Manassas National Battlefield Park trail map (click to enlarge)

A list of trails and links to reviews are at the bottom of this page.

Manassas National Battlefield Park has a large network of trails that crisscross the battlefield. There are loop trails at nearly all Second Manassas Battlefield Automobile Tour stops, and all of these are connected to each other by short trails, allowing you to hike routes of any length to suit your ability and time constraints. The National Park Service has also come up with a First Manassas Trail and a Second Manassas Trail. These take you around the battlefield, passing some but not all of the Automobile Tour stops. In some cases they partially overlap with the loop trails.

Unlike many battlefields that I have visited where the trails offer nothing more than exercise, when you hike at Manassas National Battlefield Park you also expand your knowledge of the battle, for nearly all trails pass historic sites, artillery exhibits, cemeteries, and information panels. Most are easy to hike, with a moderate hill to climb at worse, and the surfaces are largely smooth, free of roots and rocks that can cause ankle injuries. Because of this, the trails are popular with runners who are training for marathons. In the winter the trails are open to cross-country skiing, and sledding is allowed on the slopes near the Stone House.

On of the biggest hills in Manassas National Battlefield Park—Henry Hill

Unfortunately, nearly all of the trails are horribly marked—some of the worse that I have come across. Rarely is there a directional sign at any intersection, so without a map you are often hiking blindly. A Ranger told me that he gets calls all the time from people who are lost on the battlefield. To combat this problem, be sure to hike with a trail map. The best is the Trail Guide, a tri-fold map that is free at the Henry Hill Visitor Center. For planning purposes, you can download it here, but be sure to pick up a full-color version before you begin your hike.

Manassas Trail Map (PDF)

For more information on each trail, see the following trail reviews. An estimated percentage of overlap with the First or Second Manassas Trail is given in parenthesis.

FIRST MANASSAS TRAILS

First Manassas Trail

Henry Hill Loop Trail (25% overlap)

Matthews Hill Loop Trail (60% overlap)

Portici / Ball Cemetery Trail (no overlap)

Stone Bridge Loop Trail (80% overlap)

Sudley Loop Trail (no overlap)

SECOND MANASSAS TRAILS

Second Manassas Trail

Brawner Farm Loop Trail (no overlap)

Chinn Ridge Loop Trail (60% overlap)

Deep Cut Loop Trail (25% overlap)

Stuart’s Hill Loop Trail (no overlap)

Sudley Loop Trail (no overlap)

Unfinished Railroad Loop Trail (no overlap)

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