Selma To Montgomery National Historic Trail

Selma To Montgomery National Historic Trail is part of the National Trails System. It is not a park unit.

Established by Congress in 1996, the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail commemorates the people, events, and route of the 1965 Voting Rights March in Alabama. Led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Black and White non-violent supporters fought for the right to vote in Central Alabama. Today, you can connect with this history and trace the events of these marches along the 54-mile trail.

About 2 hours from Birmingham by car.

Free to enter Hours vary Cashless park 3 campgrounds 4 visitor centers

Photos: National Park Service

3alerts
active

Lowndes Interpretive Center Temporarily Closed

Selma Interpretive Center Closed · Planning a Fall visit to the Montgomery Interpretive Center? Read this!

All 3 alerts ↓

Alerts

Closure
Lowndes Interpretive Center Temporarily Closed
The Lowndes Interpretive Center is temporarily closed due to HVAC issues due to Hurricane Isaias. Check back for updates as available. The Montgomery Interpretive Center remains open.
NPS ↗
Closure
Selma Interpretive Center Closed
The Selma Interpretive Center will remain closed to the public due to major renovations; project completion is expected in 2028. There are two other unaffected visitor centers offering services: Montgomery Interpretive Center (1521 Harris Way, Montgomery, AL 36106) Lowndes Interpretive Center (7002 US-80, Hayneville, AL 36040)
NPS ↗
Caution
Planning a Fall visit to the Montgomery Interpretive Center? Read this!
The Montgomery Center is located next to the ASU football stadium. Home games are scheduled for Sept. 5 & 26, Oct. 9 (Fri), Nov. 14, 21 & 26 (Thur). Home games are big events - streets may be closed and parking may be difficult to find at this center.
NPS ↗

Fees & passes

Free. No entrance fee here.

From the park

There is no entrance fee for the Selma to Montgomery NHT or any of our visitor centers.

Hours

Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail Interpretive Centers Daily Hours of Operation

Varies by day ▾

monday: 9:00AM - 4:30PM
tuesday: 9:00AM - 4:30PM
wednesday: 9:00AM - 4:30PM
thursday: 9:00AM - 4:30PM
friday: 9:00AM - 4:30PM
saturday: 9:00AM - 4:30PM
sunday: Closed

Hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.

Dates	Hours
Standard hoursNow	sun Closed mon 9:00AM - 4:30PM tue 9:00AM - 4:30PM wed 9:00AM - 4:30PM thu 9:00AM - 4:30PM fri 9:00AM - 4:30PM sat 9:00AM - 4:30PM
Nov 11, 2026Veterans Day	sun Closed mon 9:00AM - 4:30PM tue 9:00AM - 4:30PM wed 9:00AM - 4:30PM thu 9:00AM - 4:30PM fri 9:00AM - 4:30PM sat 9:00AM - 4:30PM
Nov 26, 2026Thanksgiving Day	Closed
Dec 25, 2026Christmas Day	Closed
Jan 1, 2027New Year's Day	Closed
Mar 8, 2027Jubilee Sunday, March 8, 2026	sun 9:00AM - 4:30PM mon Not published tue Not published wed Not published thu Not published fri Not published sat Not published
May 31, 2027OPEN - Memorial Day	9:00AM - 5:00PM
Sep 6, 2027Labor Day	sun Not published mon 10:00AM - 5:00PM tue Not published wed Not published thu Not published fri Not published sat Not published
Oct 12, 2027Columbus Day	sun Closed mon 9:00AM - 4:30PM tue 9:00AM - 4:30PM wed 9:00AM - 4:30PM thu 9:00AM - 4:30PM fri 9:00AM - 4:30PM sat 9:00AM - 4:30PM

Campgrounds

Paul Grist State Park ↗		·
Prairie Creek ↗		·
Gunter Hill Campground ↗		·

Every campground here has its own page on Campsite Atlas, with site counts, hookups, rig limits and booking windows. How park camping works

Visitor centers

Lowndes Interpretive Center ↗Passport stamp
The Lowndes Interpretive Center is located roughly halfway between Selma and Montgomery along the Trail on U.S. Highway 80 West near Whitehall, AL. The center has exhibits, including interactive exhibits, that tell the story of the history of the Voting Rights Movement, the 1965 Selma to Montgomery…
Montgomery Interpretive Center ↗Passport stamp
The Montgomery Interpretive Center is located on the campus of Alabama State University in Montgomery, AL. Inside the center, exhibits tell the history of the last leg of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March, the student involvement in the Voting Rights Movement, and the rally that…
Selma Interpretive Center ↗
This visitor center is currently closed for construction.
Temporary Location - Selma Welcome Center
We are open and located at 14 Broad St.; the parking lot is beside the building. The Selma Welcome Center, operated by the city of Selma, is our temporary space while the Selma Interpretive Center undergoes renovations.

At a glance

States: Alabama
Designation: National Historic Trail
Coordinates: 32.2708° N, 86.7282° W
Campgrounds: 3
Visitor centers: 4
Visitors (2025): Not reported
Phone: (334) 877-1983

Official links

All 10 links

Local conditions

Weather, signal, and water readings change along the trail, so this page does not show a single reading. Check the segment you plan to visit.

Sister site

Campsite Atlas

Every campground on federal land, whether it takes reservations or is first come.

Open Campsite Atlas →

Built from official data and refreshed daily. This site is independent and is not affiliated with the National Park Service. Confirm anything critical on the official park page before you travel. How the data is built

Explore

Films

Visitor Center Accessibility · 0.8 min · on NPS.gov ↗

Focus on our Foot Soldiers · 1 min · on NPS.gov ↗

National Park Service productions, public domain.

Events

History Talk - Park Ranger Program10/14
10:00 AM · runs through Oct 29 · free
Lowndes Interpretive Center: 7002 US Hwy 80 W, Hayneville, AL 36040 Montgomery Interpretive Center: 1521 Harris Way, Montgomery…

News

The National Park Service has selected Robert Stewart as the new superintendent of Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site and Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site. Stewart began his new role on Sept. 20. ↗2026-09-22
The National Park Service has selected Robert Stewart as the new superintendent of Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site and Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site.
Montgomery Interpretive Center to Host “Seven Sisters, Still, Sowing Seeds” Event ↗2026-09-09
Montgomery Interpretive Center to Host “Seven Sisters, Still, Sowing Seeds” Event; A conversation about community growth rooted in civil rights.

Map

Interactive map by the National Park Service

Guidebooks for the South

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Rail-trails Southeast
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, 2024
Find at Bookshop.org
Moon Nashville to New Orleans road trip
Margaret Littman, 2021
Find at Bookshop.org
Cherokee heritage trails guidebook
Barbara R. Duncan and Brett Riggs, 2015
Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.

Reference

Activities

Guided Tours Self-Guided Tours - Walking Hands-On Volunteer Vacation Junior Ranger Program Park Film Museum Exhibits Shopping

Questions people ask

Does Selma To Montgomery charge an entrance fee?

No. Selma To Montgomery is free to enter.

Source: National Park Service

What are the hours at Selma To Montgomery?

Standard hours are 9:00AM - 4:30PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and it is closed on Sunday. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.

Source: National Park Service

Can I camp in Selma To Montgomery?

Yes. The Park Service lists 3 campgrounds in Selma To Montgomery: Paul Grist State Park, Prairie Creek, and Gunter Hill.

Source: Campgrounds

Is anything closed at Selma To Montgomery right now?

3 active alerts as of October 14, 2026: Lowndes Interpretive Center Temporarily Closed; Planning a Fall visit to the Montgomery Interpretive Center? Read this!; and more.

Source: Alerts

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.