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November 2023 by danita s.
Beautiful park with lots to see and learn. The visitor center was closed but there were maps provided and plenty of signage to explain what happened in each location. Great experience.
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March 2023 by Jlow286
Huge selection of books. Must visit when you visit the battlefield.
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December 2022 by Shannon M.
Where ASJ took friendly fire and at the time was considered the best CSA commander on the field. Bobby Lee would distinguish himself later.My biggest mistake was taking someone along who absolutely had little interest in the History and rushed me through the car tour.
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August 2022 by Tara M.
I have been to Shiloh many times over the years. We were there last week and I was quite impressed with the film in the visitor's center. The old film was very dated. I don't know when the new film that's being shown now was made, but it is so interesting and informative. I learned alot from watching it and I already knew quite a bit about this particular battle. Also, the junior ranger book is very thorough and informative. It requires much more work and research than the junior ranger books at other national parks we've been to. My child completed it and earned a badge, but I learned things from it, too. They should start giving the junior ranger books to interested adults, too!
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June 2022 by Charles C.
Great place to learn some local history and also has excellent hiking and good facilities.
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April 2022 by Derek B.
This collection of wooded groves and field along the Tennessee River was the site of a decisive Union victory a year into Civil War. As the battle was spread out over several miles, it can be a bit hectic to understand what exactly was happening where as you drive along the various sites in the battlefield. This brings me to the primary source of all five stars in this review. Ranger Timothy L. Arnold is a gentleman, a philosopher, and a storyteller. Some historic battlefield tours provide you with a superficial understanding of the event at hand, and more rarely, provide you with a glimpse or the true significance and context of the event. Yet once in a blue moon, you are given a guide that connects all those cerebral facts with the rhythms of the heart. Ranger Timothy is one of those special guides. Apparently Ranger Timothy was in the infantry, but I would not need to know that fact to follow him into battle. The man is a paragon of truth, equanimity, and wisdom. If we were all like Ranger Timothy, I think about 80% of society's problems would be solved. So do us all a favor and take a walking tour with Ranger Timothy. You will benefit, our country will benefit, and future generations will thank you.
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February 2022 by Michael Frederick
Great selection and worker there
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January 2022 by Jennifer Sabados
Was super excited to go to the bookstore, big history book buff. Walked into empty store and started looking, old man (worker) came out and rudely shoved box of masks in my face then started spouting Biden rhetoric and propaganda. Could not stomach him and had to leave. Completely soured my visit to the battlefield.
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December 2021 by Alida R.
I've never been a battlefield before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Shiloh is a somber, moving, educational place to visit. There's a visitor center with a small museum (which is not very good; it doesn't give a very good overview of the battle, though the free movie* they play every does that well) and a small gift shop. There's a national military cemetery, and a driving tour (about 12 miles I think) with lots of historical spots to stop. You can download the app with information before you arrive (since phone service is bad and the wifi in the visitor center was super slow), or they'll give you a paper map with an overview of the tours. There are lots of cannons (some replica and some historical), historical markers, and a recreation of an old church building. People who are really into military history will love this; others will still probably enjoy it. My favorite part was visiting the Caddo Indian Mounds site; it's about a one mile hike, and you can see the mounds and learn more about the native inhabitants of the area. You also get lovely views of the river. I visited with my 6 and 8 year old nephews, and they enjoyed it a lot (especially the replica cannons). I'm a northerner, and not gonna lie, was a little apprehensive about whether I'd find a "Lost Cause" narrative here. I didn't: the overwhelming sense I came away with is sadness over the senseless tragedy over such loss of life. There is a very interesting memorial to Confederate soldiers (make sure you read in the guide about the symbolism) - in my opinion, the only place such memorials should appropriately be. *WARNING (and one of the main reasons for a 3-star rating): The visitor center has a 45 minute overview video that plays on the hour. The video is super detailed (almost to a fault), and it involves a lot of historical reenactments. These reenactments are surprisingly intense and violent: you see people get shot (with blood), you see people wounded, and when there's a voice-over quote about the horror of dead bodies lying on the ground in the mist, and they actually show a bunch of dead bodies in the mist. While this is surely fine for most adults, it could be very distressing to some people (including vets with PTSD and young children). There's no content warning about it at all, and no reason to expect that an educational video will be intense or violent. One of my young nephews had nightmares that night because of the video :-( (Because it's a federal site, they require masks during COVID-19 in indoor spaces).
