5 Fun Things To Do When Visiting Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is a 2,923 acre National Battlefield that preserves a Civil War battleground of the Atlanta Campaign. From June 19 until July 2, 1864, 160,000 Union and Confederate soldiers fought on the land that now forms Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston and his troops temporarily halted Union General William T. Sherman’s advance toward Atlanta here during that hot summer. Over 5,350 soldiers lost their lives in the battle.

Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield Park is a wonderful place to take the family. There's plenty of open paved roadways for biking, running or hiking in the more than 17 miles of interpretive trails that the park has to offer. The park is also dog-friendly (on a leash no more than 6 ft.). You can enjoy a picnic in the designated areas and there's a few small grills are even available. If you have never visit this park here's out top 5 things to do:

1. Volunteer for trail work day: The Kennesaw Mountain Trail Club is a group of volunteers who assist the National Park Service by maintaining the 20+ miles of trails in the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. Regular Trail work days are open to the public on the 2nd Saturday of each month. We will meet at the new parking lot on Old Hwy. 41 at 8:30 a.m. and usually finish by 1:00 p.m. The NPS Volunteer Services Agreement is required. Parents must sign the Agreement if the student is under 18 years old. For more information, please visit www.kennesawmountaintrailclub.org.

2. Autumn Bird Walks: Leader: Dr. Joel McNeal Cell contact morning of walk: 617-259-0944 Birding focus: Premier migrant hotspot in the SE. We'll be looking for fall migrants, primarily flycatchers, vireos, thrushes, warblers, tanagers, and grosbeaks. Walk is ~ 2.5 miles total. There is a free bird checklist specifically for the park available upon request in the Visitor Center. For more information, please call 770-427-4686 x0 between 8:30am and 5:00pm.

3. Be A Junior Ranger: If you have kids stop by the park to pick up a Junior Ranger (available in English and Spanish) or Wee Ranger Booklet (ages 4 - 6), or you can download them from our website. Once you complete all the activities, have your booklet checked by a ranger.

You'll receive a Kennesaw Mountain Junior Ranger badge, certificate, and other items that you'll have to see for yourself! Also, learn how to become a Junior Civil War Historian.

4. Extend your history lesson beyond the classroom by watching a live military history demonstrations: Come out to Kennesaw Mountain for a live firing demonstration at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. Program types (artillery and infantry) are based on event dates. All demonstrations take place at the Visitor Center, unless otherwise stated, at 11, 12, 2, and 3 o'clock.

4. Outdoor Activities: On weekdays, you can take a drive to the top of the mountain, on weekends a shuttle bus is available to the mountain top. If you drive to Cheatham Hill (the main battlefield) then to Kolb Farm you can discover more of the deeper history of Kennesaw Mountain.

You can also picnic in designated areas and then enjoy a hike on some of the 18 miles of our maintained interpretive trails.

Make sure to bring your binoculars to go birdwatching or your camera and capture a moment of the natural beauty and history of Kennesaw Mountain NBP.

While walking the 17.3 miles of trails, you will see historic earthworks, cannon emplacements and various interpretive signs.

5. Visit the museum at the visitor's center: Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park features a Visitor Center and museum with interpretive signs, photographs and relics from the battlefield are on display here. An 18-minute video offers further explanation of the Atlanta Campaign and the battlefield at Kennesaw Mountain. Afterward, embark on a self-guided cell phone tour of the park.