Over the next 3 years, the site evolved into a massive recruitment and training center for United States Colored Troops and a refugee camp for their families. It served as a shelter for civilians fleeing war and for enslaved people hoping to secure their freedom and aid in the destruction of slavery.
Photo: NPS/A. Goetz
Camp Nelson National Monument
The US Army established Camp Nelson as a fortified supply depot in April 1863.
- LocationNicholasville, KY
- Entrance No fee listed
- HoursDaily, Sunrise to Sunset
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Weather now87°F Overcast
- Alerts No active alerts
Overview
Topics
- Abolition Movement
- African American Heritage
- Artillery
- Burial, Cemetery and Gravesite
- Cavalry
- Civil Rights
- Civil War
- Enslavement
13 more topics
- Forced Marches
- Forts
- Infantry and Militia
- Military
- Monuments and Memorials
- National Cemetery
- Reconstruction
- Social Movements
- Tragic Events
- Trails
- US Army
- Wars and Conflicts
- Women's History
Things to Do
5 activities. Pick one to find other parks that offer it.
Facilities & Services
Find visitor centers and other services available in the park. Check current hours and availability before you go.
Visitor Centers
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Camp Nelson National Monument Visitor Center, Museum, and Barracks
Visitor Center
The Visitor Center, Museum, and Reconstructed Barracks are currently open 5-days a week, Wednesday through Sunday. The buildings are open and staffed on Labor Day…
Details
The Visitor Center, Museum, and Reconstructed Barracks are currently open 5-days a week, Wednesday through Sunday. The buildings are open and staffed on Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 2026. Operating hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The Visitor Center provides an orientation to the events that unfolded at Camp Nelson through exhibits and a 17-minute film. The Reconstructed Barracks features the award-winning Network to Freedom and Soldiers Exhibit.
Plan Your Visit
Hours
Daily, Sunrise to Sunset · Camp Nelson National Monument
Hours details
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Camp Nelson National MonumentDaily, Sunrise to Sunset
The grounds featuring nearly 5-miles of unpaved trails and dozens of wayside exhibits explaining the significance of Camp Nelson, are open 7-days a week from sunrise to sunset. Please see the Visitor Center tab for opening and closing hours, and seasonal changes.
Monday Sunrise to Sunset Tuesday Sunrise to Sunset Wednesday Sunrise to Sunset Thursday Sunrise to Sunset Friday Sunrise to Sunset Saturday Sunrise to Sunset Sunday Sunrise to Sunset
Entrance fees
No entrance fees listed.
Weather
87°F
Overcast · feels like 79°
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Today
88° 61°
Overcast10% rain
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Tomorrow
74° 57°
Light rain shower88% rain -
Saturday
61° 53°
Patchy rain nearby72% rain
Updated 4 hr ago
What to expect by season
Kentucky has a moderate climate, where summers are humid with highs typically in the upper 80s, and winter highs are in the low 40s. Of course, be aware of the possibility of storms or more extreme temperatures on occasion. The wettest months are March - July when about 4 inches of rain per month are expected, with other months of the year are usually drier.
Contact the park
Upcoming Events
3 coming up-
From Camp to Community: Civil War Tour of Lexington Cemetery
About
The National Park Service (NPS) at Camp Nelson National Monument, in partnership with the University of Kentucky Department of History and the Lexington History Museum, invite you to a special Civil War tour of the Lexington Cemetery starting at 11:00 am on Saturday, October 3, 2026. The guided tour launches the new “From Camp to Community” Interpretive Project which highlights the sites and stories of Camp Nelson’s soldiers, civilians, and refugees in communities across the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the United States of America, and beyond. The project features public programs and projects through community building and partnership development. The program is free and open to the public. All attendees should park on Henry Clay (Bus Parking) in the cemetery. Please bring water and comfortable walking shoes. Address:
Lexington Cemetery
833 W. Main Street
Lexington, KY 40508 -
Fall History Hike
About
Join the National Park Service (NPS) as we usher in a new season with the Fall History Hike at Camp Nelson National Monument! NPS staff will lead visitors on a guided hike to explore the site’s rich natural and historic resources, especially Camp Nelson’s role is a supply depot, recruit center, and refugee site during the Civil War, and the modern preservation of the park. The hike will be conducted on paved and grass paths and will involve moderate inclines. Participants should wear comfortable hiking shoes and bring water. Meet NPS staff at the Visitor Center. #NationalParkService #Fall #Hiking -
6th Annual Luminaria and Memorial Walk
About
The National Park Service (NPS) invites you to participate in the 6th Annual Luminaria and Memorial Walk which pays tribute to all freedom seekers who sought refuge at Camp Nelson during the Civil War. The special event starts at 6:00 pm on Saturday, November 7, 2026.
On November 23, 1864, over 400 African American refugees, including the wives and children of US Colored Troops [USCT] were expelled from Camp Nelson during the Civil War. It was at least the eighth and largest expulsion of Black refugees from the base and resulted in the deaths of at least 102 souls. The November Expulsion led to the establishment of the Home for Colored Refugees at Camp Nelson and the Congressional act which emancipated the wives and children of USCT soldiers.
The special event features interpretive talks by NPS staff and invited guests and a guided walk to Graveyard No. 1, where over 400 luminaries will be light to honor the people expelled and other freedom seekers who sought refuge at Camp Nelson.The program begins outside the Barracks building, located adjacent to the Visitor Center and Museum, and is free and open to the public.
#NationalParkService #NationalPark #Kentucky
Photos
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160th Anniversary of the East Tennessee Campaign, August 2023 — NPS/BT -
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1 more photo
Getting There
Nicholasville, KY 40356
Camp Nelson National Monument is located along US 27 about 20 miles south of Lexington, Kentucky, 6 miles south of Nicholasville on US 27, and 16 miles north of Danville, KY on US 27. The Park entrance is on the original Danville Pike, adjacent to US 27, one mile north of the Camp Nelson National Cemetery.
Mailing address: 6614 Old Danville Loop 2 Road, Nicholasville, KY 40356
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