Civil War Trails

Walk in the footsteps of Union and Confederate Soldiers, visit battlefields and see where troops lived and fought during the American Civil War. Turn back the pages of time and experience historic landmarks, learn where battles were won and lost, and discover Chattanooga's pivotal role in the war that changed America forever.

Civil War Trails is a multi-state program that indentifies, interprets and creates driving tours of both the great campaigns and the lesser-known Civil War sites. Directional "trailblazer" signs and four-color interpretive markers with maps, illustrations, and text have been installed at more than 1,000 previously uninterpreted sites in Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, West Virginia and North Carolina. Driving tours following major campaigns have been created, and a series of regional brochures are available.

The new Tennessee Civil War Trails program has begun with installation of interpretive signs throughout Tennessee. The Chattanooga area will feature 12 of these signs.

The Civil War Trails program is administered by a non-profit corporation and supported by local communities, state tourism offices, and state departments of transportation. In 2001, the National Trust for Historic Preservation identified the Civil War Trails program as one of the most successful and sustainable heritage tourism programs in the nation.

Twice, the Federal Highway Administration has officially recognized the program’s role in improving the transportation experience by strengthening multi-modal systems and boosting local economies.

For more information on the Tennessee Civil War Trails program, visit the official Civil War Trails website.