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Fort Donelson National Battlefield

Unconditional surrender of Fort Donelson created jubilation throughout the North and silence in Dixie. It was the North's first major victory of the Civil War, opening the way into the very heart of the Confederacy.

The Basics

Hours:

Fort Donelson visitor center is opened daily 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed December 25.

Dover Hotel (Surrender House) is usually open from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day, 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. weekends only.

Address:

PO Box 434
Dover, TN 37058

Phone:

931-232-5348

Phone:

931-232-5706

Fax:

931-232-6331

For more info, visit OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Map

Fort Donelson National Battlefield , Tennessee Map

Directions

The park is located in Dover, Tennessee, northwest of Nashville.

From Nashville
Take I-24W to Clarksville (Exit 4). Take a left on Wilma Rudolph Blvd. Stay on this highway until you reach 101st Airborne Division Pkwy. Take a right at this intersection. This highway will change into Hwy. 374. From Hwy 374, turn right on Hwy. 79 South. Follow signs to Dover (approximately 30 miles). The visitor center is one mile west of the town.

From Paducah, KY
Take Interstate 24 East to exit 31. South on Hwy 453 to Land Between the Lakes (LBL). Follow the Trace road through LBL to US Hwy 79. Left on US Hwy 79 approximately 1.3 miles to Battlefield Entrance.

From Murray, KY
Take 641S to Hwy 121. Once you reach Hwy 79 at Paris Landing, take a left. Follow signs to the park (approximately 13 miles).

Climate

Summers are hot and humid with an average high of 86°. Winter temperatures are variable, averaging a low of 33°, but may drop well below freezing with occasional snow/ice.

Link to our Clarksville Weather coverage for more information.

Link to our Tennessee River Weather coverage for more information.

Fees

No Fees.

Things To Do

Begin your visit at the visitor center. The visitor center, located on Highway 79, is open daily, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The information desk is operational all day and the person manning it can provide you with a list of scheduled park events and provide you with a copy of the official Fort Donelson Park and Guide. The visitor center contains a gift shop/book store, staffed by Eastern National, a museum displaying Civil War artifacts and an exhibit on the Underground Railroad. The park’s orientation film Fort Donelson: Gateway to the Confederate Heartland engages visitors with a storyline that draws on the lifelong friendship between Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Simon B. Buckner. Emphasis is still placed on the 1862 battles at Forts Henry and Donelson and its military significance. Park visitors also learn a couple of new facts: Confederates actually built three earthen forts, one named Fort Heiman, which was built just across the Tennessee River in Calloway County, Kentucky, and that these forts were eventually used as safe havens by freedom-seeking slaves. All visitor center facilities are accessible.

The tour at Fort Donelson National Battlefield is self-guided. A park brochure explains the six-mile, self-guided tour. Park Rangers are available for questions.

Hiking

The park has 5.7 miles of hiking trails for nature lovers to enjoy. Visitors can pick up a trail guide at the visitor center.

Hiking

The park has 5.7 miles of hiking trails for nature lovers to enjoy. Visitors can pick up a trail guide at the visitor center.

Link to our Clarksville Hiking coverage for more information.

Link to our Tennessee River Hiking coverage for more information.

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