Antietam Campaign Byway
Antietam Campaign Byway is a State Scenic Byway in Maryland. Within Maryland it covers roughly 80 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Antietam Campaign Byway with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
The Antietam Campaign Byway traces 126 miles through western Maryland, following the September 1862 march that led to the Civil War's bloodiest single day. The route roughly follows the chronology of events, beginning September 4, as General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia crossed the Potomac into Maryland, through the Battle of Antietam at Sharpsburg, to Lee's retreat back across the river into present-day West Virginia two weeks later. Stops along the way include Monocacy National Battlefield, site of the 1864 fight nicknamed 'The Battle that Saved Washington,' and South Mountain Battlefield State Park, where fighting broke out three days before Antietam itself. Beyond the battlefields, the byway crosses genuinely scenic country: mountain overlooks, hiking trails, and Little Bennett Regional Park, with its 25 miles of natural-surface trails and more than a dozen historic sites, giving the drive real appeal even for travelers less focused on Civil War history.
- 126 miles across western Maryland
- Traces Lee's September 1862 Antietam campaign
- Monocacy National Battlefield
- South Mountain Battlefield State Park
- Battle of Antietam site, Sharpsburg
- Little Bennett Regional Park
Plan a drive on Antietam Campaign Byway →
What is a State Scenic Byway?
State Scenic Byways are roads a state has formally recognized for their scenic, natural, historic or cultural value — each state's own curated collection of drives worth taking slowly.
Where to Stay along Antietam Campaign Byway
8 campgrounds and RV parks sit within about 5 miles of Antietam Campaign Byway.
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