Monocacy National Battlefield
Monocacy National Battlefield is a unit of the National Park Service, the site of the Battle of Monocacy in the American Civil War fought on July 9, 1864. You can find it in Ballenger Creek. Its operator is the National Park Service.
A national battlefield inside Ballenger Creek
July is the busiest month
July averages about 13,307 visitors, 2.2 times February. When to go ↓
You can stay in Ballenger Creek
Monocacy National Battlefield is inside Ballenger Creek, which has 18 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Baltimore
Baltimore is about 42 miles east (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Sep and Oct
April, May, June, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 66–83°. When to go ↓
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
How the year runs
Each month at Monocacy has its visitors and its weather below.
Monocacy National Battlefield
Monocacy National Battlefield is a unit of the National Park Service, the site of the Battle of Monocacy in the American Civil War fought on July 9, 1864. The battlefield straddles the Monocacy River in unincorporated Frederick County, Maryland, southeast of the city of Frederick. Portions of the battlefield are in the Ballenger Creek census-designated place.
The battle, labeled "The Battle That Saved Washington," was one of the last the Confederates would carry out in Union territory. The two opposing leaders were General Jubal Early, fighting for the South, and General Lew Wallace, fighting for the North.
- Type
- National Battlefield
- Run by
- National Park Service
- Listed
- National Historic Landmark (1973) · National Register of Historic Places (1973)
- Wikipedia readers
- 6.2K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/mono
The practical side
Towns to stay in near Monocacy National Battlefield
For a bed close by, look to Ballenger Creek (18) and Frederick (16), and Washington has the most rooms in the area (247).
Washington
The most places to stay in the area, and a base for a longer trip.
693,645 people
39 mi southeast of the visitor center · 36 mi to the park
Compare 9 towns
| Town | From the visitor center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballenger Creek | in town | — | 18 17 hotels · 1 RV park | 26,390 | $387K | — |
| Frederick | 4 mi north | 5 min | 16 8 hotels · 2 motels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins | 92,059 | $402K | C− |
| Gaithersburg | 19 mi southeast | 30 min | 16 14 hotels · 1 motel · 1 RV park | 71,113 | $497K | C+ |
| New Market | 7 mi east | 10 min | 3 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins | 1,609 | $639K | — |
| Walkersville | 7 mi north | 10 min | 3 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B · 1 campground | 6,501 | $488K | — |
| Harpers Ferry | 19 mi west | 30 min | 12 1 hotel · 10 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 266 | $529K | — |
| Buckeystown | 4 mi southwest | 5 min | 2 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B | 1,192 | $543K | — |
| Bolivar | 19 mi west | 30 min | 12 4 hotels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 1 hostel · 3 campgrounds | 983 | $252K | — |
| Washington | 39 mi southeast | 1 hr | 247 201 hotels · 2 motels · 24 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 12 hostels · 2 campgrounds | 693,645 | $737K | D− |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center
Places to add to Monocacy
Places worth adding lie within 43 miles.
Big draw38 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw38 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw38 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw38 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw125 mi LandmarkRaven Rock Mountain Complex
Big draw39 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw38 mi National MemorialLincoln Memorial7.7M visitors a year
Big draw43 mi Stadium & arenaNorthwest StadiumPhoto credits
White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Raven Rock Mountain Complex: US Government, Public domain · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Lincoln Memorial: Aerial_view_of_Lincoln_Memorial_-_east_side.jpg: Carol M. Highsmith derivative w, Public domain · Northwest Stadium: Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0
.jpg){kind=link}
A year of 116,902 visitors (2025)
Years run from 2016 on the left to 2025 on the right.
Questions people have about Monocacy
Is Monocacy National Battlefield in Ballenger Creek?
Yes. It’s inside Ballenger Creek, MD. The address is 5201 Urbana Pike, Frederick, MD 21704.
When is the best time to visit Monocacy National Battlefield?
April, May, June, September and October, with highs of 66–83°. July is the busiest month (about 13,307 visitors).
How many people visit Monocacy National Battlefield each year?
116,902 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 155,116, set in 2020.
How far is Monocacy National Battlefield from Baltimore?
About 42 miles east of Baltimore, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Monocacy National Battlefield?
Hagerstown Regional Richard A Henson Field (HGR), about 29 miles away. The nearest big hub is Washington Dulles (IAD), about 30 miles.
Where should I stay near Monocacy National Battlefield?
Ballenger Creek (in town, 18 places to stay), Frederick (4 mi, 16 places to stay) and Washington (39 mi, 247 places to stay).
Local tips in Ballenger Creek
Start the conversation in Ballenger Creek’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.