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September 2021 by C. S.
Don't know why my post was marked "unfinished". See review under "C.S."
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September 2021 by Ray F.
While this is a beautiful, peaceful and exceptionally well maintained and preserved battlefield and cemetery, there is a lot of poignant history to learn at this park. The park visitor center and museum is a great place to start. But there is so much more to explore! Keep your camera in hand as there is a lot of native animals about in the park! Keep in mind, many who actually fought here, both sides, decades later, collaborated to ensure facts are accurate Multiple programs take place and I suggest having a plan before arriving. The park is laid out for a car ride to many observation/historic points of interest. I suggest doing it as it is very beautiful and worthwhile. It is a slow ride and somber as you pass the many skirmish sites and mass graves. Getting out to walk at those stops is very important to understanding the scope and scale of the tragic loss of life and permanent battle scars on the soldiers' bodies and minds as well as the nation. It will help you to imagine what took place. There are many monuments you will want to see, read and think about. Monuments point out where the many different units fought. Units from Maine to Texas and Minnesota to Florida. This was the Nation warring, not just locals fighting. While touring, you can see lots of wildlife early in the day (turkeys, deer, coyotes, rabbits, groundhogs, hawks, and eagles). The trees and vegetation make it a lush park alongside the Tennessee River. There are many paths, creeks and thickets to explore. Additionally, mid way through the drive, you can visit a separate National Park containing the ancient Indian Mounds on the banks of the river. Hiking shoes, a good camera and some refreshments are absolutely needed. As a former Army officer, student of history and participant in government, I am concerned many who travel here don't see the full depth and meaning of what took place and how it tries to teach a critical lesson to all who visit. This was an early Civil War major battle that failed to rattle the people of that time to urgently find a better way to resolve differences before waging even larger battles and creating more devastation. This was the biggest battle of the Civil War at that time and even larger ones would follow. From a purely military perspective, I can see the how the terrain and weather led to the ghastly skirmishes. Plus understand the mistakes of inexperienced leaders that fired upon their own sides and allowed poorly trained/fresh untrained soldiers to be issued rifles for the first time a day or two before being sent in to battle. There were many poor military decisions at this costly battle that taught survivors how to perfect more devastating tactics. One would hope learning what took place here would move people to see that rhetoric of violent, hateful speech motivated and led those not having the education and understanding of the moral, social and economic implications (on both sides) to kill 3482, wound 16,420 and lose another 3844 (captured and missing). The politicians of those days continued sending more men (Americans and New American immigrants) into more costlier battles killing, wounding and scarring more Americans without forcing another path. Is that a direction we are beginning to repeat? Battles start where politicians fail. You can see that the mass graves and individual graves within this Park attest to that. Shiloh National Park is a good place to reflect upon not only what took place over those few weeks back in April 1862 but where we are today. Super job National Park Service and those long gone who survived this battle (from both sides) and spent the rest of their lives helping to accurately tell this story! I found this a very emotional and moving experience. It is why I saved this for number 1000. When will we ever learn...
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June 2021 by Carleen H.
Beautifully preserved area with history of the civil war. The visitors center provides all kinds of information as well as a film to explain the major battle that took place here. The App Store has a narrated tour that you drive and loop through the park. The cannons lined up ready for service is a haunting reminder of what took place here. The whole area is a pristine landscape with an abundance of monuments to commemorate the loss of life on this battlefield. Easy to spend the whole day here exploring.
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April 2021 by Carl Cantrell
We travel to Shiloh NMP twice a year and stay uusually 2 weeks. The bookstore is friendly and accomoodating . They are friendly and very informative and can answer most questions about the park , if not they know where to find it. I give them a 5 star rating.
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March 2021 by Jack B.
They've updated the ancient movie and the new one is more informative and gives better insight into the two days of slaughter. Other than that the visitor center remains the unchanged. The driving tour along with material from the center provide an excellent explanation of what happened, when and the results. It is very easy to walk in the fields and imagine the scenes unfolding. Our 18 daughter loved it. To walk in the steps of those who participated. You'll come away with an appreciation of U S Grant and his dogged determination, a truly unrelenting warrior. Certainly worth your time.
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September 2020 by Veronica D.
One day was not enough time to see all that this park has to offer. Great exhibits, love the gift shop (although too small), great space for a group tour or school group. The staff was great and we enjoyed the historical re-enactor that gave the demonstration. The park is well kept, beautiful and peaceful. We will definitely go back.
