Culpepper Area questions

JeffFromSyracuse

Sergeant
Joined
Jul 6, 2020
Location
Philly Suburbs
Over Memorial Day weekend, I’m doing a quick Culpepper / Fredericksburg trip. My first day, I'm doing a few sites I’ve never done before - Brandy Station, Cedar Mountain, Payne Farm.

A few questions about other potential stops that day.

Is Kelly's Ford a conclusive explanation of the battle? I know there are ABT signs in a couple of different spots - are the signs on 673 different from the signs at the Kelly's Ford Inn? And is it worth stopping in to the Nature Preserve?

Is Rappahannock Station worth a stop?

Is there anything to see at Mortons or Raccoon Ford? I'll be passing both on my way from Cedar Mountain to Payne's Farm.

For my second day, I'm going to visit a few spots that I want to focus on at Fredericksburg, Spots, and Chancellorsville (I've visited these before, so it's checking out a few places that I've since read about in more detail).

Is there any public / NPS land around Harris Farm? I know there's a monument, but I don't see if its accessible.

Is the Laurel Hill trail marked more clearly at Spots now? I couldn't find it last time I was there, and I'd like to walk it.

Thanks in advance! I'm coming in from southern PA, so I'll be able to get an early start, and I'm staying in Fredericksburg proper for the night.
 
I was at Brandy Station, last year on the anniversary of the battle. I was impressed with how much was preserved.
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Over Memorial Day weekend, I’m doing a quick Culpepper / Fredericksburg trip. My first day, I'm doing a few sites I’ve never done before - Brandy Station, Cedar Mountain, Payne Farm.

A few questions about other potential stops that day.

Is Kelly's Ford a conclusive explanation of the battle? I know there are ABT signs in a couple of different spots - are the signs on 673 different from the signs at the Kelly's Ford Inn? And is it worth stopping in to the Nature Preserve?

Is Rappahannock Station worth a stop?

Is there anything to see at Mortons or Raccoon Ford? I'll be passing both on my way from Cedar Mountain to Payne's Farm.

For my second day, I'm going to visit a few spots that I want to focus on at Fredericksburg, Spots, and Chancellorsville (I've visited these before, so it's checking out a few places that I've since read about in more detail).

Is there any public / NPS land around Harris Farm? I know there's a monument, but I don't see if its accessible.

Is the Laurel Hill trail marked more clearly at Spots now? I couldn't find it last time I was there, and I'd like to walk it.

Thanks in advance! I'm coming in from southern PA, so I'll be able to get an early start, and I'm staying in Fredericksburg proper for the night.
Much of the preserved land at Kelly's Ford is an easement over a sod farm. You cannot access that portion of the battlefield without permission. There are a couple of Civil War Trails markers, but you would be well-served to read my The Union Cavalry Comes of Age before visiting--it has the most detailed account of the Battle of Kelly's Ford yet published. There is a small trail along the south bank of the Rappahannock from the parking area at the highway bridge that takes you back to the actual site of the ford (which is on private property--it's owned by the Inn at Kelly's Ford and is part of an equestrian trail, but they do not mind people coming back to visit the ford)--the highway bridge is NOT the site of Kelly's Ford--it's about 150 yards further south. The bridge is where John Kelly's mill stood. The nature preserve is where Pelham received his mortal wound, near Wheatley's Ford. There is a rather long trail straight back from the parking area that will take you to the marker, but this time of year, one must be EXTREMELY careful about snakes, including copperheads and water moccasins.

Rappahannock Station is worth a stop. Roughly 1/3 of the November 7, 1863 battlefield is preserved, although there was no interp out there the last time I was there.

There is nothing to see at Morton's Ford--it's private property on both sides of the Rapidan, and unless you know what you're looking for, you will not see anything. Raccoon Ford can be seen if you go all the way to the end of the Raccoon Ford Road, but to get to the actual ford is not possible due it being private property. But you can see it from the cul-de-sac where the road ends. Look straight at the Rapidan and you will see how shallow it is there.
 
Over Memorial Day weekend, I’m doing a quick Culpepper / Fredericksburg trip. My first day, I'm doing a few sites I’ve never done before - Brandy Station, Cedar Mountain, Payne Farm.

A few questions about other potential stops that day.

Is Kelly's Ford a conclusive explanation of the battle? I know there are ABT signs in a couple of different spots - are the signs on 673 different from the signs at the Kelly's Ford Inn? And is it worth stopping in to the Nature Preserve?

Is Rappahannock Station worth a stop?

Is there anything to see at Mortons or Raccoon Ford? I'll be passing both on my way from Cedar Mountain to Payne's Farm.

For my second day, I'm going to visit a few spots that I want to focus on at Fredericksburg, Spots, and Chancellorsville (I've visited these before, so it's checking out a few places that I've since read about in more detail).

Is there any public / NPS land around Harris Farm? I know there's a monument, but I don't see if its accessible.

Is the Laurel Hill trail marked more clearly at Spots now? I couldn't find it last time I was there, and I'd like to walk it.

Thanks in advance! I'm coming in from southern PA, so I'll be able to get an early start, and I'm staying in Fredericksburg proper for the night.
I believe @Reverend Ron owns property out that way by Raccoon Ford. He might be able to help you.
Lubliner.
 
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