Cold Harbor Battlefield Visitor Center

Great battlefield perfect for getting out the house and visiting. The trail is a great place to walk for exploring the earthworks that were hand dug by the soldiers! It is a well worth place to visit

The National Park Staff here is excellent and made great recommendations for the walking loop and local sites to see in the area. The visitor center was small, but had great videos and displays. The reality of the massive 7.5 entrenched lines and days/months of battle that occurred here in q862 and 1864 were sobering. There was also a short driving tour that was greatly assisted by buying a map at the visitor center.

We really enjoyed our 1 mile walk through the area while learning of the battle of Cold harbor.

Small but outstanding visitor center for the Cold Harbor Battlefield. Multiple walking trails of variable length. Driving trail has has three pull offs with signage. The National Park service has multiple locations to see at Cold Harbor Battlefield. There is a National Cemetery at Cold Harbor Battlefield, but there is almost no place to park. Highly recommended for visiting historical sites.

A must see for all civil war fans. There is a very nice trail that can be taken that accesses all of the different battle sites. There is also a road around the battlefields that allows those who choose to drive. There is parking in front of each marked site. The visitor center is small but there are bathrooms and it also serves as a storm shelter. Plenty of parking at the visitors center as well. A good place to let the dogs out.

The ranger station is small with odd hours. Battlefield is well cared for with a nice walking trail.

Came by the visitor center to get the lifetime national park pass for my husband, who is a veteran. Great customer service and info from the parks ranger and we got stamps for our parks passport book. Then took a mile hike around the park which was a nice outing to stretch our legs after a cold snowy last week!

Trail was not marked well. Followed the paved trail which brought you out to the highway that had no shoulder and no clear trail to get back to the parking area. Did enjoy seeing the entrenchments and reading the historical signs.

I love this place. It's a dark moment in history, but sobering.. especially on Memorial Day weekend. I hike a battlefield each Memorial Day to be reminded of the horror of war and to remember the brave who fought. Anyhoo, this particular battlefield has a cemetery and battlefield hospital down the road that you don't want to miss. The battlefield itself is forested now, so it's shady and comfortable to walk around the trenches. It's a grisly reminder of how horrid warfare is. And we all need to be reminded so that it's not repeated.

If you have a chance, go another mile or so down the road to the Old Cood harbor tavern cross roads. Saved by the trust and the intersection was the reason for the battle. Main field is very walkable with plenty of shade..

I visited the battlefield while returning from a business trip. The trenches are still there and you can picture the savage fighting that went on during the US Civil War. The confederates were desperate to stop the union advance on Petersburg and Richmond and union forces were equally determined to persevere. It was amazing to be at the place where generals Lee and Grant fought with the armies . Sad to think of the great loss of life.

Another place I've never visited despite having been a Virginian for most of my life. I came with my sister and friend for a Memorial Day weekend hike and history lesson. The trail is well marked with historical facts (in in some cases audio recording) that took place along the trail. The trenches remain, and it is hard not to feel empathetic for what went down here 160 years ago. A heartbreaking loss of life.

So my review will be a little off since we stumbled into the anniversary weekend of the Battle of Cold Harbor. There were re-enactors all over the place. They had camps set up throughout the park. I recommend starting at the visitor's center and from there taking the long loop trail. Make sure you don't miss the graveyard. It was a nice hike a cool bit of history to explore.

My family and I stopped in here on a recent trip to Richmond, VA. It offered two videos explaining battles that happened here, one from 1862 and another one from 1864. We also drove the auto tour which was short but very eye opening in terms the amount of earthworks that were present at this site.

This is a lovely forest and well-preserved battlefield. In April 2022, I had about 1.5 hours to explore and started at the small center. The ranger was very knowledgable about the history of the battle and suggested that I try both the walking trail (45 minutes) and the automobile path (30 minutes) to get a full sense of the battle landscape. I'm glad I did the walking tour. You get a close look at the vast network of trenches and earthworks which are amazingly well preserved. You can imagine how awful it must have been in these trenches, and why so many soldiers died in frontal assaults. Cold Harbor foreshadowed the terrors and mass casualties of trench warfare in the First World War. The small center has informative displays and maps that explain the 1864 Overland Campaign which led to repeated clashes between Grant and Lee from the Fredericksburg area (the Wilderness) all the way to Petersburg. One benefit of the auto route is that you can see the Union trenches and understand why 7,000 soldiers died in this battle (due to the trenches). Overall, this is a superb stop if you a Civil War history fan. But it's also a lovely walk in a quiet forest of pine trees and dogwoods. Perhaps a short film (10 minutes) about the Cold Harbor battlefield could help visitors to get a full visualization of the network of trenches.

