Yorktown Battlefield Part of Colonial National Historical Park
Yorktown Battlefield is part of Colonial National Historical Park, a unit of the National Park System. It is not counted as a unit of its own.
Discover what it took for the United States to be independent as you explore the site of the last major battle of the Revolutionary War. Here at Yorktown, in the fall of 1781, General George Washington, with allied American and French forces, besieged General Charles Lord Cornwallis’s British army. On October 19, Cornwallis surrendered, effectively ending the war and ensuring independence.
About under an hour from Virginia Beach and 1 hours from Richmond by car.
Alerts
- ClosureNPS ↗Rehabilitation of Colonial Parkway continues with additional Parkway closures
Beginning Tuesday, April 9, 2024, construction will close the Colonial Parkway to all travel in either direction between Yorktown and VA Route 199. Follow all detour signs. See additional closure information in the link below.
Fees & passes
| Type | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Per PersonAdult (16 and older) -$15; good for 7 days entrance to Yorktown Battlefield (and NPS areas at Historic Jamestowne); can be upgraded to see Preservation Virginia areas at Historic Jamestowne for an additional $15 at the Historic Jamestowne Visitor Center. Yorktown Battlefield will not be selling the $30 entrance permit for Historic Jamestowne | $15 | |
| Passes | ||
| Annual Entrance - ParkThe Colonial annual pass admits passholder and three accompanying adults unlimited admittance to both NPS areas at Historic Jamestowne and Yorktown Battlefield during regular operating hours. Pass is valid for twelve months from the month of purchase. | $45 | |
Note: Preservation Virginia charges a fee for entrance to their portion of Jamestown on any of the above dates. These areas include the James Fort Site, Archaearium, Memorial Church, and Dale House Cafe.
Hours
| Visitor Center Hours of Operation | 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, 2026Thanksgiving | Closed |
| Dec 25, 2026Christmas Day | Closed |
| Jan 1, 2027New Years Day | Closed |
Visitor centers
- Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center ↗
The Yorktown Visitor Center is the orientation point for your visit to Yorktown and Yorktown Battlefield. At the visitor center information desk, you can obtain a park brochure with maps and information, an orientation to the park, and an opportunity to schedule your visit around the various…
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
- Drive the Red Route of the Yorktown Battlefield Auto Tour30-120 Minutes
Open year round until sunset, the Yorktown Battlefield Red Route Auto Tour is a 7 mile drive that takes visitors to the most important spots on the Yorktown Battlefield. Allow at least 45 minute to complete this tour.
Opens on the Park Service site - Drive the Yellow Route of the Yorktown Battlefield Auto Tour30-120 Minutes
Open year round until sunset, the optional Yorktown Battlefield Yellow Route Auto Tour is a 9 mile drive that takes visitors through the Allied Encampment areas. Allow at least 30 minute to complete this tour.
Opens on the Park Service site - Walk Main Street in Yorktown30-120 Minutes
Historic Yorktown is available year round. The Nelson House is open as staffing permits. There are informational waysides along Main Street.
Opens on the Park Service site - Birding
The park's location along the Atlantic flyway affords visitors the opportunity to see wintering, migratory, and breeding birds along park roads.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
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
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Horseback riding in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
Weather & climate
Yorktown, VA climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 80's and cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 30's. The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 89.00 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 28.10 degrees Fahrenheit. For closures in due to inclement weather at Colonial National Historical Park please phone this 24 hour phone number (757) 856-1240.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Yorktown Battlefield?
Entrance is $15 per person on foot or bike. Adult (16 and older) -$15; good for 7 days entrance to Yorktown Battlefield (and NPS areas at Historic Jamestowne); can be upgraded to see Preservation Virginia areas at Historic Jamestowne for an additional $15 at the Historic Jamestowne Visitor Center.
Source: National Park Service
Which passes work at Yorktown Battlefield?
A Yorktown Battlefield-only annual pass is $45.
Source: Is the pass worth it
Can I pay the entrance fee in cash?
No. Yorktown Battlefield takes cards only at the entrance.
Source: National Park Service
When is entrance to Yorktown Battlefield free?
Next on October 27, Theodore Roosevelt's birthday. 2 fee-free days are left this year, for US residents only.
Source: Free entrance days
Do I need a reservation to enter Yorktown Battlefield?
No. There is no timed-entry or entrance reservation at Yorktown Battlefield. Camping and some tours have their own reservations.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Yorktown Battlefield?
Standard hours are 9:00AM - 5:00PM, every day. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
Is anything closed at Yorktown Battlefield right now?
1 active alert as of October 14, 2026: Rehabilitation of Colonial Parkway continues with additional Parkway closures.
Source: Alerts
Is there cell service at Yorktown Battlefield?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE and AT&T 4G LTE. No reported coverage for T-Mobile. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is the weather like at Yorktown Battlefield?
Yorktown, VA climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 80's and cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 30's. The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 89.00 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minim
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
