162nd Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg
Cemetery Ridge is visible as a storm approaches the battlefield. NPS Photo
The three-day Battle of Gettysburg marked a turning point not only in the course of the American Civil War, but also for the future of the United States of America. Join Park Rangers and Licensed Battlefield Guides during the 162nd Anniversary of the battle for a series of free guided walks and talks that discuss, explore, and reflect on this important chapter in our nation’s history.
Note: On all park avenues please park your vehicle on the right side of the road, unless otherwise directed, with all wheels on the pavement. Schedule is subject to change.
Daily Ranger-Guided Programs
Tuesday, July 1 - Thursday, July 3
Devil’s Den Hike (45 Minutes)
Join a National Park Service Ranger for a guided hike through the dramatic boulders and historic grounds of Devil’s Den on the Gettysburg battlefield. This moderate hike combines natural beauty with powerful history—perfect for visitors seeking a deeper connection to the battlefield.
Meet at the Devil’s Den Parking Area, intersection of Crawford & South Sickles Avenue. Thursdays & Fridays at 10:00 AM.
Little Round Top Hike (60 Minutes)
For over an hour on July 2, 1863, Union and Confederate troops battled for control of this small hill. Explore the rocky summit, see original Union breastworks, and discover why Little Round Top was so important to both sides. Meet at the gathering area on the far (northern) end of the Little Round Top parking lot. Tuesday - Sunday at 11:00 AM.
Lincoln and the Soldiers’ National Cemetery (45 minutes) - Explore the meaning and cost of the Battle of Gettysburg, and of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Find out how the National Cemetery was established, who is buried there, and why the Gettysburg Address still has meaning for us today.
Meet at the “Ranger Program Begins Here” sign inside the Taneytown Road entrance to the National Cemetery, daily at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM
The Third Day and Beyond (45 Minutes)
Learn what happened during "Pickett's Charge" on July 3, 1863, and discover what its outcome meant for the Union and Confederacy.
Meet at the "Ranger Program" sign in the National Cemetery parking lot between Taneytown Road and Steinwehr Avenue. Monday - Thursday at 4:00 PM.
Weather modifications
In the event of thunderstorm or tornado warnings, or a heat index in excess of 103 degrees, all programs will be canceled.
In the event of a heat index in excess of 91 degrees, programs will be shortened and modified.
Special Programs - Tuesday, July 1
Family Programs
While all programs are family-friendly, these are specifically developed for families with children ages 4 to 14.
10:00 A.M. “Build It, Paint It, Mold It” (60 Minutes)
Children ages 4 to 14, and their families, will learn about the McPherson family and will then have the opportunity to build the barn and other landscape features with Legos, paint the scene with watercolors, or mold one of the nearby monuments with modeling clay.
Meet at the McPherson Barn. Park along Stone Avenue.
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Hands-On History Experience
Stop by the Group Lobby of the Gettysburg NMP Visitor Center anytime between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. for an interactive hands-on experience.
Battle Walks
These special 2-to-3-hour programs explore key episodes and phases of the battle and involve significant hiking and walking, occasionally over rough terrain. Water, headgear, sun protection, insect repellent, and comfortable, sturdy walking shoes are highly recommended.
10:00 AM "Last To Leave The Field:" General John Robinson's Division on July 1
No Union division suffered a higher percentage casualty rate during the Battle of Gettysburg than Robinson's division of the First Army Corps. As Robinson later summarized his division's actions, "For nearly four hours on July 1 we were hotly engaged against overwhelming numbers, repulsed repeated attacks. . . and were last to leave the field. "Join a Park Ranger for a two-hour Battle Walk that will attempt to make sense out of the oftentimes confusing and chaotic combat on Oak Ridge between Robinson's Union division and that of Confederate General Robert Rodes.
Meet at Eternal Light Peace Memorial, Auto Tour Stop 2. Park along Buford and North Confederate Avenue.
2:00 PM Courage on Trial: The Eleventh Corps on July 1, 1863
Join a Park Ranger for this two-hour battle walk that will reexamine one of the most misunderstood Union commands at Gettysburg. Walk the ground from Barlow’s Knoll to the Mummasburg Road, where the Eleventh Corps faced overwhelming odds, and engendered a legacy of blame. Through first-hand accounts, this program challenges long-held assumptions and asks: What does courage look like when history calls it failure?
Meet at Barlow Knoll, East Howard Avenue. Park along East Howard Avenue.
6:00 PM Twilight on Cemetery Hill
Following their defeat north and west of town, Union soldiers of the First and Eleventh Corps rallied on Cemetery Hill. Why was this location chosen and by whom? At the same time, Confederate commander Robert E. Lee looked to press his victory even further against this new Union position. What were his considerations and why did it not occur? Bring a lawn chair and join a panel of Park Rangers as they close the narrative of July 1 and tackle some of day’s lingering controversies.
Meet at the Speaker’s Rostrum inside the Solders’ National Cemetery. Park at the National Cemetery parking lot, or overflow lots on Taneytown Road and Hunt Avenue.
Sacred Trust Lecture Series
Over the three days of the battle anniversary prominent historians and speakers will present hour-long presentations, offering unique perspectives on the events 162 years ago. Held nightly at 7:00 p.m. at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Free tickets required in advance.
Please visit https://www.gettysburgfoundation.org/exhibits-tours-events/sacred-trust for more information on tickets.
John Banks - “A Civil War Road Trip of a Lifetime”
Special Programs - Wednesday, July 2
Family Programs
While all programs are family-friendly, these are specifically developed for families with children ages 4 to 14.
