third winchester battlefield

I discovered this walking trail through a friend, and have used it several times in the past few months. The trail can be accessed from multiple sites, although I usually park at the Redbud Road parking lot and enter/exit from there. The trail has some hard top sections down near the creek, but much of it is gravel or hard packed earth, which means that it can be rather muddy after rain. In the summer, the sun can be quite intense on the portions which are not shaded, and there are no bathroom facilities or water fountains, which can be awkward. One final note of caution - the trail is somewhat secluded in places, and I would not feel comfortable walking or jogging it alone as a female. The atmosphere is pleasant and peaceful, though. If you hit it at the right time of day, you may even see some deer grazing in the pastures!

The Third Winchester battlefield is marked with signs placed to interpret the battle along the paths which help as there is no NPS post.

Although the Winchester area is now a Washington DC bedroom community and is replete with malls etc, the Civil War Trust in conjunction with the local Civil War organization in partnership with the National Park Service has been able to save some of the battlefield. Not the easiest to find as it is buried in a large manufactured home park or another entrance is just off I 81, but woth the visit if you enjoy Civil War sights. In fact the NPS has really improved the whole experience in the Valley Campaigns. There are a series of Civil War orientation centers starting in Winchester,Middletown and farther down Rt. 11. Any of these as well as the Cedar creek / Belle Grove sites can provide a wealth of information on the battlefields and the Civil War history of the area.

We did not have the time to walk the entire trail, and the Civil War battlefields around Winchester are not preserved like in Petersburg, Antietem, or Gettysburg, but the signage was good and it was beautiful countryside.

Third Winchester, which occurred September 19, 1864, was the largest clash between Confederate and Union forces in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia during the Civil War. Two future United States presidents and the grandfather of George S. Patton fought in the battle, the ferocity of which was described by participants as being more hotly contested than Gettysburg. The area of the battlefield open to the public represents but a small part of the entire field fought over by troops during the battle but what has been preserved is nicely interpreted and represents some of the most vicious fighting that occurred on the site. Third Winchester was a pivotal battle resulting in a Union victory that opened the door to controlling the Valley by the Union, removing any Confederate force in strength and was one of several Union victories that propelled Lincoln into the White House for a second term. I'd highly recommend a tour of the Third Winchester Battlefield to anyone that has an interest in Civil War history or American history in general. The site is a wonderful place to run, walk and observe nature within the context of historical interpretation.

I'm fortunate to live right across the main highway from this battlefield. It's a great educational opportunity as Winchester changed hands 72 times during the Civil War. Many local folk exercise here on a daily basis as the trails are great and the views across the meadows are lovely; there is a great mix of meadows and forests with improved trails in most locations.

If you are interested in reading about the Third Winchester Battle there are excellent signs identifying the terrain, buildings and army's involved in the battle. People also use the paths for walking and running. It appears that dogs on leashes are welcome. Was a wonderful morning walk with the various birds singing.

The Third Battle of Winchester was important in many ways. It opened up the Valley of Virginia for the final Union push. The signage and paths are excellent, whichever entrance you start at, and give you a real sense of how the battle was fought. In addition, the Battlefield park brings you to a lovely creek, and to woods and meadows. It's a photographer's paradise. You do want to b aware, it you are in the woods, that you might be on a mountain bike path. Also, the park is quite large, and you might not want to hike all the way from one end to the other and back, especially on your first visit. One entrance is on Redbud (not Rudbud) Road, the other behind the local high school. Both have plenty of parking and signage.