Length: 1-mile loop
Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
The Union Advance Trail starts at the Burnside Bridge stop on the Antietam National Battlefield Tour. There is a brochure that goes along with the trail that is available for free at the Visitor Center, so be sure to stop there first. Information on the brochure corresponds to numbered posts along the route.
The hike covers the ground on the east side of Antietam Creek where Union general Ambrose Burnside and his 11,000-man 9th Corps were positioned during an attempt to capture the Confederate-controlled Rohrbach Bridge (now known as Burnside Bridge). The creek is flanked by a long-but-narrow open field, and on the other side of the field is a hillside forest where the 9th Corps was located. To get to the bridge, Union infantrymen had to charge from the woods and across the field, all the while being exposed to a barrage of cannon and musket fire from 550 Confederate troops positioned on the high ground above the bridge on the west side of the creek (the side where the parking lot is located). It took four separate attacks over three hours before the highly outnumbered Confederates finally retreated. Once captured, it took Burnside an additional two hours to move his men over the bridge before he could pursue the Confederates, who were now positioned on ridges to the northwest near the outskirts of Sharpsburg. Five hundred Union soldiers were killed or wounded during the attempt to capture the Rohrbach Bridge, while the Confederates suffered 100 casualties trying to keep it.
The Union Advance Trail begins on the other side of Antietam Creek from the parking lot. To get there, you’ll need to walk over the historical Burnside Bridge, and to get to the bridge, you’ll first need to walk down a very steep paved walkway from the parking lot. If the walkway is a little tough for you, keep in mind that there are hills on both ends of the actual loop trail that are as steep or steeper, so you might want to rethink your plans. If the walkway doesn’t faze you, the trail shouldn’t either.
Once across the bridge, turn to the left and follow the stone retaining wall—which was here during the Civil War—past a row of Union monuments to the sign that marks the trail’s starting point. The sign also mentions the SHERRIK FARM TRAIL 1.3 MILES. The Sherrick Farm Trail is a 1-mile out-and-back trail that is accessed from the far end of the Union Advance Trail, which is approximately .3 mile from this sign. However, 1.3 miles is the distance one way, so you still have to hike back. If you combine the Sherrick Farm Trail with the Union Advance Trail, the hike is approximately 3 miles.
The Union Advance Trail circles the open field that the Union troops had to march across before getting to the bridge. It starts off on a mowed grass path that runs along the line of trees that borders the field. On the other side of the trees is Antietam Creek.
Antietam Creek itself is hidden from view by the trees until the trail gets to the far end of the loop a quarter mile away. At that point there is a short detour that leads to the water where you can get a view of the modern bridge on Burnside Bridge Road. Up until 1966, vehicle traffic crossed the creek over the historic Burnside Bridge. In order to restore the bridge to its 1862 appearance, a bypass road—Burnside Bridge Road—was built.
If you want to incorporate the Sherrick Farm Trail into the hike, there is a connector path that leads to it, also at the far end of the loop. This will take you up to the Burnside Bridge Road bridge, which you must then cross to get to where the trail begins. There is also a path that leads underneath the bridge, if that interests you.
At the far end of the field, the Union Advance Trail curves right and heads up a formidable hill for a tenth of a mile. Some segments are even steeper than the paved walkway at the parking lot.
As you walk up the hill, you will be approaching a stand of trees. The Union Advance Trail curves south (right) and runs behind the trees along a ridge. There is a fork in the trail, with a left being a dirt road with tire tracks embedded in the surface. This leads to the Rohrbach Group Campground, which is open only to organized groups such as Boy Scouts. Stay right to remain on the trail—a sign points the way.
The curve to the south is not at the top of the hill, so you’ll continue to climb for another 400 feet before reaching the crest 65 feet above the field and creek below.
The second stop on the hike (per the trail brochure) is a place where you could once get a good view of the Rohrbach Bridge. Today, you can’t see a thing due to the trees that have grown tall and thick since the trail was cut many years ago.
The Union Advance Trail continues for roughly 400 feet beyond Stop 2 before heading back down a hill to the field below, a hill that is similar to the one you had to climb to reach the top. On the way down is a side trail that leads to the 11th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Monument. This regiment made the first attempt to take the Rohrbach Bridge and suffered dearly, losing a third of its men to death or wounds. The monument marks the general position from where the regiment began its attack. As you continue along the trail, you will be following closely in the 11th Connecticut’s footsteps.
At the bottom of the hill is an excellent view of the Rohrbach Bridge from the viewpoint of the 11th Connecticut infantry regiment. Imagine running across this field with mini balls and artillery shells raining down upon you.
Once across the field, the trail passes through an opening in a fence. Union soldiers had to pass through such a fence opening to get to the river before proceeding downstream to the stone bridge.
The modern structure on the riverbank is a U. S. Geological Survey streamflow gaging station that measures the depth of the creek at this location. Measurements have been taken since 1897. The first permanent stream gage was installed at this location in 1933. The concrete structure standing today was added a year later in 1934.
Once back along the creek, it is a little over a tenth of a mile to the Rohrbach Bridge.
The actual loop trail is only .8 mile long, but from the parking lot where you ultimately must start the hike, the Union Advance Trail is a little over a mile. The hike is well worth the time, for it allows you to experience firsthand the terrain the Union soldiers had to cross in order to take control of the bridge. Once you hike the trail, it’s easy to understand how 550 Confederates could hold out for three hours against a numerically superior force.
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Last updated on May 24, 2023