Cedar Creek Battlefield Auto Tour

<p>Start the self-guided auto tour from the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/cebe-start-at-the-visitor-center.htm">Visitor Center</a>, where you can pick up a self-guide or download the NPS app.</p>

<p>Follow the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/battle-of-cedar-creek.htm">Battle of Cedar Creek</a> on a self-guided driving tour, from where the Confederate soldiers surprised the sleeping Federal camps in the foggy dawn of October 19, 1864 to the final counterattack late that afternoon. </p> <h2>Drive the Self-guided Tour</h2> <p>Start by getting a park map and self-guide from the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/cebe-start-at-the-visitor-center.htm">Visitor Center</a>. Or use the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/digital/nps-apps.htm">NPS app</a>. The first tour stop is 1.9 miles south of the Visitor Contact Station, along Valley Pike (U.S. Route 11). Pull off the highway at Stop 1 and park by the wayside exhibit. </p> <h3>Battle App from American Battlefield Trust</h3> <p><a href="https://www.battlefields.org/">American Battlefield Trust's (ABT)</a> popular Battle App series includes a <a href="https://www.battlefields.org/visit/mobile-apps/cedar-creek-battle-app">smartphone tour of the Cedar Creek Battlefield</a>. </p> <h2>Ranger-led Driving Tours</h2> <p>Park rangers may schedule guided driving tours by car caravan, covering the Battle of Cedar Creek from beginning to end. Check the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/planyourvisit/calendar.htm">calendar</a> for dates and times.</p> <h2>Roads & Safety</h2> <p>This 17.5-mile tour has 9 stops, all along state or county public roads. Traffic may be heavy on Valley Pike (U.S. Route 11). Use caution when turning or slowing to stop.</p> <p>Long Meadow and Bowman's Mill roads on the south end of the park are narrow, winding, gravel-surfaced, two-way country roads. Buses and RVs should not attempt this tour.</p>

<p>In NPS-administered public areas, pets must be kept on a six-foot leash and under physical control at all times. Pet waste may not be left on the ground. Pets are not permitted at Belle Grove Plantation. </p> <p>Contact our <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/getinvolved/partners.htm">partners</a> to confirm policies regarding pets.</p>

Follow the Battle of Cedar Creek on a self-guided driving tour, from where the Confederate soldiers surprised the sleeping Federal camps in the foggy dawn of October 19, 1864 to the final counterattack late that afternoon. This 17.5-mile tour has 9 stops.

<p>Public areas administered by the National Park Service are open from sunrise to sunset. Contact our <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/getinvolved/partners.htm">partners</a> to confirm their hours of operations.</p>

Tour Cedar Creek Battlefield

Self-Guided Tours - Walking

<p>Pick up a free trail guide at the trail entrance or at the Visitor Center. The guide follows stops marked on the trails. The trails are easy with one moderate slope on the 8th Vermont Monument Trail.</p>

A mountain looms behind a grass field with mowed trails and a belt of trees.

Morning Attack Trails

<p>The main trail head is at 8739 Valley Pike (U.S. Highway 11), south of Middletown.</p>

<p>Follow the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/morning-attack-trails.htm">Morning Attack Trails</a> to places where soldiers fought during the early hours of the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/battle-of-cedar-creek.htm">Battle of Cedar Creek</a>. The three trails combined are 1.5 miles long. All three are on national park land. Pick up a free trail guide at the trail entrances or at the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/cebe-start-at-the-visitor-center.htm">Visitor Center</a>. The guide follows stops marked on the trails.</p>

<p>Pets must be kept on a six-foot leash and under physical control at all times. Pet waste may not be left on the ground. If you are visiting with your pet, please remember to bring plastic bags or a scoop and determine how you will transport waste from the park.</p>

The three trails combined are 1.7 miles long. All three are on national park land. Pick up a free trail guide at the trail entrances or at the Visitor Center. The guide follows numbered stops marked on the trails.

<p>The Morning Attack Trails, like the other public areas administered by the National Park Service, are open from sunrise to sunset.</p>

Walk the Morning Attack Trails

<p><a href="https://www.bellegrove.org/">Belle Grove Plantation's</a> expert volunteer docents and staff lead guided tours of the 1797 Manor House. </p>

<p>Go online to <a href="https://www.bellegrove.org/">Belle Grove Plantation</a> for ticket prices. </p>

The rising sun lights the clouds over an antebellum stone mansion with a white portico.

