The New Birth of Freedom Council, the National Park Service, and the Gettysburg National Military Park/Eisenhower National Historic Site are proud to offer Scouting groups the opportunity to participate in the Gettysburg Heritage Trails program, which includes a stop at the Visitor Center/National Cemetery, two hiking trails through the battlefield at Gettysburg, a walking tour of historic downtown Gettysburg and a tour of the Eisenhower National Historic Site.
The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitors Center is open seven days a week from 8 AM until 5 PM. For closures and seasonal exceptions, please visit the National Park Service website.
Before visiting the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center, visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance at GettysburgFoundation.org or by calling (877) 874-2478.
We highly recommend reviewing the Gettysburg Foundation’s “Explore Gettysburg” planning guide to assist units in planning their Gettysburg visit.
Before visiting Gettysburg National Military Park/Eisenhower National Historic Site, please check the park’s website to determine its operating status.
Heritage Trail Guides Are Available
The National Park Service and the New Birth of Freedom Council have published a trail guide for these five trails and tours (the current edition was revised in June 2016, 19th edition). These trail guides can be ordered directly from the York or Mechanicsburg Service Centers and cost $2.00 per guide. In addition, a limited number of trail guides are also available at the Gettysburg National Military Park.
The five program elements are:
- The Visitor Center/National
- The Billy Yank Trail
- The Johnny Reb Trail
- The Eisenhower National Historic Site
- The Historic Gettysburg Trail
The trail guides are comprehensive and provide all the information you need about the Gettysburg Heritage Trails programs, including maps, requirements, etc. The guides are the primary source of information for participants in these programs, as the council does not provide any other printed or online materials regarding these programs.
The Mechanicsburg Service Centers can accept credit card orders for trail guides by calling (717) 620-4526 or ordering these materials online.
Program Descriptions
The Visitor Center/National Cemetery and Eisenhower sections are question-and-answer exercises, as outlined in the trail guide. The trail hikes through the battlefield are designed to give participants a soldier’s perspective on what happened on the battlefield.
The Billy Yank trail is a 10-mile hike through the battlefield that takes approximately six hours to complete, while the Johnny Reb trail is a four-mile hike that takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete. Please be sure to carry plenty of water with you, as there are no water fountains along the trails.
The Historic Gettysburg Trail is a walk through the downtown area that helps visitors imagine what it was like to live in Gettysburg in July 1863. It is approximately three miles long and takes 2-3 hours to complete.
Your group is encouraged but not required to view the Gettysburg Multimedia Experience, which includes the film “A New Birth of Freedom” and the Gettysburg Cyclorama program. For more information, please call the reservation office for tickets at (877) 874-2478 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/gett.
Recognition Items
The basic patch is awarded for completing the Visitor Center/National Cemetery section. The Billy Yank and Johnny Reb side segments are awarded for those two trail hikes. The Historic Gettysburg patch is awarded for completing the guided walk. The Eisenhower star patch is awarded for visiting Eisenhower National Historic Site and completing that section.
Current prices (as of 01/2020) for Gettysburg items are:
- Complete Gettysburg Heritage Trails Patch – $6.25 (main patch and all segments uncut)
- Main Gettysburg patch – $2.25 each
- Johnny Reb, Bill Yank, Eisenhower, and Historic Gettysburg segments – $1.00 each
- Plastic Patch Holder – $1.00
- Gettysburg Trail Medals – $5.25 each
- Gettysburg Heritage Trails Baseball Cap – $12.00
- Gettysburg Heritage Trails T-Shirt – $12.95-$16.95 (price varies by size)
- Gettysburg Trail Guide – $2.00
To receive the Trail Medal, Scouts must have completed the requirements for each patch segment. Additional shipping and handling charges apply for mail orders. You can order these materials online, or the Mechanicsburg Service Center can accept credit card orders by phone at (717) 620-4526.
Should you have additional questions on the awards that aren’t answered here on the Gettysburg Heritage Trails pages, please don’t hesitate to call us at (717) 620-4526. We want to help!
Related Links
- Camping at Gettysburg National Military Park
- How Your Group Should Conduct Itself in Gettysburg
- Online Store for Gettysburg Trail Merchandise (fastest store-to-your-door)
