National Battlefield · Missouri

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, located near Republic, Missouri, preserves the site of the Battle of Wilson's Creek.

Photo: National Park Service, Public domain

Visitors in 2025

371K

National Park Service

Busiest month

August

2.8× January

Where

4 mi south of Republic

2 places to stay in Republic

Established

1960

National Park Service

In brief

A national battlefield, 4 mi south of Republic

Visits hit a record in 2025

The National Park Service counted 370,558 visitors in 2025, the most in 10 years of counts. Visitors ↓

Springfield is the nearest base

Springfield is 9 miles northeast, with 104 places to stay. Where to stay ↓

Best months: Apr and Oct

April and October are mild and quieter than average, with highs of 68–69°. When to go ↓

An airport 9 miles away

Springfield Branson National (SGF) has airline service, about 9 miles from Wilson's Creek National Battlefield.

Established in 1960

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield dates from 1960 and is run by National Park Service. About ↓

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.

When to go

Crowds and weather, month by month

Bars: average monthly visitors, 2022–2025. Line: the typical afternoon high. Green months are mild and quieter than average.

Jan44° / 23°16K

Feb49° / 27°20K

Mar58° / 35°31K

Apr68° / 44°25K

May76° / 54°30K

Jun84° / 63°31K

Jul88° / 67°29K

Aug88° / 65°44K

Sep80° / 57°36K

Oct69° / 45°27K

Nov57° / 35°24K

Dec46° / 27°20K

Visitors: National Park Service visitor use statistics, recreation visits. Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 normals for Republic. Republic’s full climate →

About

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, located near Republic, Missouri, preserves the site of the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Fought on August 10, 1861, the battle was the first major American Civil War engagement west of the Mississippi River. In the battle, a Confederate army commanded by Benjamin McCulloch and Sterling Price defeated a smaller Union army commanded by Nathaniel Lyon. However, the Confederates were unable to hold much of Missouri, and a Confederate defeat at the Battle of Pea Ridge effectively solidified Union control of the state. Major features include a five-mile automobile tour loop, the restored 1852 Ray House, and "Bloody Hill", the site of the final stage of the battle. The site is located near Republic in southwestern Missouri just southwest of the city of Springfield.

Type: National Battlefield
Established: 1960
Elevation: 1,142 ft
Run by: National Park Service
Listed: National Register of Historic Places (1966)
Wikipedia readers: 6.6K a year
Official site: nps.gov/wicr

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Facts: Wikidata.

Plan your visit

Before you go

Address6424 W. Farm Road 182, Republic, MO 65738(417) 732-2662

HoursSunrise to sunsetThe park grounds are open from 1/2 hour before sunrise until 1/2 hour after sunset. This includes non-motorized and pedestrian access to the tour road. Motorized access to the tour road begins at 8:00 am daily when the automated entrance gate will open. The visitor center and museum hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily,…

Getting thereFrom I-44: exit at Exit 70 (Missouri Highway MM). Continue south to U.S. Highway 60. Proceed through the intersection. Continue 1/2 mile to Missouri Highway ZZ. Turn right on ZZ. Continue south to Farm Road 182 (Elm Street). At the roundabout, take the third exit; the entrance to the battlefield is on the right.

National Park Service. Check the park’s site for closures and alerts.

Where to stay

Where to stay near Wilson's Creek National Battlefield

The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Springfield (104) and Branson (235).

Visitor centerPark landHighways12Places to stay in town

15 min drive

Springfield

104 places to stay · 76 hotels · 11 motels · 5 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds · 3 RV parks

The closest town with somewhere to stay.

