Three Farms Trail Map (click to enlarge)

Length:  1.7 miles, one way, not counting extra mileage to get to the trailhead
Time:  1.5 hours (round trip)
Difficulty: Easy with a few moderate to steep hills

The Three Farms Trail at Antietam National Battlefield is an out-and-back trail that passes through three historic farmsteads that were around during the Battle of Antietam: the Roulette Farm, the Parks Farm, and the Newcomer Farm. Its southern end is on the property of the Sherrick Farm, but it comes nowhere near the Sherrick Farmhouse and other outbuildings.

There are three places to start the Three Farms Trail, none of which are particularly convenient. At the northern end, park at the Bloody Lane stop on the Antietam National Battlefield Tour and walk a quarter mile down Roulette Lane to the Roulette Farm. The Three Farms Trail starts at the intersection with the Bloody Lane Trail, which is where Roulette Lane makes a sharp curve to the left towards the barn. Round trip to and from the Bloody Lane parking lot is 4 miles.

Three Farms Trail at the intersection with the Bloody Lane Trail at Antietam National Battlefield

A second starting point is at the Newcomer House. The only problem is that this puts you on the trail near the middle. There is roughly a half mile of the Three Farms Trail to the south and 1.25 miles to the north.

To start at the southern end of the Three Farms Trail, you must first hike a half mile on the Sherrick Farm Trail starting at the parking lot near the corner of Rodman Avenue and Shepherdstown Pike. Round trip from here is 4.4 miles. However, if you don’t want to see the same things twice and want a shorter way back, when you get to the northern trailhead, take Roulette Lane to the Bloody Lane parking lot and then walk south along Richardson Road all the way back to Rodman Avenue, a 3.3-mile loop hike.

Richardson Road south of Bloody Lane at Antietam National Battlefield

I started the hike at the southern end of the trail, first hiking out on the Sherrick Farm Trail. This report is written from that perspective. I also did the 3.3-mile loop with the park road, but this report only covers the Three Farms Trail.

From the intersection with the Sherrick Farm Trail, the Three Farms Trail starts off as a narrow footpath through the forest. Antietam Creek is off to the right but far below and separated from the trail by a narrow field. You can’t see the creek due to the trees, but you can hear the water rushing by.

Start of the Three Farms Trail at the intersection with the Sherrick Farm Trail, Antietam National Battlefield

Not far from the start is a very steep-but-short earthen staircase with a rope guardrail that takes you down to creek level. Once at the bottom you’ll be at the northern end of the field that you saw from up above.

Steep segment of the Three Farms Trail near the intersection with the Sherrick Farm Trail at Antietam National Battlefield

Field at the southern end of the Three Farms Trail at Antietam National Battlefield

The trail cuts across the field and into the forest, then turns north towards the Newcomer Farm. The terrain remains flat and easy to hike all the way to the farm. Antietam Creek is on your right, though you can’t always see it due to the vegetation.

Typical terrain on the Three Farms Trail south of the Newcomer Farm, Antietam National Battlefield

After a tenth of a mile the trail exits the forest onto a mowed grass path that is sandwiched between another field and a stand of trees that grow along the riverbank. There is some very nice scenery on this section of the trail, and it continues all the way to the Newcomer Farm.

Scenic section of the Three Farms Trail south of the Newcomer Farm, Antietam National Battlefield

The Newcomer barn appears about .4 mile from the start of the Three Farms Trail. Shepherdstown Pike and the Newcomer House are just up ahead. The trail continues straight and passes by the barn on the right, but if you want a closer look, just hop off the trail and walk over to it.

The Three Farms Trail at Antietam National Battlefield passes the Newcomer barn

If you are at the barn and want to see the Newcomer House, there is no need to walk back down to the trail. The house is just across the street. It is one of only two Civil War-era houses that are open to the public within Antietam National Battlefield, so if you do the hike when the house is open, you certainly should stop in. The house serves as the visitor center for the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area, a non-profit organization.

Newcomer House at Antietam National Battlefield

If you do stick to the trail and still want to see the house, the trail passes underneath what is known as the Middle Bridge, heads up a staircase, and comes out on a narrow paved road. Taking a left on the road leads up to Shepherdstown Pike. The Newcomer House is just down the road to the west.

