Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
On April 9, 1865, the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia in the McLean House in the village of Appomattox Court House, Virginia signaled the effective end of the nation's largest war. Questions remained: could the nation reunite as one? How would emancipation be realized?
About 1.5 hours from Richmond by car.
Alerts
- InformationTemporary Number Change
The park's phone number has temporarily changed. Please call 434-694-8904.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Appomattox Court House National Historical Park | Daily · 9:00AM - 5:00PM |
Hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | 9:00AM - 5:00PM |
| Nov 26, 2026Closed Thanksgiving Day | Closed |
| Dec 24, 2026Reduced Hours December 24 | 9:00AM - 2:00PM |
| Dec 25, 2026Closed December 25 | Closed |
| Jan 1, 2027Closed January 1 | Closed |
When to go
April draws the most visits here and January the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Appomattox Court House Visitor Center
The visitor center is located inside the reconstructed Appomattox Courthouse. It offers restroom facilities, visitor information and guidance, a 17-minute film, and exhibits focused on the history of Appomattox Court House. Guided talks and living history programs begin in the visitor center.
Explore
Things to do
- Living History20-40 Minutes
A living history talk is presented by a staff member who portrays a person who actually lived during 1865 and shares with visitors what he or she experienced around the time of the surrender. These talks are typically from April-October.
Opens on the Park Service site - Ranger Talks20-35 Minutes
Ranger talks are scheduled on most days from April through September.
Opens on the Park Service site - Hiking at Appomattox Court House10-240 Minutes
Appomattox Court House NHP offers nearly eight miles of trails for hiking and exploring!
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- Tales and Tunes: Campfire Edition10/1706:30 PM · free
- Legacy of Service: Exploring Stories of Veterans at Appomattox Court House11/1101:00 PM · free
News
- Fall Events at Appomattox Court House NHP ↗2026-10-05
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park continues its commemoration of 250 years of American Independence with a series of special events this fall.
- Summer Events at Appomattox Court House NHP ↗2026-05-12
Appomattox, Va.— Appomattox Court House National Historical Park will commemorate 250 years of American Independence with series of special events from May through August.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
On the National Register nearby
- Appomatix River BridgeStructure · Appomattox · 0.6 mi
- Carver-Price SchoolBuilding · Appomattox · 2 mi
- Gilliam-Irving FarmBuilding · Pamplin · 9.8 mi
- BlenheimBuilding · Spring Mills · 13.9 mi
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for the South
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBald Eagle 2× · Barred Owl 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 93 birds, 26 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican kestrel · Cooper's hawk · bald eagle · barred owl · black vulture · eastern screech-owl · great horned owl · northern harrier · red-shouldered hawk · red-tailed hawk · turkey vulture
Waterfowl & waderswood duck
Shorebirds & seabirdskilldeer
Gamebirds & dovesmourning dove · northern bobwhite · wild turkey
Woodpeckersdowny woodpecker · hairy woodpecker · northern flicker · pileated woodpecker · red-bellied woodpecker · yellow-bellied sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftschimney swift · ruby-throated hummingbird
Also on the checklistAcadian flycatcher · American crow · American goldfinch · American redstart · American robin · Cape May warbler · Carolina chickadee · Carolina wren · European starling · Kentucky warbler · Louisiana waterthrush · barn swallow · black-and-white warbler · black-throated blue warbler · black-throated green warbler · blue grosbeak · blue jay · blue-gray gnatcatcher · brown creeper · brown thrasher · brown-headed cowbird · cedar waxwing · chestnut-sided warbler · chipping sparrow · common grackle · common yellowthroat · dark-eyed junco · eastern bluebird · eastern meadowlark · eastern phoebe · eastern towhee · eastern wood-pewee · field sparrow · golden-crowned kinglet · grasshopper sparrow · gray catbird · great crested flycatcher · hermit thrush · hooded warbler · house finch · indigo bunting · northern cardinal · northern mockingbird · northern parula · orchard oriole · ovenbird · pine warbler · prairie warbler · red-eyed vireo · red-winged blackbird · rose-breasted grosbeak · ruby-crowned kinglet · savannah sparrow · scarlet tanager · song sparrrow · summer tanager · tufted titmouse · white-breasted nuthatch · white-eyed vireo · white-throated sparrow · winter wren · wood thrush · worm-eating warbler · yellow warbler · yellow-billed cuckoo · yellow-breasted chat · yellow-rumped warbler · yellow-throated vireo · yellow-throated warbler
Small mammalsAmerican beaver · eastern chipmunk · eastern cottontail · eastern gray squirrel · eastern harvest mouse · eastern mole · golden mouse · hispid cotton rat · least shrew · meadow vole · northern short-tailed shrew · pygmy shrew · southeastern shrew · southern flying squirrel · star-nosed mole · white-footed mouse · woodland vole
Predatorsblack bear · gray fox · raccoon · red fox · striped skunk
Hoofed mammalswhite-tailed deer
Also on the checklistVirginia opossum · feral cat · woodchuck
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
All 17 activitiesHide
Weather & climate
The park may close due to emergency weather conditions (typically snow or ice). For updated information about possible closure or altered hours due to weather, please call 434-352-8987 ext. 245.
Questions people ask
Does Appomattox Court House charge an entrance fee?
No. Appomattox Court House is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Appomattox Court House?
Standard hours are 9:00AM - 5:00PM, every day. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
Is anything closed at Appomattox Court House right now?
1 active alert as of October 14, 2026: Temporary Number Change.
Source: Alerts
How busy is Appomattox Court House?
77,496 recreation visits in 2025, number 237 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Appomattox Court House?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show AT&T 4G LTE. No reported coverage for Verizon and T-Mobile. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
When was Appomattox Court House established?
1940. It covers about 2.8 square miles.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the weather like at Appomattox Court House?
The park may close due to emergency weather conditions (typically snow or ice). For updated information about possible closure or altered hours due to weather, please call 434-352-8987 ext.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
More in Virginia
