Kennesaw Mountain

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Georgia preserves the site of the last major battle in the defense of Atlanta from Sherman’s advancing forces during the American Civil War. Despite being outnumbered 2:1, Johnston’s Confederates held out against Sherman’s forces in two separate attacks in June of 1964. While it was a tactical victory for the Confederates, Sherman was later able to bypass most of Johnston’s forces to capture Atlanta. Protected as a National Battlefield Site in 1917, Kennesaw Mountain was named a National Battlefield Park in 1935.

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Kennesaw Mountain Trail passes a handful of cannons near the peak

Our Visit. I visited Kennesaw Mountain NBP in May when I had a few extra hours before catching a flight out of Atlanta airport

Our Weather. An unseasonably warm 90 degrees and sunny

Overall Impression. Kennesaw Mountain is a beautiful little park tucked into the suburbs of northwest Atlanta making it a very accessible park. While it’s a Civil War battlefield and a place full of history, it’s also a great place to enjoy a hike in the woods or in the fields, many of which feature stunning views of the surrounding landscape.

The Pigeon Hill Trail is steep and rocky in places–this portion of the trail is pretty typical

Visiting. Visiting Kennesaw Mountain is easy as long as you don’t do what I did. I happened to pick the one day a year the visitors center and main road up the mountain were closed for cleaning. With 2 hours, you should be able to visit all the main sections of the park including a drive to the top of Kennesaw Mountain; instead, I spent 2 hours on a delightful 4.5 mile hike to the top of the mountain which resulted in some great exercise but left a lot of the park uncovered.

For any visit, stop at the Visitors Center first to orient yourself to the terrain and its relation to the battle that took place here. On a shorter visit, the “must see” area is the top of Kennesaw Mountain which can be reached by either a paved road or the 1-mile Kennesaw Mountain Trail from the Visitors Center. From the parking lot at the top, it’s well worth the short (but steep) hike across the top of the mountain which features cannons and excellent views.

Most of the trails up Kennesaw Mountain are buried in the trees, but there are many vistas like this one from Little Kennesaw Mountain

For a longer visit, consider taking the longer but more instructive hike to the top of Kennesaw Mountain via the Pigeon Hill Trail and Little Kennesaw Trail. Parking is at the corner of Old Mountain Road and Burnt Hickory Road in the middle of the park. It starts in a field where Federal forces first made their move against the Confederates dug into defensive positions along the far tree line and Pigeon Hill. The trail is steep in places and rocky, but it offers a feel for the terrain and defensive lines along Pigeon Hill and Little Kennesaw Mountain that saw most of the action in the battle (Federal forces never assaulted Kennesaw Mountain proper). Along the way are markers showing where each brigade was dug in. I’m a pretty fast hiker, and it took me about 1:45 to cover the 2.25 miles to the top of Kennesaw Mountain and back.

A longer visit will also allow you to see some of the less visited areas in the south end of the park including Kolb’s Farm where Sherman’s first assault was repulsed five days before the main battle. You can also visit Cheatham Hill, site of the bloodiest fighting in the battle when Union forces tried to breach the defensive lines and divide the Confederate forces. This area is also home to the impressive Illinois Monument.

Suggestions. Learn from my mistake and check the official park website to make sure the visitors center will be open before you come. This is a great place for hiking, so if you’re up for it, bring some good hiking shoes and plenty of water–it’s the best way to enjoy what the park has to offer and to see the main parts of the battlefield. Also, have a good map or map app as there is no continuous road through the park–getting from place to place requires cutting into and out of the park, and while the signs are good, a map is better.

Nearby Towns Kennesaw, Marietta, Atlanta (Georgia)

Other Nearby Attractions Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park

Official Website Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

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