Fort Donelson National Battlefield
Hours
See this week's hours below.
- Entrance fee
- The Park Service lists no entrance fee for this site.
- Phone
- 931-232-5706
- Address
- 120 Fort Donelson Park Road, Dover, TN 37058
About Fort Donelson
Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant was becoming quite famous as he wrote these words following the surrender of Confederate Fort Donelson on Sunday, February 16, 1862. The Union victory at Fort Donelson elated the North, and stunned the South. Within days of the surrender, Clarksville and Nashville would fall into Union hands. Grant and his troops had created a pathway to victory for the Union.
Hours
Fort Donelson National Battlefield
Fort Donelson NB Visitor Center is open daily 8:30 am - 4:00 pm CST. Dover Hotel hours are 8:30 am - 4:00 pm CST daily. The park is closed Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1. Hours change seasonally. The park tour route is open: Spring time change to Memorial Day: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm CDT Memorial Day to Labor Day: 8:00 am to 8:00 pm CDT Labor Day to fall time change: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm CST Fall time change to spring time change: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm CST
| Monday | 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Thursday | 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Friday | 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Saturday | 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Sunday | 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
Changes to these hours
- Mid-March to Memorial Day, Mar 11 to May 29, 2027: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Labor Day to Fall Time Change, Sep 7 to Nov 2, 2026: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Fall Time Change - Spring Time Change, Nov 2 to Mar 8, 2027: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
- Thanksgiving Day, Nov 26: Closed
- Christmas Day, Dec 25: Closed
- New Year's Day, Jan 1: Closed
- Memorial Day to Labor Day, May 31 to Sep 7, 2027: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Getting there
The main entrance is at 120 Fort Donelson Park Road, in Dover Tennessee. It is advised to start a visitor experience here. Brochures and information are available at this location. Physical address for the park's Fort Heiman unit, in Calloway County, Kentucky: 654 Fort Heiman Road, New Concord, Kentucky. This site is not staffed daily, but exhibits and information are available for visitors.
Weather
Fort Donelson National Battlefield traditionally experiences mild to moderate winters and hot summers with an average high of 90 degrees in the summer and 40 in winter; average lows in the winter are 30 degrees but single digits are not unusual. Rainfall in the area averages 53 inches a year with an additional 6 inches of ice/snow. Violent thunderstorms and severe weather can take place at any time of year but are most common in December and spring time.
Things to do
Auto and ATV, Guided Tours, Hiking, Junior Ranger Program, Museum Exhibits, Park Film, Scenic Driving, Self-Guided Tours - Auto.
Source: National Park Service data feed, checked September 24, 2026. Hours shown are the Park Service's posted standard hours plus any date changes it lists. Official page for Fort Donelson ↗