DC Day Tripping: Antietam

It's a nice sunny day in March when we make our way to Antietam. Located near the small town of Sharpsburg, this battlefield was once the site of the bloodiest day of battle during the civil war.

The best way to visit Antietam is by driving the 8.5 mi self-guided tour. There are 11 clearly marked stops along the way.

The first stop is Dunker Church, here seen in the distance behind the cannons.

A view down Cornfield Avenue ... many lives were lost on both sides of the battle in the cornfield on the left side of the road. The statues lining the road are memorials sent by the different states to commemorate the battalions of fallen soldiers.

I noticed a family of groundhogs living near an old (working) farm. This one's just crawling out of its burrow.

Mumma cemetry. Located near Mumma Farm, the only property that was deliberately destroyed in the war.

View from the cemetery's far wall

We go for a short walk along the Bloody Lane Trail. The fencing in the picture is typical for the civil war era and can be seen in many of the nation's battlefield parks.

Sunken Road, also known as Bloody Lane. For three hours the greatly outnumbered confederates were able to hold off the union soldiers, until finally the line collapsed ...

Observation Tower. There's a great overview of the battlefield if you take the stairs to the top.

Cornfields with the mountains in the distance.

My favorite spot in Antietam; Lower Bridge, also known as Burnside Bridge. One of the three main bridges crossing Antietam Creek.

Crossing the bridge. We decided to walk the short Union Advance Trail -- a bit hilly, but really a nice short hike with great views of the river below.

It led to this rope swing down by the creek. I can't tell you how much I wanted to swing out over the water and let go ... but unfortunately, it's just not that warm in March and the water was freezing.

Yes I tested the water! How else would I know the water was so cold? I dipped down as far as I could without getting my shorts wet and still hadn't hit the bottom. Perfect spot for swinging in the summer I'd say!

Just a random picture of the hillside.

Poor little groundhog! He was already dead when we found him, but I didn't see any obvious injuries

so I thought it would be nice to show you what they look like up close.

Time for the last stop on the tour: Antietam National Cemetery.

Somewhat reminiscent of Arlington National Cemetery with its neat rows of headstones. There's actually a privately owned cemetery across that street with a lot more personality ... worth a visit if you enjoy that kind of thing.