Stones River National Battlefield
Designation: National Battlefield
Location: Tennessee
📘 Park Overview
The Battle of Stones River began on the last day of 1862 and became one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Civil War. The battle produced important military and political gains for the Union, and it changed forever the people who lived and fought here.
🌤 Weather Information
Summer is hot and humid with highs in the 90s. Spring and fall are pleasant. Winter temperatures are variable, but temperatures may drop below freezing with occasional snow.
🚗 Directions
From Interstate 24 - Take Exit 76 and turn left (eastbound) or right (westbound) onto Medical Center Parkway. Turn left onto Thompson Lane. Turn left at the park entrance at 1563 N. Thompson Lane. Follow the tour road to the visitor center. From Interstate 40 - Take Exit 235 onto TN 840. Take Exit 55 onto US 41/TN 70 and follow the signs for Murfreesboro. Turn right onto Thompson Lane at the first traffic light. Turn right at the park entrance at 1563 N. Thompson Lane.
Images
On January 2, 1863, fifty-seven Union cannons fired from this line ending the Battle of Stones River by killing or wounding more than 1,800 Confederates in less than an hour.
Credit: NPS Photo / Buddy Secor
More than 6,100 Union soldiers lie in Stones River National Cemetery.
Credit: NPS Photo / Diana Anderson
The men of the Chicago Board of Trade Battery got their first taste of combat at the Battle of Stones River and helped stem the Confederate tide from this position during the afternoon of December 31, 1862.
Credit: NPS Photo / Hunter Brooks
Living history programs help visitors visualize the trials of soldiers during the Battle of Stones River.
Credit: NPS Photo
Thousands of visitors enjoy biking and hiking through the park.
Credit: NPS Photo / Brenda Massei
Activities
Topics
Operating Hours
Entrance Fees
No entrance fees listed.
Entrance Passes
No entrance passes listed.
3-Day Weather Forecast
Tuesday, Feb 3
Moderate rain
High: 54.1°F | Low: 30°F
Humidity: 85%
Wind: 14.5 mph
Rain Chance: 82%
UV Index: 0.2
Sunrise: 06:44 AM
Sunset: 05:15 PM
Moon: Waning Gibbous (99%)
Visibility: 4 mi
Dew Point: 36.1°F
Cloud Cover: 82%
Pressure: N/A mb
Air Quality (PM2.5): N/A
Ozone: N/A
EPA Index: N/A
Wednesday, Feb 4
Overcast
High: 33.1°F | Low: 24.8°F
Humidity: 90%
Wind: 10.5 mph
Rain Chance: 0%
UV Index: 0.2
Sunrise: 06:43 AM
Sunset: 05:16 PM
Moon: Waning Gibbous (95%)
Visibility: 3 mi
Dew Point: 29.5°F
Cloud Cover: 0%
Pressure: N/A mb
Air Quality (PM2.5): N/A
Ozone: N/A
EPA Index: N/A
Thursday, Feb 5
Partly Cloudy
High: 33.8°F | Low: 22.1°F
Humidity: 74%
Wind: 6.9 mph
Rain Chance: 0%
UV Index: 0.5
Sunrise: 06:42 AM
Sunset: 05:17 PM
Moon: Waning Gibbous (89%)
Visibility: 6 mi
Dew Point: 22.4°F
Cloud Cover: 0%
Pressure: N/A mb
Air Quality (PM2.5): N/A
Ozone: N/A
EPA Index: N/A
Park Alerts
Park Events
Wreaths Across America at Stones River National Cemetery
On December 13, 2025, at 11 AM, Wreaths Across America will be at Stones River National Battlefield to Remember and Honor our veterans through the laying of Remembrance wreaths on the graves of our country's fallen heroes and the act of saying the name of each and every veteran aloud. The event sponsored by the Civil Air Patrol will begin at 11 AM with a brief ceremony at the Stones River National Cemetery rostrum.
Participants will park in the recreational/overflow parking area near the park visitor center. You can register to volunteer and/or sponsor a wreath at Wreaths Across America.
Date: Dec 13, 2025 12:00am to Dec 13, 2025 12:00am
Paid Event
Wreaths Across America at Stones River National Cemetery
On December 13, 2025, at 11 AM, Wreaths Across America will be at Stones River National Battlefield to Remember and Honor our veterans through the laying of Remembrance wreaths on the graves of our country's fallen heroes and the act of saying the name of each and every veteran aloud. The event sponsored by the Civil Air Patrol will begin at 11 AM with a brief ceremony at the Stones River National Cemetery rostrum.