Living out west I have never had a chance to visit any of the Civil War battlefields in Virgina. Cold Harbor was well preserved and captured all the important events from the skirmishes that occurred in the area. I believe it is very important to know some of the history from the Civil War period and this park (as well as 2 others I had a chance to make a quick stop through) is a great place to walk the trials.

Great place for a walk and a bit of history. Nicely kept and good info from the rangers

A small visitor center before the trail. Very well maintained and be sure to double check their schedule online to see if they're open. Very clean and well organized. I highly recommend everyone to check out this center/park at least once (if this isn't a field trip for kids already!). Love the number of trails that they have around the park and the quick driving road that you can take afterward to check out the scenery (again). The forest scenery is worth checking out and just gives you an appreciation of national parks. Note: This is the review on the visitor center. I wrote a review for the park/trail in a different check-in. Overall, the other reviews in regards to the center and trails are true. Definitely worth checking out and hiking around. Trails are breathtaking and trenches are very well preserved.

Beautiful place to walk for all fitness levels. Nice trails and some paved walking areas. Historic signage around the paths.

Hauntingly beautiful It's a drive thru park. You can almost see and here the soldiers walking thru or camping there. It's kind of a sad place but interesting. They have a little museum to go thru as well.

Loved this walking trail. Part of the trail is paved but you can also do some walking off the paved trail as well. The paved path is lined with historical plaques so you can learn a bit about the battle that took place there. There is also an information center if you are interested in learning more.

Good, bad, indifferent. History is just that. That is how we learn. From history. Beautiful serene place, a walk through history. And seeing the earthworks, berms and learning about the war that divided our country.

For such a small visitor's Center and park. It is really well done. The park rangers are super friendly and knowledgeable! There is a short driving tour around the earthworks which is well maintained. And SO many trails to walk! Unfortunately it started to rain during the trip so we weren't able to take advantage of them, but it's close enough to home that we'll be back. This is definitely one to see when visiting the Richmond National Battlefield Parks. I can imagine it's not crazy crowded during tourist season because it is farther out.

Had a great visit doing the walking tour of the battlefield with our dog. Also want to mention that we drove here in our 32 ft motor home towing our jeep. We did have a place to park.

One of the most engrossing battlefields I've been to, hands down. It's right around the corner from Gaines' Mill, so you can do a double header. Cold Harbor was one of the last battles of General Grant's 1864 "Overland" campaign. Lee constantly anticipated Grant's moves, who time and time again found the Confederate army entrenched between him and Richmond. Grant once again tried to maneuver around Lee, this time at an intersection known as Cold Harbor. Unfortunately, confused orders and bad maps caused a critical delay, which Lee took advantage of by building his hasty defensive position into a strong fortification. Even worse, the Union army failed to detect the extent of this trench line. So when Grant's attack kicked off on June 3rd, his army plummeted into one of the most lopsided engagements of the war. Today, the trench lines of both sides are easily visible, and surprisingly close together. The Confederate line is placed on a low ridge and passes through the woods, not far from the parking lot near the visitors center. You can either take a walking or driving path; I chose to walk. My trek was rewarded with a series of plaques detailing various small engagements and a close up look at the trenches of both sides. It was especially sad to see a plaque which explained how during a temporary truce, one recovery party discovered a trench with 244 Union dead and only 3 survivors. The loop takes you through to the Union side and ultimately back to the visitors center. It was a sobering walk. The diary entry of one mortally wounded Union soldier still haunts me: "June 3. Cold Harbor. I was killed".

Cold Harbor is the best known battlefield in Battlefield Park and is well maintained by the Park Service. The Visitors Center is very nice and the staff are very eager to answer any questions. The Center also includes an electric map program for Cold Harbor and Gaines' Mill, exhibits, and a small bookstore. There are trails to walk that will take you around the Battlefield. Here there were fourteen assaults against the Confederate main line which resulted in the loss of 7,000 Federal troops. The heaviest ever sustained in America in so brief an action. For two weeks, May 31 - June 12, 1864, the armies of Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant tangled in a complicated series of actions. A determined Confederate defense turned away a massive Federal attack on June 3 and helped convince Grant to maneuver south and advance on Petersburg. A one-mile drive parallels and crosses significant stretches of both the Confederate and Union entrenchments, all of which are original to 1864. A must see Battlefield.