<p>Begin your visit at the Beverley B. Shoemaker Welcome Center (in the 1918 Barn) at <a href="https://www.bellegrove.org/">Belle Grove Plantation</a>. Purchase your ticket and receive a map of the property. Plan to arrive on the hour to make your tour ticket purchase.</p>

<p>Belle Grove offers its guests a rare opportunity to see a Northern Shenandoah antebellum plantation that began in the 18th century and still is farmed today. Belle Grove’s expert volunteer docents and staff lead guided tours of the 1797 Manor House. Guided tours typically last between 45 minutes and one hour. Allow time to tour the outbuildings, visit the Museum Shop, and enjoy the landscape. Self-guided brochures of the grounds and outdoor signs interpret the property. Picnic tables on the lawn are available for visitor use spring through fall. Thank you for leaving your pets at home. </p> <p>Belle Grove, Inc,, a legislated key partner, operates the plantation. <a href="https://www.bellegrove.org/">Visit the Belle Grove Plantation website »</a></p>

<p>Tickets for tours do not require advanced reservations and are sold first come, first served.</p>

<p>Go online to <a href="https://www.bellegrove.org/">Belle Grove Plantation</a> for open seasons and hours.</p>

Belle Grove’s expert volunteer docents and staff lead guided tours of the 1797 Manor House. Guided tours typically last between 45 minutes and one hour. Self-guided brochures of the grounds and outdoor signs interpret the property.

<p>Tours begin 15 minutes after each hour and last 45 minutes to one hour. Go online to <a href="https://www.bellegrove.org/">Belle Grove Plantation</a> for tour times.</p>

Visit Belle Grove

Cultural Demonstrations

A man and woman portray enslaved cooks preparing food in a restored 1800s kitchen.

Hearth Cooking Demonstration

<p>Talks and presentations uncover emerging discoveries and stories of enslaved and free African Americans. These stories help us uncover a rich and inclusive cultural history of the Shenandoah Valley. The park <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/planyourvisit/calendar.htm">calendar</a> lists upcoming programs. Check with our <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/getinvolved/partners.htm">partners</a> for programs and events at their properties or outside the park boundary. </p>

Talks and presentations uncover emerging discoveries and stories of enslaved and free African Americans. These stories help us uncover a rich and inclusive cultural history of the Shenandoah Valley.

Discover the Valley's African American History

African American Heritage

<p>Pick up the official national park map and guide and download the mobile app, stamp your national parks passport, and get the activity book to become Junior Rangers. </p> <p>Exhibits at the visitor center introduce you to Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park, and the partnerships that preserve Shenandoah Valley. An animated three-dimensional map of the battlefield accompanies an 18-minute video presentation on the Battle of Cedar Creek.</p> <p>Books, educational items, and gifts are for sale from the Shenandoah National Park Association (SNPA) park store inside the visitor center. </p> <p>Then, enjoy exploring! </p>

A national park visitor center occupies a store front in a brick commercial building.

Visitor Center

<p>Take exit 298 off Interstate 81 to Middletown. The Visitor Center is at 7712 Main Street in Middletown Courts Plaza, a strip mall on U.S. Highway 11.</p>

<p>Start at the National Park Service's Visitor Center at Middletown Courts, 7712 Main Street in Middletown, Virginia. Pick up a park brochure, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/cebe-battlefield-auto-tour.htm">self-guided driving tour</a> or <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/walk-morning-attack-trails.htm">trails</a> map, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/passport-stamp-locations.htm">passport stamps</a>, and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/cebe-be-a-junior-ranger.htm">Junior Ranger</a> booklet.</p> <p><a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/planyourvisit/index.htm">Plan your visit</a> with a park ranger or volunteer. See <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/series.htm?id=DC0E2DC5-D317-C525-40D18AD98D8F0E52">exhibits</a> to learn about the settlement and agricultural history of the Shenandoah Valley as well as its role as an important theater of war during the Civil War. A highlight of the exhibits is an 18-minute lighted battle map that illustrates the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/battle-of-cedar-creek.htm">Battle of Cedar Creek</a> on October 19, 1864. </p> <p>After <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebe/planyourvisit/hours.htm">hours</a> or when the Visitor Center is closed, you may still stamp your NPS Passport at the orientation kiosk in the parking lot.</p>

Start at the Visitor Center, where park rangers and volunteers can help plan your visit.

Cedar Creek & Belle Grove

Overview

Hours

Fees & Passes

Map

Things To Do

Category

Stamp Your Passport To Your National Parks

Description

Go to a Ranger-led Program

Description

Tour the 1797 Manor House

Description

Fees

Join a Star Party

Description

See Local History Exhibits & Civil War Artifacts

Description

Fees

Visit the Battlefield Museum

Description

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