Highway 27, PO Box 2128, Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742
Phone: 706-866-9241 or 423-752-5213
Fax: 423-752-5215
Open All Year
Overview. In November 1863, the Union army defeated the Confederates in the battle for Chattanooga, a strategic railroad point on the Georgia-Tennessee border. Earlier in September, the Union army had suffered defeat in the dense forests and hilly terrain of Chickamauga and Lookout Mountain, but reinforcements enabled them to push back the surrounding Confederate troops. In these two battles, spread over 150 miles of front lines and unusual for the difficult natural conditions, thousands of men lost lives so that General Sherman could establish his base for the march toward Atlanta and the sea. Established in 1890, this is the first and largest national military park. Its preservation and development set the example for all other military parks.What to see and do. Plan on spending several hours between the three major sections of the 8200-acre park. Begin at the visitor center at the entrance to Point Park on Lookout Mountain. At the Ochs Museum, look through several exhibits, then head outside. Video tours are available of areas that are not handicapped-accessible. Several hiking trails take you up Lookout Mountain, where you best understand the Union's strategic problems involved in assaulting Confederate positions. Be prepared to climb many steps. On your way up, let yourself be distracted by the beautiful countryside. The view from Lookout Mountain out over the Tennessee River is spectacular. While you're on the mountain, take a guided tour of Cravens House (open seasonally). Continue your day at Chickamauga Battlefield, starting at the visitor center. Watch a 26-minute multimedia presentation telling you about the Battle of Chickamauga, look through the extensive Fuller Gun Collection, and pick up your battlefield map or rent an auto tour tape. Along the seven-mile tour road you'll see over 1400 monuments and markers, the most on any U.S. battlefield. Bikes are permitted on the paved road, and horse trails connected to the horse unloading area welcome horseback riders. During the busy summer season, sign up for a tour. During your tour you'll see many living history demonstrations of rifle battles and signaling, which was crucial in this battle spread over so much area. Finish up your tour on Missionary Ridge. Along this route, stop by several smaller places called "reservations," like the Bragg and Ohio reservations. Throughout your tour, feel free to picnic at several areas. Wheelchairs are available at the visitors centers, open from 8 AM to 5:45 PM summers, until 4:45 PM winters and closed on Christmas Day. Call ahead to see which of several special events, both summer and winter, are taking place during your visit. Leashed pets are permitted.
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