A jewel of the area, and if you like a nice, easy hike in serenity, this is your spot. It has nice trails and several variations that essentially all lead you back to the visitors center. The trails have historical signage that depicts exactly went on in the battlefield. A great bonus. It's not a hike to test your fitness and within an hour you'll be done, but it's about a nice few hour diversion that I can imagine. Dogs welcome and prepare to relive a great Virginia landmark.

Great place to explore and walk around. Easy to get to and animal friendly. Highly recommend and worth the trip.

Spent a weekend in Virginia going to about 10 different battlefield sites. Cold Harbors visitor center is a little smaller than most, but there are so many museums around the area, I didn't think it was a big deal. The trenches are in tact and give you an eerie feeling. Unfortunately we drove the loop, I'm sure it's 1,000 times better if you walk the 3 miles. It's a single lane road but there are spots to pull off. It's great to actually be on the battlefield instead of reading about it. Of all the battlefields I've ever toured, I think this is the one I pictured differently in my mind before actually coming here. Even if you don't like the Civil War, the forest is absolutely breathtaking.

Beautiful and scenic. Way more than expected. We have driven through, my next plan is to actually walk it.

Small Visitor Center, has a few exhibits, an information desk, and a bookstore... There is NO movie about the battle of Cold Harbor Apparently, Richmond National Battlefield Park is comprised of 13 different units: - Chickahominy Bluff Battlefield - Beaver Dam Creek Battlefield - Gaines Mill Battlefield - Glendale/ Malvern Hill Battlefield And Visitor Center - Drewry's Bluff Battlefield - Cold Harbor Battlefield and Visitor Center - Fort Harrison Battlefield, Adjacent Forts/Battlefields and Visitor Center - Parker's Battery - Totopotomoy Creek Battlefield - Chimborazo Medical Museum - Richmond National Battlefield Visitor Center at Tredegar Iron Works Aside from the Visitor Center, the Cold Harbor Battlefield consists of a 1.5 mile driving route, a 1-mile battlefield Trail, an Extended 2-mile battlefield Trail and a new 0.9-mile trail at the western end of the park. The battle of Cold Harbor took place on May 31 and lasted till June 12 of 1864. General Ulysses S. Grant, (Who now Commanded all of Lincoln's Armies and was with General Meade's Army of the Potomac) was determined to capture the Confederate Capital of Richmond, only 9 miles away, and attacked Entrenchments made by General Robert E. Lee's troops. By June 12th, General Grant had been defeated by Lee's Confederate soldiers who were "well-entrenched" and realized that he couldn't take Richmond Directly. Nightfall Of June 12th, 1864 meant that Grant would withdraw his troops from Cold Harbor and would instead attack Petersburg in a 292- Day siege.

Masterful preservation of Civil War Trench Warfare. Get out of the car. If you are physically able walk the Extended Trail. If you pay careful attention to you surroundings you will find yourself deep in Unions lines in a long stretch where a Trench and the Trail Merge. You have imagine 150 years tree growth hasn't occurred. If you look at period paintings you can still find landmarks along the trail. This is a Must See Civil War Site! Kids will love the cannons at the beginning of the trail. The trail can be driven, but it is better to walk.

Love this park! Always clean, safe and relaxing. Not to mention the history. We take our dog a few times a week. Pet friendly!

Not much left of this gem, but they still have the trenches. To see the spot where some many fell on that dreadful day send chills up my spine. Quiet and peaceful, a great place to remember our fallen heroes. Worth the trip. Also shares the same visiting center with Gaines Mills which was part of the Peninsula campaign.

National Park Service rangers were available under a tent outside the visitors' center due to covid. Very knowledgeable. Park is very well maintained. Did the extended trail and saw many of the earthworks.

I like to take nature hikes so I'm more speaking to that aspect of this location. If you walk all the loops you'll probably be walking about 3.5 miles and with a fast pace walking and stopping to check out things along the way it took me roughly an hour. It's a great walk/hike as some of the trails can be more difficult. The trails are well kept and there are plenty of tree markings throughout it to make sure you're on the right path. If you're into the history aspect, there are plenty of places along the way which describe what you are viewing. You can see the defined trenches and it's pretty easy to envision in your head what the area would have looked like during battle. If you're looking for a free taste of history, although a part of history some of us could do without, nonetheless history, this is a nice stop.