Begin your Civil War exploration with a Seige overview video provided by the National Parks Service, then drive the park’s 4-mile road, which includes the Crater. Park staff are available to guide you to three other nearby units.
Petersburg National Battlefield spans 2,700 acres and offers a 16-stop driving tour encompassing four key units:
- General Grant’s Headquarters at City Point
- The Eastern Front (site of initial assaults and battles such as the Crater and Fort Stedman)
- The Western Front (where Union forces encircled the city to sever Confederate supply lines)
- Five Forks Battlefield, whose outcome precipitated the Confederate retreat to Appomattox. Visitors are encouraged to begin at the Eastern Front Visitor Center to view an introductory video and explore exhibits that provide insights into the 292-day siege and the harsh conditions soldiers endured in the trenches.
Throughout the year, ranger-guided walks are available, and self-guided tours are enhanced by educational wayside exhibits, cell phone tours, and podcasts at various locations. For those interested in genealogy, park staff can assist in researching Civil War ancestors, offering resources and maps to locate specific battle sites. The park also features extensive trail systems: ten miles of wooded nature trails in the Eastern Front Unit, suitable for hiking, bicycling, and horseback riding, and eight miles of forested trails at the Five Forks Battlefield Unit, currently open to hikers and bicyclists.
