BALTIMORE (September 15, 2017) – Now is the perfect time to explore Maryland’s Civil War Trails as the National Park Service commemorates the 155th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam and the 150th anniversary of the establishment of Antietam National Cemetery, both on September 17.
The driving trails, which mark their 15th anniversary this year, include: Antietam Campaign: Lee Invades Maryland Trail, Baltimore Riot Trail, Gettysburg Campaign Trail, John Wilkes Booth: Escape of an Assassin Trail, and The Attack on Washington: The Last Invasion Trail.
“Maryland’s Civil War Trails offer visitors a way to experience our nation’s history and heritage along routes that also highlight the state’s scenery and small towns,” said Liz Fitzsimmons, managing director of Maryland Commerce’s Division of Tourism, Film and the Arts. “We encourage visitors to step out of their cars and explore the many recreational and cultural opportunities along the way.”
Trails are distinguished by colorful bugle trailblazer signs that lead visitors to waysides where interpretive markers contain both military and anecdotal accounts.
The free Maryland Civil War Trails mobile app, available in both the App Store and Google Play formats, is one of the best ways to access information about the trail. Printed map guides are distributed free at all Maryland Welcome Centers, local tourism offices, and select Civil War attractions along the trail.
Since the Maryland Civil War Trails program started in 2002, more than 4.5 million printed map guides have been distributed, approximately 2,700 guides have been downloaded from the website, and the app has been downloaded more than 10,000 times.
Visitors are encouraged to share their travel experiences on social media using the hashtags #VisitMaryland and #MDinFocus.
For more information about Maryland’s Civil War Trails or to order a free map guide, visit www.visitmaryland.org or call 800-719-5900.