Is there an entrance fee at Fort Donelson National Battlefield?

NPS lists it as a fee-free park with no entrance fee. Confirm on the official park page before you visit.

What are the visitor center hours?

NPS lists the visitor center as open daily from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm CST. Hours change seasonally, and closures fall on Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1.

When is the quietest time to visit?

In 2025 the quietest month was November with 8,966 recreation visits, and the busiest was August with 19,285.

Are dogs allowed at Fort Donelson National Battlefield?

Where pets are allowed, NPS rules require a leash of six feet or shorter or a crate. Pets are not allowed in public buildings, and the park can close more areas to them.

All parks › Fort Donelson National Battlefield

Fort Donelson National Battlefield: fees, hours, camping and when to visit

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on National Park Service data. Published by Humblebee.

Entrance fee: None^[1]
Busiest month (2025): August^[2]
Recreation visits, 2025: 151,151^[3]
Visitor centers: 1^[4]

Fort Donelson National Battlefield is a National Park System unit in Kentucky and Tennessee^[5]. NPS lists it as a fee-free park, so there is no entrance fee^[1].

Entrance fees and passes

The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for Fort Donelson National Battlefield^[1]. Some tours, campgrounds or permits inside a park can still have their own fees.

When to visit and hours

NPS lists the visitor center as open daily from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm CST^[6]. The park is closed on Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1^[6]. Hours change with the seasons, so check the official page before you go^[6]. In 2025 the busiest month was August with 19,285 recreation visits, and the quietest was November with 8,966^[2]. NPS describes summer highs averaging 90 degrees and winter highs averaging 40^[7]. Storms and severe weather can hit in any season, and NPS says they are most common in December and spring^[7].

Recreation visits counted by the National Park Service in each month of 2025. The busiest month, August, is highlighted^[2].

Show visits by month

Month, 2025	Recreation visits
January	9,238
February	9,583
March	13,530
April	13,958
May	15,167
June	14,291
July	14,598
August	19,285
September	13,557
October	9,927
November	8,966
December	9,051

Show visits by year

Year	Recreation visits
2021^[3]	234,898
2022^[3]	183,638
2023^[3]	179,950
2024^[3]	166,026
2025^[3]	151,151

Pets and dogs

The national NPS pet rule says pets must be crated, caged or on a leash of six feet or shorter where they are allowed^[8]. Pets are not allowed in public buildings, with service animals excepted^[8]. Each park can close more areas to pets, so ask at the park^[8].

Before you go

NPS lists no entrance fee here^[1].
Fees and hours are what NPS lists and they can change, so confirm on the official park page^[6].
The tour route has its own hours, listed by NPS as evening closing at 8:00 pm CDT between Memorial Day and Labor Day^[6].
NPS lists one visitor center, the Fort Donelson Visitor Center^[4].
NPS lists a Junior Ranger program as something to do^[9].

Questions people ask

Is there an entrance fee at Fort Donelson National Battlefield?: NPS lists it as a fee-free park with no entrance fee^[1]. Confirm on the official park page before you visit^[6].
What are the visitor center hours?: NPS lists the visitor center as open daily from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm CST^[6]. Hours change seasonally, and closures fall on Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1^[6].
When is the quietest time to visit?: In 2025 the quietest month was November with 8,966 recreation visits, and the busiest was August with 19,285^[2].
Are dogs allowed at Fort Donelson National Battlefield?: Where pets are allowed, NPS rules require a leash of six feet or shorter or a crate^[8]. Pets are not allowed in public buildings, and the park can close more areas to them^[8].

Facts and sources

NPS lists Fort Donelson National Battlefield as a fee-free park: there is no entrance fee. National Park Service
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 234,898, 2022: 183,638, 2023: 179,950, 2024: 166,026, 2025: 151,151. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
Visitor centers listed by NPS: 1 (Fort Donelson Visitor Center). National Park Service
Fort Donelson National Battlefield is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Battlefield) in Kentucky and Tennessee. National Park Service
Operating 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... National Park Service
NPS weather and seasons overview for Fort Donelson National Battlefield. National Park Service
National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
NPS lists 7 things to do at Fort Donelson National Battlefield: Pets, Hike the Trails at Fort Donelson NB, Stop by the Fort Donelson NB Visitor Center, Want to Become a Junior Ranger?, Fort Donelson NB Autotour Route, Fort Donelson: Then and Now, Quilt... National Park Service

Fees and hours are what NPS lists in its data at the snapshot date. They change: tell readers to confirm on the official park page before a trip. Visits are NPS recreation visits (counted entries, not unique people). Use them only for this park's own months and years, never to rank parks. Campground list and site counts come from NPS and Recreation.gov records. Count fields can differ slightly between the two. The pet rule is the national baseline (36 CFR 2.15). The park may close more areas to pets. Do not claim specific trails allow dogs unless a fact says so.