Stones River National Battlefield to Restore Limited Access to Visitor Center
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.
Stones River National Battlefield has restored limited access to the visitor center, museum and America’s National Parks Stores bookstore. The visitor center will be open to the public Friday – Monday from 10 AM to 4 PM with a maximum occupancy of twenty-five (25) people. Visitors may pick-up park tour brochures, Junior Ranger books and Passport to National Park stamps in the restroom lobby on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays when the visitor center is closed.
All gated areas, except the visitor center parking lot, will remain open from 8 AM to 5 PM daily. The visitor center parking lot will be open from 6 AM to 7 PM. Parking in all areas is limited to paved lots and will be strictly enforced.
“We are pleased to able to restore limited public access to our visitor center, museum and bookstore,” said Superintendent Brenda Pennington. “The opportunity to share our museum exhibits with the public again is an exciting step, and we’re pleased our America’s National Parks Store will be available to give the public a chance to continue their learning after they leave the park.”
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.
Details and updates on park operations, along with opportunities to explore our unique resources and stories, will continue to be posted on our website and social media channels (@StonesRiverNPS). Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus.
