Rohrbach Scout Campground

Antietam National Battlefield is the site of the bloodiest one day battle in American history. After twelve hours of savage combat on September 17, 1862, 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing. The Battle of Antietam ended the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia’s first invasion into the North and led to Abraham Lincoln’s issuance of the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.Rohrbach Campground is part of the Antietam National Battlefield. It is a walk-in, primitive camping area available to scouts and civic organization groups only (see “Know Before You Go,” below, for individual camping options in the area). The campground has 10 sites, each of which is provided with a fire ring and picnic tables and space to accommodate a maximum of 30 people. The campground is typically open from March through the last weekend in November.

The battlefield, located in the Cumberland Valley of western Maryland, encompasses over 3,250 acres of farmland, pastures, woodlots and limestone forests. Antietam’s diverse landscape provides a noteworthy habitat for wildlife observation. During a typical day at the battlefield, visitors are most likely to see woodchucks and white-tailed deer. The open fields provide great habitat for a range of birds such as Eastern Bluebirds, Horned Larks and Grasshopper Sparrows. Small stands of trees and wooded areas attract Pileated Woodpeckers, various owls and Red-Tailed Hawks.

Recreational activities in Antietam National Battlefield include hiking and attending a park ranger program or pre-arranging a ranger led activity. There are 15 miles of trails to explore with the Bloody Lane and Final Attack Trails being the most popular. Biking the battlefield tour road is another popular activity while visiting Antietam. Riders under the age of 16 are required to wear helmets.