10:00 A.M. “Build It, Paint It, Mold It” (60 Minutes)
Children ages 4 to 14, and their families, will learn about the Trostle family and will then have the opportunity to build the barn and other landscape features with Legos, paint the scene with watercolors, or mold one of the nearby monuments with modeling clay.
Meet at the Abraham Trostle Farm. Park along United States Avenue.
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Hands-On History Experience
Stop by the Group Lobby of the Gettysburg NMP Visitor Center anytime between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. for an interactive hands-on experience.
Battle Walks
These special 2- to 3-hour programs explore key episodes and phases of the battle and involve significant hiking and walking, occasionally over rough terrain. Water, headgear, sun protection, insect repellent and comfortable, sturdy walking shoes are highly recommended.
10:00 AM The Redemption of the Harper's Ferry Cowards
Forced to surrender at Harper’s Ferry months earlier, these four New York regiments had much to fight for. Hereafter branded as "the Harper's Ferry Cowards," they were pulled from their post parole duty in the Washington Defenses and added to the Army of the Potomac during the Gettysburg campaign. One Union officer wrote that when the brigade finally saw battle, to look out for blood. Now, on July 2, the brigade will have a chance to prove their bravery and fighting ability.
Meet at Brian Farm. Park along Hancock Avenue.
2:00 PM Hiram Berdan and the 2nd US Sharpshooters
Recruited by Hiram Berdan under the auspices of the War Department, the eights companies of the 2nd US Sharpshooters Regiment contained some of the top marksmen from six different Union states. On July 2, 1863, these hand-picked men played a pivotal role in stretching the Confederate line to the breaking point. Join a Park Ranger for a program focusing on this elite Union Army sharpshooter unit, their progenitor, Berdan, and their stand against Longstreet’s July 2 assault.
Meet at the Bushman Farm. Park along South Confederate Avenue.
6:00 PM “Is that not a magnificent sight?”-The 69th New York Storms the Wheatfield
So remarked a Confederate officer of the appearance of the famed Irish Brigade and 69th New York Infantry opposite his position that July afternoon. Learn about the men who filled this decimated regiment’s ranks, relive their dramatic battlefield Absolution, and follow in their footsteps into the bloody Wheatfield during this experiential program. Join a Park Ranger and The Liberty Rifles living history organization as they recreate the sights and sounds of this famous unit and their actions on July 2, 1863.
Meet at the Pennsylvania Memorial, Auto Tour Stop 12. Park along Sedgwick & Hancock Avenue.
Sacred Trust Lecture Series
Over the three days of the battle anniversary prominent historians and speakers will present hour-long presentations, offering unique perspectives on the events 162 years ago. Held nightly at 7:00 p.m. at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Free tickets required in advance.
Please visit https://www.gettysburgfoundation.org/exhibits-tours-events/sacred-trust for more information on tickets.
William Marvel - “The Confederate Spirit after Gettysburg”
Special Programs - Thursday, July 3
Family Programs
While all programs are family-friendly, these are specifically developed for families with children ages 4 to 14.
July 3, 10:00 A.M. “Build It, Paint It, Mold It” (60 Minutes)
Children ages 4 to 14, and their families, will learn about Pickett's Charge and the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg. They will then have the opportunity to build some of the landscape features with Legos, paint the scene with watercolors, or mold one of the nearby monuments with modeling clay. Meet at the Pennsylvania Memorial, Auto Tour Stop 12.
Meet at the Pennsylvania Memorial, Auto Tour Stop 12. Park along Hanock Avenue
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Hands-On History Experience
Stop by the Group Lobby of the Gettysburg NMP Visitor Center anytime between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. for an interactive hands-on experience.
Battle Walks
These special 2- to 3-hour programs explore key episodes and phases of the battle and involve significant hiking and walking, occasionally over rough terrain. Water, headgear, sun protection, insect repellent and comfortable, sturdy walking shoes are highly recommended.
10:00 AM "To advance was impossible...to remain was simply madness."
Despite the duration of combat and number of soldiers fighting there, the battle for Culp's Hill has been overshadowed by
Pickett's Charge later in the afternoon. Find out the crucial role these hills played in the events of July 3, 1863, and why it is not better remembered today. Join a Park Ranger to discover the story of the longest continual combat at Gettysburg and the site of the battle’s most casualties.
Meet at the Culp’s Hill Observation Tower. Park along Slocum Avenue.
2:00 PM Pickett’s Charge Hike
Join Licensed Battlefield Guide Rob Abbott for a compelling walk across the fields of Pickett’s Charge. Experience the pivotal moment of July 3, 1863, brought vividly to life by following the footsteps of those who participated in the assault 162 years ago. This immersive hike will offer a deeper understanding of the sacrifice and motivations behind one of the turning points of the Civil War.
Meet at the Virginia Memorial, Auto Tour Stop 5. Park along West Confederate Avenue.
6:00 PM Gettysburg’s Aftermath, Legacy, and Meaning
As fighting closed on July 3, 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg left a changed world. Join a park ranger for this evening Battle Walk looking at the impact of the battle on those who experienced it firsthand—the wounded, the families who lived here, those who buried and mourned the dead, and the nation that remembered them.
Meet at the Pennsylvania Memorial, Auto Tour Stop 12. Park along Sedgwick & Hancock Avenue.
Sacred Trust Lecture Series
Over the three days of the battle anniversary prominent historians and speakers will present hour-long presentations, offering unique perspectives on the events 162 years ago. Held nightly at 7:00 p.m. at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Free tickets required in advance.
Please visit https://www.gettysburgfoundation.org/exhibits-tours-events/sacred-trust for more information on tickets.