The Three Farms Trail passes under the modern Middle Bridge near the Newcomer Farm, Antietam National Battlefield

Paved road leads from the Three Farms Trail to Shepherdstown Pike just down the road from the Newcomer House at Antietam National Battlefield

Newcomer House and barn on Shepherdstown Pike, Antietam National Battlefield

To get back to the Three Farms Trail from the house, you can either hike a short distance on the Tidball Trail (located on the right side of the building) and take a connector to the Three Farms Trail—a sign points the way—or just walk back down the road the same way you came.

Beyond the Middle Bridge, the Three Farms Trail is a gravel road. Just up ahead is the intersection with the Tidball Trail connector. At this point the road begins up another steep hill, and in a third of a mile you’ll arrive at the Parks Farm. The only way to get to the farm is on the trail, unless you are a park employee.

Three Farms Trail at the Tidball Trail connector on the Newcomer Farm, Antietam National Battlefield

Three Farms Trail is a gravel road between the Newcomer and Parks farms at Antietam National Battlefield

The Parks Farm became part of Antietam National Battlefield in 1988, and it includes just about all the land that was part of the farm during the Battle of Antietam. Four structures from the 1800s remain on the property: the farmhouse, barn, log kitchen, and a well. The barn is in good condition, but the house needs a lot of work. Modern additions have been added to it, so most likely people were living in the house up until the National Park Service bought it.

Parks Farmhouse at Antietam National Battlefield

Porch of the Parks Farmhouse at Antietam National Battlefield

Parks barn at Antietam National Battlefield

Outbuilding (possibly the kitchen) on the Parks Farm at Antietam National Battlefield

Continuing north, the gravel road ends and the Three Farms Trail reverts back to a traditional hiking trail. Not far from the Parks Farm is another rather steep hill as the trail descends down to a small gully crossed via a footbridge. The gully was dry when I did the hike, but I assume it is sometimes full of water and empties into Antietam Creek.

Typical terrain along the Three Farms Trail just north of the Parks Farm at Antietam National Battlefield

Footbridge on the Three Farms Trail north of the Parks Farm at Antietam National Battlefield

Just five minutes beyond the first bridge is a fork at another gully. Straight is an earthen trail and to the right is a footbridge. Both cross the gully, and the trail turns to the left on the other side of the gully regardless of which way you cross. I assume the bridge is there just in case the gully is full of water, otherwise you can stick to the earthen trail.

Second footbridge on the Three Farms Trail north of the Parks Farm at Antietam National Battlefield

At this point, a mile into the hike, the Three Farms Trail begins a very gradual ascent all the way to the Roulette Farm. In fact, it is so gradual that most of the time you won’t even notice that you are climbing.

Typical terrain on the Three Farms Trail north of the Parks Farm at Antietam National Battlefield

After walking through the forest for .6 mile from the Parks Farm, the trail emerges onto the fields of the Roulette Farm and curves to the west towards the barn and farmhouse. The Roulette Farm that is now part of Antietam National Battlefield is exactly the same farm that existed during the Civil War. It was never sold off piecemeal over the years, so the National Park Service was able to obtain all of it in 1998.

Three Farms Trail approaches the Roulette Farm at Antietam National Battlefield

Union soldiers passed through the Roulette property on their way to the fighting at the Sunken Road (aka Bloody Lane). The farm was also used as a hospital during the battle, and afterwards over 700 men were buried on its fields. The unsanitary conditions caused sickness and death well beyond September 17, 1862. The daughter of William Roulette, the owner of the farm, died five weeks after the battle from disease caused by the unsanitary conditions.

Standing today on the Roulette Farm are the farmhouse, icehouse, bank barn, and a few other outbuildings. The farmhouse is closed to the public, but hikers can look inside the icehouse (there is nothing inside).

Roulette barn and farmhouse at Antietam National Battlefield

The Three Farms Trail ends at the intersection with the Bloody Lane Trail, which is probably the best trail in the park.

Intersection of the Three Farms and Bloody Lane trails at the Roulette Farm, Antietam National Battlefield

For me, the highlight of the Three Farms Trail is seeing the Parks Farm. You can park at the Newcomer House, and I saw the Roulette Farm already when hiking the Bloody Lane Trail. If it hadn’t been for the Parks Farm, there wouldn’t be much point in the Three Farms Trail. In fact, if historic buildings are what you are looking for, since there aren’t any farms to the south of the Newcomer House, just start there and hike north to the Roulette Farm and back. That knocks a mile off the round trip.

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