Facility Overview

The Soldiers' National Cemetery Parking lot (officially known by the National Park Service as the Gettysburg National Cemetery Parking Lot) is a dedicated open-air surface parking facility situated directly off Taneytown Road (PA-134) and historic Cyclorama Drive in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Positioned at the western threshold of the hallowed Gettysburg National Cemetery and Cemetery Hill, this paved municipal-style national park lot features approximately 57 standard passenger vehicle stalls alongside four dedicated oversized spaces for recreational vehicles (RVs) and tour minibuses. Because it is completely open-air with no overhead barriers, parking structures, or low tree canopies, the facility offers unlimited vertical clearance, making it fully accessible for tall conversion vans, lifted pickup trucks, campervans, and rooftop cargo carriers.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

This parking area provides the most direct and convenient access point for visitors honoring the sacred grounds where President Abraham Lincoln delivered his immortal Gettysburg Address. Key historic landmarks and community points of interest directly reachable on foot include:

• Soldiers' National Cemetery: Immediate walking access across Taneytown Road through the cemetery gates, where thousands of Union soldiers and veterans from later conflicts rest.
• Soldiers' National Monument & Lincoln Address Memorial: Less than a 5-minute walk (0.2 miles) along paved interior cemetery walkways.
• Pickett's Charge & The High Water Mark: A scenic 8- to 10-minute stroll (approx. 0.4 miles) west toward Hancock Avenue, The Angle, and the Copse of Trees.
• Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center: Accessible via a scenic connecting pedestrian trail south along Taneytown Road and Hunt Avenue (approx. 0.7 miles / 15-minute walk) or a short 3-minute drive.
• Steinwehr Avenue Business District: Located roughly 0.5 miles north, offering authentic historic taverns, casual dining (including the Dobbin House Tavern and Farnsworth House Inn), museums, and souvenir shops.
• Evergreen Cemetery & Gatehouse: Immediately adjacent to the national cemetery grounds, rich with historic significance from the July 1863 battle.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

Ingress and egress are straightforward via Taneytown Road (State Route 134) onto Cyclorama Drive, with clear park signage indicating public parking. The lot features wide two-way circulation aisles and angled parking stalls for simple pull-in and back-out maneuvering. During peak summer weekends, battle reenactment anniversaries (early July), and Remembrance Day (mid-November), traffic along Taneytown Road and Baltimore Pike can experience moderate congestion; exiting drivers can head north directly into Gettysburg Borough or south toward State Route 134 and Route 15 bypass corridors. Regional motorists can easily connect to US-15, US-30 (Lincoln Highway), and PA-97. For public transit users, RabbitTransit operates local Freedom Transit trolley routes (such as the Lincoln Line and Gold Line) connecting the Museum & Visitor Center, Steinwehr Avenue, and downtown Gettysburg squares.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

• Free Public Access: 100% complimentary parking provided by the National Park Service with zero hourly meters or entry fees.
• ADA Accessible Parking: Clearly marked, designated ADA-compliant spaces with flat, step-free curb access leading straight to pedestrian crosswalks and paved cemetery walkways.
• Oversized Vehicle Bays: Dedicated long stalls suited for motorhomes, family RVs, and licensed tour sprinters.
• Pedestrian Connectivity: Direct paved trail connections linking Cemetery Hill to the wider national military park trail system and monument corridors.
• Ranger Patrols: Regularly monitored by National Park Service law enforcement rangers for visitor safety and property security.
• Waste & Recycling Receptacles: On-site trash bins to assist visitors in keeping the sacred grounds clean.

Ideal For

• Historic Battlefield Explorers: Visitors taking self-guided walking tours of Cemetery Hill, the National Cemetery, and the High Water Mark line.
• Licensed Battlefield Guide Tours: A primary rendezvous point where pre-arranged battlefield guides meet visitors for vehicle and walking tours.
• RV and Camper Roadtrippers: Drivers seeking rare, legal, oversized-friendly surface parking near central Gettysburg battlefield sites.
• Hikers & Heritage Walkers: Those planning to traverse the walking trails connecting Cemetery Ridge, the Leister Farm (Meade's Headquarters), and the Visitor Center.

Visitor & Driver Tips

Because this lot has a modest capacity of roughly 57 passenger vehicles, spaces tend to fill quickly during late mornings and mid-afternoons from May through October. For the best chance of securing a prime stall, plan to arrive before 9:30 AM or later in the afternoon after 4:00 PM. Note that overnight parking and camping are strictly prohibited by Federal park regulations; vehicles must vacate by closing time (30 minutes after sunset). Drivers navigating with GPS should set their destination specifically to 'Soldiers' National Cemetery Parking on Cyclorama Drive' or 'Taneytown Road Cemetery Parking' to avoid being routed to private residential lanes.