Participants will park in the recreational/overflow parking area near the park visitor center. You can register to volunteer and/or sponsor a wreath at Wreaths Across America.
Date: Dec 13, 2025 12:00am to Dec 13, 2025 12:00am
Paid Event
163rd Anniversary of the Battle of Stones River - Caravan Tour
Meet the ranger at the flagpole in front of the visitor center.
Follow a ranger in your car for a tour of the battlefield. The group will make several stops at key battle locations, and the ranger will tell the tale of one of the most important Union victories of the Civil War. (90 minutes)
Date: Dec 26, 2025 12:00am to Dec 26, 2025 12:00am
Paid Event
163rd Anniversary of the Battle of Stones River - Stones River Stories
Listen as a ranger tells the tale of a soldier or unit that fought in the Battle of Stones River. This 30-minute talk will take place in the field adjacent to the park's visitor center.
Date: Dec 26, 2025 12:00am to Dec 26, 2025 12:00am
Paid Event
163rd Anniversary of the Battle of Stones River - Living History Event
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
All programs will feature both cannon and musket firing demonstrations.
10 AM - The Confederates Attack - 1st Tennessee Infantry, CSA
11 AM - The Slaughter Pen - 19th Illinois Infantry
1 PM - Hell's Half Acre - 8th Tennessee Infantry, CSA
2 PM - Fighting at Asbury Lane - 9th Kentucky Infantry, USA
3 PM - Holding the Lifeline - U.S. Artillery
Date: Dec 27, 2025 12:00am to Dec 27, 2025 12:00am
Paid Event
The Battle of Stones River 163rd Anniversary Real Time Walks
Walk with a ranger and explore part of the battlefield at the exact time that some of the most pivotal events of the Battle of Stones River played out 163 years. Walks will range from a 1/2 to one mile and will include sections of uneven terrain.
Real Time Walks Schedule
11 AM - The Slaughter Pen (Park at Tour Stop 2)
1 PM - Hell's Half Acre (Park at Tour Stop 1)
3 PM - Fighting for the Nashville Pike (Starts at Visitor Center)
Date: Dec 31, 2025 12:00am to Dec 31, 2025 12:00am
Paid Event
The Emancipation Proclamation 163rd Anniversary Programs
Date: Jan 1, 2026 12:00am to Jan 1, 2026 12:00am
Paid Event
Battle of Stones River 163rd Anniversary Living History Event: The Very Forest Seemed to Fall
Date: Jan 2, 2026 12:00am to Jan 2, 2026 12:00am
Paid Event
Stones River National Cemetery Memorial Day Flag Placement Event
Registration Required
Scouting and other youth organizations from middle Tennessee will place American flags on more than 7,000 graves in Stones River National Cemetery. Volunteers will park in the overflow parking area near the visitor center and check-in near the walk-in entrance to Stones River National Cemetery. No volunteer parking in the cemetery.
Volunteers must register at https://forms.office.com/g/cDvg8zqbpy by Wednesday May 20th. You will receive a confirmation email with your section assignment and additional check-in details.
Volunteers should plan on arriving by 9:30 AM to ensure they have adequate time to check-in before the event begins. Volunteers will confirm their section assignments and receive flags at check-in.
Volunteer groups may pre-register for a commemorative patch through the Middle Tennessee Council - Boy Scouts of America.
Date: May 23, 2026 12:00am to May 23, 2026 12:00am
Paid Event
Memorial Day Program
Visitors are invited to gather at the national cemetery rostrum to remember the sacrifices of soldiers, past and present. The event will include patriotic music, a wreath laying ceremony and a a three-volley salute presented by the Ninth Kentucky Infantry, US.
Park in the visitor center and recreational/overflow parking lots.
Location: Stones River National Cemetery
Date: May 24, 2026 12:00am to May 24, 2026 12:00am
Paid Event
Visitor Center & Contacts
📍 Physical Address:
1563 North Thompson Lane
Murfreesboro, TN 37129
🏤 Mailing Address:
3501 Old Nashville Highway
Murfreesboro, TN 37129
📞 Voice Phone: 615-893-9501
📞 Fax Phone: 615-893-9508
✉️ Email: stri_administration@nps.gov