Stones River National Battlefield Begins to Increase Recreational Access to Park Grounds
Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Stones River National Battlefield is increasing recreational access. The National Park Service (NPS) is working servicewide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis.
Beginning May 1, 2020, Stones River National Battlefield will reopen access to:
- Trails connecting to the Stones River Greenway; and the
- Visitor Center Parking Lot
Access to the Visitor Center Parking Lot will be through the Old Nashville Highway entrance from 7 AM to 7 PM. Parking will be limited to 31 paved spaces and strictly enforced.
With public health in mind, the following facilities remain closed at this time:
- Visitor Center and Restrooms
- Vehicle Access to Tour Road (including Thompson Lane Entrance)
- Stones River National Cemetery Parking
- Hazen Brigade Monument Parking
- McFadden Farm Unit Parking
“Our staff is pleased that we can take this first step towards welcoming the public back to Stones River National Battlefield, while ensuring we do everything necessary to enhance the safety of our visitors and employees,” said Superintendent Brenda Pennington. “We encourage visitors to bring their own water and snacks and to help us keep the park clean by taking their trash home with them.”
The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners continues to be paramount. At Stones River National Battlefield, our operational approach will be to examine each facility function and service provided to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance. We continue to work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public and workspaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, partners, and volunteers.
While these areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, a return to full operations will continue to be phased and services may be limited. When recreating, the public should follow local area health orders, practice Leave No Trace principles, avoid crowding and avoid high-risk outdoor activities.
The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We will continue to monitor all park functions to ensure that visitors adhere to CDC guidance for mitigating risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19 and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health.
Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus.
