shiloh national military park

Take the day to walk the museum, and tour the outside. The history of the battle is worth it alone. Spend a whole day and never spend a penny! I posted tons a pics on my instagram dvrvtour

The National Park Service has an excellent Visitor Center, with an excellent film that puts the battle in context with the rest of the Civil War, as well as details of the battle itself and an interesting little museum. You need to start there first. Then there are at least two options. One is a self-led driving tour around the battlefield to see, from different vantage points, markers that tell about what happened at the place in question. This could take ~2 hours. Another option, if you are familiar with the battle, is to go to the location(s) of interest and concentrate on them and walk around that part of the park. If none of the above is of interest, say for a disinterested spouse of a Civil War buff, the grounds are attractive in themselves. However, if even the lovely setting is not of interest, then do not spend any time here. But f you have any interest in the Battle of Shiloh, this is a MUST!

We have been to many National Parks and Battlefields. Shiloh is among the best preserved of all the battlefields we have visited. The site is easy to navigate and, although the Visitor Center was under construction at the time of our visit, the staff was courteous and helpful. As a result of budget cuts, some interpretive signage could use attention in some areas. I would love to see the NPS interpret some of the surrounding historically significant areas including the approach route of the CSA and the hospital sites.

Shiloh Military Park was an great adventure. I had always wanted to visit, and had the opportunity in October 2014.We took the self-guided tour, which took about 2.5 hours. The video at the Visitors' center was excellent. I even bought a copy to use in my classroom. The video helped us to visualize the places on the tour.I highly recommend this tour for all History Lovers and US History teachers!

First you must watch the film, to better understand what you will see at the park, unless you have done a lot of research earlier. the driving tour of the park is 12 miles long and take 2 plus hours. note no restrooms on tour. The monuments and information tell of the hug sacrifices both sides made in this battle. A great national park. free.

The people there are very welcoming and the park was extremely well maintained. The welcome center had a very informative video that have various storylines to help with understanding. The park was very well labeled and even a bald eagle nesting. A great visit, might be a little much for younger children (on the amount of casualties) Other than that great family time.

It was pretty much what I had expected. Uniforms, weapons, pictures & of course written history. It brought tears to my eyes To think of brother fighting brother & countryman against countryman!; however, it is a part of our history.

My husband and I love to visit Civil war memorials and parks. October was a perfect time of year to visit Shiloh. The weather allowed us to do some walking and enjoy reading the monuments and try to visualize the battle as it happened. The scope of the battle is overwhelming and we appreciated it even more after visiting the museum and watching the video before our drive and walk through the park. We as a nation need to appreciate the battles that help to shape our country. Shiloh is beautifully maintained and a great history lesson for anyone who visits. Highly recommended!

Even if you aren't really a Civil War buff, this place us worth your time. The film at the visitors' center is a must. It carefully lays out the two day battle so that you walk away understanding what transpired here. Then when you drive the 20 stop trail of the battle, you can begin to understand the scope and importance of what happened here. My only disappointment was that in the winter months there are not historical guides who can be booked to accompany you in the car. We have done this at both Gettysburg and Antietam and found it to be well worth it.

If I recall correctly, I read a few years back that Shiloh, along with Gettysburg and Antietam, was one of the three best preserved Civil War battlefields. Having already visited the other two, I figured I would visit Shiloh or probably regret it later.The battlefield is heavily wooded, interspersed with very large open fields where much of the fighting took place. Quite a few of the markers and monuments are located just off the paved roads that constitute the driving tour.I like to do a lot of walking when I visit battlefields, following in the footsteps of the soldiers, studying the terrain, and trying to visualize how the fighting took place. Shiloh is so heavily wooded that clear or relatively clear line of sight opportunities for several hundred yards in any direction aren't nearly as numerous as Gettysburg or Antietam. For example, at Gettysburg, you can easily walk the entire route of Pickett's Charge, which is a little over three-fourths of a mile. Following in the path of a specific regiment or brigade at Shiloh over a long distance is pretty much impossible.Finally, the maturation of the forest since 1862 - in my opinion - means that there's no way that thousands of troops moving in any semblance of a battle line, with many of the officers on horseback, could have moved through the woods I saw when I visited in January '15. In short, the woods have grown a lot since the battle.Nevertheless, this is a great battlefield. After driving and walking over it for about 18 hours, I feel it's inferior to Gettysburg and Antietam, but a little better than Spotsylvania.PS: The home of legendary Tennessee lawman Buford Pusser of "Walking Tall" fame is only about 8 miles from here. I highly recommend visiting there.

I brought my 8 yo cub scout here for a 2 mile hike. The weather was perfect and we had a fantastic time exploring the park. We ended up doing the auto tour and cometing the junior ranger book while there. Next time, we'll come on a reenactment weekend and bring our bikes! Loved it!

The National Park is very well kept. There is something for everyone to see. The staff is very helpful and friendly. There is a very good drive around the park with well marked signs. The map is very good at pointing out all the markers and signs.

I continue to be amazed at the great job our National Park Service is doing to preserve, restore, document and teach about the sites that have national historical significance. When you visit Shiloh, make your first stop at the visitors center and be sure to see the 20 minute documentary film. It is absolutely the best introduction film to a National Park that I have seen, and I have viewed several. It is a realistic portrayal of the horror of war and is not for the squeamish and may not be the thing small children should see. However, one should witness this to understand what happened on that fateful morning so long ago and to fully understand what led up to the battle, how ferocious the fighting was and the agony that must have taken place in this location. Take the driving tour through the park to see the Shiloh church and the monuments erected to the memory of the brave men who fought and died here. It is a humbling, emotional and sobering experience to walk where those men walked nearly 150 years ago; knowing that so many died, were wounded or went missing and that a nation was forever changed following those few days.

What a wonderful tribute to the worst battle in the Civil War. Lots of information at the visitor center, and a great tour (walking or driving). There is so much to see, do and learn. It's difficult to fathom the carnage and destruction, but seeing those fields of battle, strategies and understanding the players in the battle really brought it to life. A wonderful NMP.

We visited on a beautiful Fall day and were greeted with a somber and quiet beauty. I agree with other reviewers who suggest taking the time to get out of your car and walk around. This gives you an opportunity to really reflect on the history that took place in the area. Be sure to take in the movie at the visitor's center which really depicts the history, logistics, strategy and tragedy of the war. The visitors center also displays a large number of artifacts discovered in the area.... The entire center is clean and well maintained with wonderful Rangers and staff to answer your questions about the Park and surrounding area...