Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail
Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail is part of the National Trails System. It is not a park unit.
The Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail is a collection of sites impacted by the War of 1812. These local, historic sites tell the story of the Chesapeake Campaign, culminating in the writing of our National Anthem. In addition to their historic significance, many of the sites along the trail are fantastic places to go for a walk, explore the outdoors, and access local waterways.
About under an hour from Baltimore, 1.5 hours from Washington and 2 hours from Philadelphia by car.
Alerts
- InformationNPS ↗We cannot mail out at this time
We do not mail Junior Ranger books; please download from site. Completed books may be submitted digitally. Junior Ranger badges may be mailed once per person per calendar year after completion. We do not mail completed books back.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
The Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail is in part made possible through collaboration of sites - public and private - belonging to different agencies and groups. Due to this, entrance fees vary from site to site. The Trail's premier visitor center is at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, which does have an entrance fee.
Hours
| Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail | Daily · All Day |
Visitor centers
- Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine ↗Passport stamp
The trail has many points of entry and exploration along its auto route and water route. The visitor center at Fort McHenry serves as the trail's headquarters and visitor center. A short 10-minute orientation film is shown two times per hour.
No campgrounds, no webcams or events in Park Service data. What is here comes from the official page. The rest lives there.
Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the Park Service publishes the data.
Explore
Things to do
- Paddle the Sassafras River Water Trail
The Sassafras River Water Trail is a 22 mile-long route located in the Upper region of the Chesapeake Bay. The river trail offers several options for paddle trips in beautiful landscapes that are rich in history.
Opens on the Park Service site - Multi-Park Loop
Park your car and stretch your legs! Visit four different National Parks in Washington, DC and begin logging miles on seven different National Historic or National Scenic trails!
Opens on the Park Service site - Paddle the Baltimore Blueway1-6 Hours
Choose from 30 miles of trails in the Inner Harbor, Outer Harbor, Middle Branch, and Patapsco River. Imagine yourself gliding alongside historic ships, seeing the skyline from the water, and paddling around Fort McHenry. Take a selfie with Mr.
Opens on the Park Service site - Watch an Artillery Demonstration at Fort Washington Park15-90 Minutes
Ever wonder how Civil War cannons were fired? Visit the park the first Sunday of every month from May to November to watch the Fort Washington Guard demonstrate and explain the procedures used during the muzzle-loading era of American Artillery.
Opens on the Park Service site - Bicycle between Point Lookout and Leonardtown, MD4-10 Hours
Bicycling on a section of the Southern Maryland PHT On-Road Bicycling Route between Point Lookout and Leondardtown, MD
Opens on the Park Service site - Explore by bicycle from Westmoreland State Park1 Day
With Westmoreland State Park as a base, ride a loop connected with the Northern Neck Heritage Trail to explore Stratford Hall, the birthplace of George Washington, Colonial Beach, wineries, historic sites and the Potomac River shoreline.
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 12Hide
- Paddle the Potomac River
Beginning at Jennings Randolph Lake to the mouth of the Potomac, you may choose to paddle the 355 miles to the Chesapeake Bay or take a single or multi-day trip; all will give you a different view of the ways that previous residents used the river…
Opens on the Park Service site - Paddle the Patuxent River Water Trail
The Patuxent River Water Trail offers visitors the opportunity to paddle the river, camp along its banks and visit its numerous parks, historic sites, sanctuaries and wildlife areas.
Opens on the Park Service site - Paddle the Anacostia Water Trail1-6 Hours
Discover the natural abundance of the Anacostia River as it threads through the heart of Washington, DC. Watch birds on Kingman Island or dock at the National Arboretum and roam the forest.
Opens on the Park Service site - Go Birding at Patuxent River Park
A short drive from Washington DC and Baltimore, Patuxent River Park boasts more than 7,000 acres of parkland along the Patuxent River.
Opens on the Park Service site - Audio Tour of a Patuxent Town
Discover thousands of years of archeology at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum. Over 65 archeological sites tell the story of American Indian technology, innovation, and craft within the Chesapeake Bay landscape.
Opens on the Park Service site - Star-Spangled Banner Trail Passport Stamps
Several Trail partner locations are part of the Passport To Your National Parks® program. When you travel the Star-Spangled Banner Trail, preserve memories of your visit by collecting free ink cancellations at each participating Trail location.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
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 Mid-Atlantic
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
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Camping in the national parks · Canoeing and kayaking in the national parks · Fishing in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
All 35 activitiesHide
Questions people ask
Does Star-Spangled Banner charge an entrance fee?
No. Star-Spangled Banner is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
Is Star-Spangled Banner open year-round?
Yes. The grounds are open 24 hours a day, year-round.
Source: National Park Service
Is anything closed at Star-Spangled Banner right now?
1 active alert as of October 14, 2026: We cannot mail out at this time.
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.
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