Federal style house with trees behind it during the fall season.
The Worthington House is one of the most iconic locations on the battlefield. NPS Photo

Monocacy National Battlefield

National Historic Site · Maryland · National Park Service

During the summer of 1864, the Confederacy carried out a bold plan to turn the tide of the Civil War in their favor. They planned to capture Washington, DC and influence the election of 1864. On July 9, however, Federal soldiers outnumbered three to one, fought gallantly along the banks of the Monocacy River in an effort to buy time for Union reinforcement to arrive in Washington, DC.

Plan your visit

Trails & hiking

Hiking

Know before you go

Phone
3016623515
Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

Directions on Google Maps →

Things to do

Highlights: African American Heritage · Archeology · Enslavement · Incarceration · Industry · Mills · Military · Infantry and Militia · US Army · Battlefields · Monuments and Memorials · Presidents · Transportation · Trains and Railroads · Tragic Events · Wars and Conflicts · Civil War · Animals

Activities & features: Auto and ATV · Scenic Driving · Guided Tours · Self-Guided Tours - Walking · Self-Guided Tours - Auto · Front-Country Hiking · Living History · Historic Weapons Demonstration · First Person Interpretation · Paddling · Canoeing · Kayaking · Junior Ranger Program · Museum Exhibits · Shopping · Bookstore and Park Store · Gift Shop and Souvenirs

Photos

  • The sun setting behind a monument.
    NPS Photo
  • Sun rise and fog behind the historic Secondary House on the Best Farm.
    NPS Photo
  • Smoke and fire erupt from an artillery piece as it is fired by Union soldiers.
    NPS Photo
  • Small flags fly in the breeze in front of the visitor center.
    NSP Photo
  • A cannon sits in a green field in front of a small white building, the sun is setting.
    NPS Photo
  • Living history demonstrators dressed as Union soldiers fire small arms.
    NPS Photo

Nearby parks

Parks of Maryland

Elk Neck State ParkPiscataway ParkAntietam National BattlefieldClara Barton National Historic SiteOxon Cove Park & Oxon Hill FarmTuckahoe State ParkPoint Lookout State ParkGreenbrier State ParkHarriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical ParkBaltimore-Washington ParkwayFort Washington ParkSt. Mary's River State ParkGunpowder Falls State ParkHampton National Historic SiteStar-Spangled Banner National Historic TrailNew Germany State ParkNorth Point State ParkSusquehanna State ParkFort Foote ParkSandy Point State ParkMartinak State ParkPatapsco Valley State ParkGreenbelt ParkFranklin Point State ParkCunningham Falls State ParkAssateague Island National SeashoreJanes Island State ParkSeneca Creek State ParkCatoctin Mountain ParkRocks State ParkGlen Echo ParkNewtowne Neck State ParkFort Frederick State ParkThomas Stone National Historic SiteRocky Gap State ParkHerrington Manor State ParkHarmony HallFort McHenry National Monument and Historic ShrinePocomoke River State Park

40 parks mapped in Maryland

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Guides for the trip

All guides →

Sources: National Park Service, Google Places · updated 2026-08-12