Rate Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail
Learn and Explore
Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, we safeguard these special places and share their stories with more than 275 million visitors every year. But our work doesn’t stop there.
We are proud that tribes, local governments, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individual citizens ask for our help in revitalizing their communities, preserving local history, celebrating local heritage, and creating close to home opportunities for kids and families to get outside, be active, and have fun.
Taking care of the national parks and helping Americans take care of their communities is a job we love, and we need—and welcome—your help and support.
Our Mission
The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I obtain a park entrance pass?
Only 118 of your 417 park sites charge entrance fees. You can obtain park entrance passes by visiting a park site that charges an entrance fee. Entrance fee sites have passes available; we recommend calling a park prior to your visit. (See the park search to locate a specific park.) There are a number of entrance passes available, including park-specific passes as well as passes that offer entrance to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites in addition to the national parks (Annual, Military, Senior, 4th Grade, Access, and Volunteer passes). Learn more about the America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.
About this location:
National Historic Trail
Operating Hours & Seasons
Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail
Hours of opening for the many sites along the trail vary widely by location and season. The trail’s premiere orientation and visitor center is located at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine.
Standard Hours
- Sunday:9:00 AM-6:00 PM
- Monday:9:00 AM-6:00 PM
- Tuesday:9:00 AM-6:00 PM
- Wednesday:9:00 AM-6:00 PM
- Thursday:9:00 AM-6:00 PM
- Friday:9:00 AM-6:00 PM
- Saturday:9:00 AM-6:00 PM
Fees & Passes
Entrance Fees:
- $0.00 – Star-Spangeled National Historic Trail
Some parks and places along the Star-Spangled Banner Trail charge an entrance fee and some do not. Information about specific sites is included on the trail’s free and official mobile application Chesapeake Explorer.
About
O! Say Can You See? . . . The War of 1812 in the Chesapeake
For three years the young United States was embroiled in the War of 1812 and the Chesapeake Bay region felt the brunt of it, choked by shipping blockades and ravaged by enemy raids. Through sites and landscapes in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and throughout Maryland, the Trail tells the stories of the events, people, and places that led to the birth of our National Anthem.
Directions
To find the trail, download a map guide.
Weather
Weather can be extremely Cold or Hot in winter/summer. Fall and Spring pleasant.
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Nearby Businesses
