Vicksburg National Military Park - Activities

The VISITOR CENTER offers general and historical information services, orientation film, exhibits on the various topics of the Civil War period, bookstore, pay telephone, rest room facilities and regional (city/county) information.

The USS CAIRO MUSEUM AND GUNBOAT offers general and historical information services, exhibits on naval operations of the Civil War, bookstore, pay telephone, restroom facilities and picnic area. Artifacts on display are a time capsule of life aboard a ironclad gunboat. Sailors" personal possessions, cookware, medical supplies, and weaponry are featured. A 6 minute video explains the sinking, discovery and salvage operations.

Three EXTERNAL UNITS include the riverfront batteries at Navy Circle, South Fort and Louisiana Circle.

Across the Mississippi River is the last remaining section of GRANT"S CANAL, where Union forces attempted to bypass Vicksburg by digging a channel through Desoto Point. Facilities include an historic state highway marker, bronze tablet and wayside exhibits on Williams Canal, Grant"s Canal and Black Troops at Milliken"s Bend.

A sixteen mile TOUR ROAD parallels Union and Confederate siege lines, with three interconnecting roadways, fifteen TOUR STOPS, waysite markers and exhibits, short SPUR TRAILS to points of interest, one primitive TWELVE MILE SCOUT COMPASS TRAIL, and 7 and 14 mile HIKES that follow the park tour road.