Fort Donelson National Battlefield map (click to enlarge)

Visitors to Fort Donelson National Battlefield can tour the park on a six-mile road that stops at eleven points of interest. The park brochure available at the Visitor Center has a map and basic information about each stop. Additional sources of information are wayside exhibits along the route and a free Cell Phone audio tour. When you get to a tour stop, dial a phone number and enter the stop number. You will then hear a narration about the events that took place at that location. A placard a each stop gives the phone number.

Those hiking the Donelson Trail will pass stops 1, 4, 5, and 6, and a 2.2-mile round trip side trail leads over to the Fort Donelson National Cemetery. There is also a separate trail that begins at Stop 7 and ends at Stop 8, the Grave’s Battery to French’s Battery Trail.

National Park Planner has created a virtual tour of Fort Donelson National Battlefield complete with plenty of photos of what you will see at each tour stop. Feel free to use this as an additional source of information as you drive around the battlefield. At the bottom of each tour stop page is a navigation menu that allows you to jump to the next or previous stop.

If you want to really learn about Fort Donelson and the battle that took place here, plan to spend at least 3 to 4 hours for the tour.

Tour Stop 1:  Confederate Monument

Tour Stop 2:  Fort Donelson

Tour Stop 3:  Log Huts

Tour Stop 4:  River Batteries

Tour Stop 5:  Smith’s Attack

Tour Stop 6:  Union Camp

Tour Stop 7:  Graves’ Battery

Tour Stop 8:  French’s Battery

Tour Stop 9:  Forge Road

Tour Stop 10:  Dover Hotel

Tour Stop 11:  Fort Donelson National Cemetery

Though not on the tour, it is also possible to visit the site of Fort Heiman. It is located approximately 25 miles (driving distance) to the west on the Kentucky side of the Tennessee River.

Signage on the Fort Donelson National Battlefield Driving Tour

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