169,847 people

9 mi northeast of Wilson's Creek Visitor Center & Museum · 8 mi to the park

50 min drive

Branson

235 places to stay · 162 hotels · 25 motels · 15 inns & B&Bs · 16 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 11 campgrounds · 5 RV parks

12,921 people · 32% vacation homes

35 mi south of Wilson's Creek Visitor Center & Museum · 32 mi to the park

20 min drive

Ozark

8 places to stay · 3 hotels · 1 motel · 3 lodges & cabins · 1 RV park

23,544 people

13 mi southeast of Wilson's Creek Visitor Center & Museum · 10 mi to the park

50 min drive

Indian Point

69 places to stay · 34 hotels · 1 motel · 5 inns & B&Bs · 18 lodges & cabins · 9 campgrounds · 2 RV parks

580 people · 71% vacation homes

33 mi south of Wilson's Creek Visitor Center & Museum · 30 mi to the park

Compare 8 towns

Town	From the visitor center	Drive	Places to stay	People	Typical home	Safety
Springfield	9 mi northeast	15 min	104 76 hotels · 11 motels · 5 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds · 3 RV parks	169,847	$178K	D⁻
Branson 32% vacation homes	35 mi south	50 min	235 162 hotels · 25 motels · 15 inns & B&Bs · 16 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 11 campgrounds · 5 RV parks	12,921	$251K	D⁻
Ozark	13 mi southeast	20 min	8 3 hotels · 1 motel · 3 lodges & cabins · 1 RV park	23,544	$255K	B⁺
Indian Point 71% vacation homes	33 mi south	50 min	69 34 hotels · 1 motel · 5 inns & B&Bs · 18 lodges & cabins · 9 campgrounds · 2 RV parks	580	$317K	—
Republic	4 mi north	5 min	2 1 hotel · 1 campground	22,404	$212K	B
Galena	22 mi south	35 min	7 2 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds · 1 RV park	474	$128K	—
Kimberling City	32 mi south	50 min	21 7 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 6 lodges & cabins · 5 campgrounds · 1 RV park	2,345	$247K	A
Nixa	8 mi southeast	15 min	1 1 hotel	26,597	$259K	A⁻

Getting there

Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center

SGFSpringfield Branson National9 mi

BKGBranson42 mi

JLNJoplin Regional59 mi

TULTulsa · major hub151 mi

Places to stay: Overture Maps (hotels, motels, inns, lodges, campgrounds, RV parks; not vacation rentals) · roads: Overture Maps / OpenStreetMap contributors · park boundary: National Park Service · town figures: U.S. Census ACS · Safety: TownRatings Safety grade · airports: OurAirports. Distances are from Wilson's Creek Visitor Center & Museum; drive times are estimates.

Make a day of it

Also near Wilson's Creek

Other well-known places within 67 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.

131 mi Theme parkSilver Dollar City

67 mi MuseumCrystal Bridges Museum of American Art

239 mi LakeTable Rock Lake 35 mi MuseumRiverbluff Cave

48 mi Zoo & aquariumWonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium

534 mi MuseumTitanic Museum

52 mi LandmarkChrist of the Ozarks 631 mi CaveMarvel Cave

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Silver Dollar City: Nan Fry, CC BY 2.0 · Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art: Charvex, CC0 · Table Rock Lake: KTrimble (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium: Robert Lawton, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Titanic Museum: Brad A. Totman, Public domain · Christ of the Ozarks: Bobak Ha'Eri, Public domain

Visitors

A record 370,558 visitors in 2025

Every full year the Park Service has counted. 2020 (gold) was the pandemic year. Green is the record.

National Park Service visitor use statistics, recreation visits by calendar year.

Common questions

Visiting Wilson's Creek

What town is Wilson's Creek National Battlefield near?

Republic, MO, about 4 miles north.

When is the best time to visit Wilson's Creek National Battlefield?

April and October, with highs of 68–69°. August is the busiest month (about 43,813 visitors).

How many people visit Wilson's Creek National Battlefield each year?

370,558 in 2025, according to the National Park Service.

What is the closest airport to Wilson's Creek National Battlefield?

Springfield Branson National (SGF), about 9 miles away. The nearest big hub is Tulsa (TUL), about 151 miles.

Where should I stay near Wilson's Creek National Battlefield?

Springfield (9 mi, 104 places to stay), Branson (35 mi, 235 places to stay) and Ozark (13 mi, 8 places to stay).

From locals

Tips from people in Republic

No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Republic’s Town Square.

When do you go to beat the crowds at Wilson's Creek? Where do you eat after a visit to Wilson's Creek? Is Wilson's Creek worth it with small kids? What do visitors to Wilson's Creek usually miss?

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.